Einbauschrank

Thanks a lot. Ironically I think the wimp is Georg and Felix is the "good guy". Felix later still has cordial contact with Franke. Some excerpts from the Franke diaries: In April 1906 he notes that Oberstleutnant von Muehlenfels (umlaut) has intrigued against the decoration of Count Stillfried "the reason is peculiar to say the least!" I guess Franke wouldn't say so if Muehlenfels had intrigued against the wimp rather the "tough count". Could this be the missing DSWA medal? But it might as well be a higher decoration for Georg so this doesn't prove anything. May 1906 ?[im Lokal]sitzt Gr?fin Stillfried mit ihrem Gatten, dem vorsichtigen, mit dem schwarzwei?en Band geschm?ckten Grafen. [?] Und der Mann? Ein Jammerlappen in unserer Offiziersuniform." Unfortunately both have the PrKO4X. So this doesn't really help. At least the wimp is still in DSWA in 1906. November 1907 ??der Herr Adjutant ist der erste Liebhaber und die freigewordene Kompanie kann der gr?fliche Schlappschwanz nicht f?hren ?.? So as Georg was still in Windhuk by 1907 according to Franke - and still in Windhuk according to the DOA 08/09 I think Georg is the cuckold wimp. Does this compute with your records? Anyway this makes me want to learn more about the wimp Again, thanks a lot, that has been a great help.

Hi! In the Franke diaries the Hauptmann with the sharp tongue tells about a Graf Stillfried and his cousin. One is described as a "pussy" (Schlappschwanz) whose wife is having an affair with the adjutant (Bauszus). And the poor Count Stillfried is a shirker who stays in the lazarett even though the doctors think he is simulating. His cousin is described as the "tough count" ("der z?he Graf") and fares better in Franke's eyes. One is named ""Felix" and the other could be named "Georg". Now the big question: Which one is the "tough count" and which one is the "pussy"? "Felix" is named once but unfortunately without any epithet. So it could be either the tough or the limp-wristed count. I think Felix was made Hauptmann later and stayed in SWA for some time. "Georg" wrote a report to his Majesty the emperor on the circumstances in GSWA. The oral order by His Majesty to write the report was given on 10.11.04 and Georg signs with "Oberleutnant der Schutztruppe". So he must have returned in November or earlier. The report is highly critical of governeror Leutwein's policy, it borders on slander. The shirker was in hospital on 2.5.04 at the latest, that's the day when Leutwein made a remark in this direction towards Franke who promptly keeps it in his diary. (It's more or less: "The governor said jokingly "No one will think you are shirking if you ask for a leave - unlike Stillfried I am afraid." If the shirker is "Georg" it might well be that his report is based on a personal vendetta with the governor. But I am not sure about that. Has anybody the ressources to solve that problem Thanks a lot for every effort

I'm lookiing forward to Bauer. Today I read some of the "Franke Diaries" in Koblenz. (The first tome is available as a book, everyone who likes colonial history should have a look at it!) He describes Bayer as a "Etappenhengst" and writes about him "His attempts to make himself appear as a front line soldier make me want to laugh." Or "the most fantastical of Herero toponyms escapes the enclosure of his teeth". Other people are described as "sh*tbags", "nice bloke, who smells between the legs" and "spittle licking doctor who exercises his trade in his superiors butts".

Alas not. I have ordered it per Fernleihe, but this always takes a week or two.

OK thanks! It looked cheap and so I thought it was some kind of replica and put it back into the bag. The coins were nice though.

Just imagine the examination board tearing me apart when I start quoting from a novella to prove my points Additionally it is already difficult enough for me to keep track of all the rumours and separating them into "false, exxagerated, somewhat truthful and distorted". Including the book would totally throw me off my track. I've read through several thousand pages of files, newspapers, diaries and stuff to get a somewhat clearer view of what was believed and what was true. Most interesting are the rumours within the Hereros as they are only reported afterwards or through the missionaries (Eich/Kuhlmann). E.g. I found the "Deutsch-Suedwestafrikanische Zeitung" to be mostly a compilation of opionions and lies/propaganda. On the other hand I had a good time reading "The Owl" from South-Africa where von Trotha is characterized with much British wit a strutting peacock.

As a total nonexpert to medals and other honors: What's the second from the right? I found such a medal once within a bag of old coins but without the ribbon.

I can only tell you what I think is written at the back: "Heimatdank f?r Schaumburg-Lippe". edit: "Heimatdank" is often written above memorials and means more or less "on behalf of a grateful country". "Heimatdank" also were societies caring for the war crippled. And last not least: war funds were raised by selling so called "Heimatdankpostkarten". My guess would be this is a medal commemorating the fallen soldiers of Schaumburg-Lippe or one used to raise money. But this is only a guess.

First off: Thx a lot Bernd. I also browsed through the DKB of 1904 and didn't find him. I found it suspicious that he wasn't decorated since nearly everybody got a medal out of the war. Another detail: At Hamakari Albin Freier is claimed to have served under the detachement Hauptmann v. Fiedler, in the half battery (Halb-Batterie) von Winterfeld. Peter Moor most certainly is a character of fiction. Since I only read sources for my work I didn't look at "Peter Moors Fahrt nach SW". Werner Grumpelt states explicitly that these accounts are "true" accounts of Albin Freier and he even provides him with a biography. It might well be that Ritter von Epp had this book written to gather support for the reclaiming of German colonies within the Third Reich, many passages of Grumpelt's book seem to have been checked against the diary of Ritter von Epp (and other sources of course). This is quite unfortunate since I was especially interested in the story about the Herero Arastus (or Erastus) which had been sent as a peace messenger to Samuel Maharero. According to this book Maharero was willing to conclude peace but was overruled by the other chiefs. But, alas, it looks like this is but a work of fiction. Still, I won't give up hope.

Dear gentlemen of the board, it is my pleasure to introduce myself before posting the actual question. I came to this board via Chris Boonzaier's page. I am a French-German binational and quickly became interested in WW1 as a youth (WW2 somehow was a little bit too lopsided). Nowadays I am writing a Ph.D. about coloial warfare in Africa bordering on genocide. I want to compare different colonial campaigns and find out why one campaign is being dubbed genocidal and why it was led in the way it was led. The German case is being illustrated by the war in SWA against the Herero. In the case of these studies I came across a novella called "Im Herzen von S?dwest" by Werner Grumpelt.He claims to have compiled the tellings of Albin Freier, a volunteer from Mockern near Altenburg. Born in 11.11.1884, drafted with 17 he came to the 4. Eskadron, Garde du Korps. In 1904 he applied to the Schutztruppe and went to Southwestafrica (SWA) as a member of the 3. Feldbatterie. He allegedly experienced nearly everything: Onganjira, Oviumbo, Waterberg, typhus, Nama-orlog etc. I didn't find any decoration bestowed on him, though he mentions a promotion to NCO on his 22nd birthday (11.11.1906). After three years he was dismissed and after soe wanderings, worked in a mine where he was blinded due to an accident. He returned to Germany as a cripple. He is supposed to still have been alive in 1939 when the book was printed. Since lots of "stories" are told within this book and since most of these stories are either "true rumours" from 1904 or at least recognizable mistakes/distortions (the missionary Diehl is named Thiele, Frau Sonnenberg becomes Frau Sonne etc.) I'd like to know whether Albin Freier is a real person or whether this book is pure propaganda from 1939 which was compiled using the available material. Thanks a lot for reading this convoluted post Patrick