ErwinZ

Analog photographers may have heard of reciprocity failure, also known as the Schwarzfield effect. To counter this failure you have to increase exposure according to the Schwarzfield law. That's how I know him as a photo collector. But he is probably more famous for his involvement in Einstein's relativity theory. 

Now the popular believe is that he did the calculations for field equations as an artillery officer in a trench at the eastern front. And he died later in combat. While we know he died of complications of an autoimmune disease. 

So without going into details what he did exactly as a physicist, I thought it would be interesting to find out what his military career path was. In which unit did he serve and where did he saw combat?

After a bit of researching I found that Hauptmann Kienast was in de 21 RID. In the divisional record he, then already Hauptmann, commanded the Minenwerfer attached to RIR 80 in the defence of the Briqueteriestellung. Which was stormed by the French on 24/25 Sept. 1915. 

Ah lovely. Might it be possible to name him with only 366 recipients?

The date of the photo is 1 sept. 1918. He is one of the (commanding) officers of M.W.K. 221.

My knowledge of medals is very limited. I thought about the Ehrenkreuz or the Oldenburger Haus- und Verdienstorden. But imo it's not an exact match with both. If anyone can shed some light on this? (Obviously the bottom left one  )

The person might be Leutnant d. R. Knell, M.W.K.221

Thx. Most likely it is one of the abteilungen which formed the Minenwerfer Kompanie 221. So the number might be 19 or 113. Too bad there's a crease right on the number. 

He looks like Graf Zeppelin. 

That was the plan, but something went wrong I guess. Here's the full soldier. 

Anyone has an idea what unit? If it helps the soldier is reading a leaflet from Köln (the city).

I never even heard of him. You learn something everyday. 

In that case the post can be removed/moved.

From the regimental book „Das Württembergische Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 54 im Weltkrieg 1914-1918“

16 hours ago, GreyC said:

if the place of death is the same as place of burial, I am unable to say, but all died on the same day at the same place during their fight in the Somme region.

Lovely, that was the piece I needed. I was searching for an Infantrie reg. but it's from the artillerie. Pesky German fonts

In the regimental book there's a whole story on the accident.

It would be nice if the location can be found of this graveyard near a church. Maybe the date of death gives a clue?

Uoffz.Kriegsfr. Ludwig Thierauch. 6.2.1893-14.9.1916
Fahrer Jacob Irion. 8.11.1896-14.9.1916
Kanonier Land. II Emil Held. 19.3.1883-14.9.1916

RFGR/II.54/6.Batt

On 17/06/2009 at 10:38, Deruelle said:

Oberstleutnant Graf Kielmansegg

Sorry for digging up an old post. But is this Walther Gustav Lothar von Kielmansegg? 

A very interesting image. 

Oberstleutnant Graf Walther Gustav Lothar von Kielmansegg. Kdr. des RIR 222
July 14, 1869, July 28, 1918 (49) Dounai am dem Somme.

He was the patron of the prolific german composer Paul Hindemith during the war. Graf von Kielmannsegg was a great music lover and allowed the formation of a string quartet, which he had to play regularly. Hindemith spends most of the day with intensive rehearsals for the quartet and the regimental band.

A very interesting image. 

Oberstleutnant Graf Walther Gustav Lothar von Kielmansegg. Kdr. des RIR 222
July 14, 1869, July 28, 1918 (49) Dounai am dem Somme.

He was the patron of the prolific german composer Paul Hindemith during the war. Graf von Kielmannsegg was a great music lover and allowed the formation of a string quartet, which he had to play regularly. Hindemith spends most of the day with intensive rehearsals for the quartet and the regimental band.

Two winter trenches in France.

A badly exposed shot. I tried to bring it back a bit.

I like the helmet covers on this one.

Very nice set of photo's.

One from my own collection. He seems to be fed up by it all (or just a very slow photographer )

Brilliant!

Great stuff! I did some (not noteworthy) modelling and painting as a kid, so knowing how hard it is, it impresses me even more. 

Really impressive!

Can you post a photo which shows the scale of these sculptures? Just out of curiosity. 

Feld-Flieger-Abteilung.3. Own collection.

16 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

This is confusing because it has 30 KO bagged crosses in this box!

Starting at only £480 ...

Sad to to hear about Michael Baldwin, his book Field Grey has a prominent place on my bookshelf. 

I'm looking for a Leutnant Linsenbach or something similar. At 15.9.18 he was in the Quievy-Élincourt-Cambrai area. I think he led a minenwerfer kompanie and is most likely linked somehow with the 21.Reserve-Division.

I can use some major help with these ones. 

This index for photographs are from 7.7.18 to 20.11.18.  From the 21. Reserve-Division and most likely the 41. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade. 

Some names I identified already. Cantin (on first page), Croisilles, Quentin, Quievy, Valenciennes, La Bourse Brussel.