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In almost all of the explanations of "Etatmäßige" there is a comment about "being on the regiment's payroll," but there is never an explanation of the significance of "being on the regiment's payroll." Once upon a time, many years ago, I managed to find an explanation, but I've forgotten it! I seem to recall there were at least a couple of important differences between those on the regiment's payroll and those who were not. When you got paid? How often you got paid? The source of the payment ? Retirement? Can someone explain to me (again!) the significance of "being on the payroll of a regiment"? Thank you

I was reading a regimental history and there was mention of a troop review during which many Braunschweiger troops received medals. As I understand it, the troops were receiving Braun. Service Crosses, but when the fellow writing this part of the history was about to receive his medal, they had to open a new package and it was Braun. Orden of Henrich des Löwen, which "was a little too much for a non-commissioned officer." I would like to understand the difference between these two, but I when I try, the result is even greater confusion (admittedly pretty easy for me!) because there appears to be two Henrich des Lowen medals, 2nd class -- there is simple round medal and another that is a cross. Any help in understanding would be greatly appreciated. Most sincere thanks in advance.

I came across the word "Granatwiese" in a regimental history, but really don't have a good understanding of what it means. I realize that it has something to do with artillery and/or shells and/or grenades because the word appears in parentheses after the word "Geschütze". I'm pretty sure it's not a "garnet meadow". (Please forgive that weak attempt at humor). Any and all help is greatly appreciated as always. Thank you!

Thanks folks! I was reading the history of Ulanen 19 and it mentioned the "Regimentsganz" as if everyone knew what that was. Well, Ulanen 19 was from Ulm, at least at one point, so I guess pretty much everyone reading the regiment's history probably would have known about the "Regiment's goose, even if the goose had served with a different regiment ! Thank you again.... But now I have another question.

I'm really having trouble understanding what this word means. I have tried a number of sources and the few that offer definitions all offer "the regiment's goose". Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Thank you for the help. I'm still not sure that I understand. How is it that these men came to be "drafted later than normal" if all males that had been born within a given year reported for service at the same time? It's also a little unclear about the timing of the replacements. How does the Feb.1 date fit into this? Were these men accepted "after" ie "nach" the date of the normal reporting date in the fall up to Feb. 1? Does that mean that they missed the assigned date to report in the fall or had they been found unsuitable in the fall and then recalled between the end of the fall training period and Feb. 1 ? What is the significance of the Feb. 1 date? What happened after that if new men were needed to fill the gaps? The units that needed troops just had to wait until the normal reporting date in the fall for men born that year? I'm also unclear about that part of the information you provided about "a certain percentage to be determined by the Ministry...." So.... does this all simply mean that the "Nachersatz" was a replacement that didn't follow the pattern of traditional replacements who showed up on the specified day in the fall and went through training with all the other men who were born in that year? Sorry to be so dense, but it's just not clear to me why an author would specifically write about "Nachersatz" in this instance when previously he simply wrote about "Ersatz" troops. He seems to be trying to tell me these troops were different and I don't understand how they were different and why that might be important. You may have hit upon it in your quote from Meyer -- "Schwierigkeiten für die Ausbildung macht." I'll keep trying to understand but any additional information or clarification certainly would be appreciated. Finally, how would you translate it? "supplementary replacement men," "after replacement men" ? With my sincere thanks! PS. I realize that Meyer's German Encyclopedia is something like 29 vol. but is it available online anywhere? I used to have access at the University, but that was many, many years ago. Thanks again.

Thank you for the help. I had found that book as well as a couple of other German/English military dictionaries, but just wasn't certain that I was understanding it properly. Now, I find myself with another question. What does "Nachersatz" mean? I can find it in a few places but most often, the source says something like "subsequent replacement" but I really don't understand what that means. In at least one other place, I found the word translatted as "draftee" and in yet another source there was a longer explanation about a man who reported for duty during his assigned year, but for some reason was not accepted for service at that time, but then later was called up again and put in uniform. Any help in explaining "Nachersatz" to me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'm really having trouble understanding the meaning of the word "Staffelstab" and the numbers often associated with that word. For example, in a regimental history there is a passage, explaining that a newly formed M.G. platoon received equipment from Staffelstab 26. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Can anyone provide or point me toward biographical information about Oberstleutnant [August?] Kündinger? He was a member of Ulanan 19, but apparently was temporarily assigned to a variety of other units as acting commander. I've read most of those histories, but none of them seem to provide much information about him. The only other information I've found is: I think his first name was August, he was born sometime in 1867, died sometime in 1942, contributed a couple of articles to a monthly publication of the Christian Science Church in the 1930s, and is referred to as "General" in that publication. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for sharing! I usually don't have anything to contribute, but I do have a few items from SR 108. There is a rifle (2nd Company, weapon nr. 3.) a small desk-top statue of veterans' rememberance, and some postcards. One of the most interesting things (at least to me) is a small group of post cards sent by a member of SR 108 as a prisioner of the French. The first card is dated Oct. 20, 1916 and the last card was sent July 24, 1919. I didn't realize that the French refused to release prisioners for so long. Thanks again for the post!

Great work and thanks for sharing. From the picture, it's clear that this is the right fellow. However, there was another "Leutnant von Heider" who served with Ulanen 19, but was temporarily commanded to a minenwerfer unit. He was wounded on August 5, 1915 and died soon thereafter. Thanks again.

I'm trying to learn how Hans von Oedheim died. All that I've found tends to repeat the same information, that he moved back to the western front with his regiment in 1917, fell ill and died "of that disease." What "disease"? I found a website that shows an official record with a cause of death, but I can't read the hand writing. All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! https://www.leo-bw.de/web/guest/detail/-/Detail/details/PERSON/wlbblb_personen/1012181065/Capler+von+Oedheim+gen+Bautz+Hans+Wolfgang%3B+Oberstleutnant+Soldat+Kommandeur+1870-1917

I had a postcard of a memorial that I put somewhere "safe" and now I can't find it! The memorial was a large, naturally shaped rock with a soldier's figure sort of draped on top. The inscription read something like "I am not dead, if you remember me." The memorial was surrounded by evergreens in the near background. And I think it was for an infanterie regiment. I've done internet searches combining all of the various words that I can think of and found lots of great memorials, but not that one. All help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I'm not certain that this is the right place to put this question, so please forgive me if it needs to be relocated. I'm having trouble distinguishing between items connected to Grenadier Regiment Nr. 10 and Bavarian Infantry Regiment Nr. 10. I have a piece of equipment marked "10.R.M.G.24" According to one book by Gortz, the mark "10.R.M.G.24" indicates Grenadier Regiment Nr. 10 but according to the longer book if it was Gren. 10 it would be 10.G.R..M.G.24. So what unit is this item from? But now what about photos, documents, etc. that are marked "Infanterie Regiment 10" or some variation of that -- no "G" or "Gren"? For example, what about photos of guys wearing helmet covers with just a number "10"? Is that Gren. 10 or B.I.R. 10? Or something else? I finally figured out many of the photos with "10" shoulder boards are from Train Bataillon Nr. 10 because of the geographical location of the photo or other context. But what about a Wehrpass or other document that identifies the unit as "Infanterie Regiment Nr. 10" but it's not a Bavarian document? Was Grenadier Regiment Nr. 10 referred to as IR 10 casually and/or in print at times? Or does "Infanterie Regiment Nr. 10" or variant in print or written, indicate it is really Bavarian I.R. 10? Your thoughts and help are greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for all of the help. I managed to discover that a "querriegel" is not quite like a bar put "transversally over a door" but there are elements of that present. It was a "cross trench" like a bar that crossed the door or gate. It was something of a fall back position that was intended to "block" or "bar" the enemy from advancing any farther in that direction. Not to be confused with the second line of trenches but rather the "querriegel" often ran from the front to the second trench -- crossing from one to the other -- and intended to prevent or "block" or "bar" the penetration of flanking assault. They also aren't to be confused with communication or approach trenches in that they were more heavily constructed with defesive action in mind. At least that's what I've been able to piece together. Thanks again.

Please forgive me for taking so long to thank you for your help. I got so frustrated that I gave up on that line and moved on to another. Now I'll go back and try to make sense of things with the information you have added. Thanks again!

Hello Mr. Red Eagle Order: Thank you for trying to help and please forgive me for taking so long to thank you! I wish that I had more information about the man and the award. The only other information that I have is that family members had the impression that is was an unusual medal or one that few if any other members of his regiment received, but then we probably all have stories about how a veteran's account became inflated or magnified by time and the family. I was leaning toward the Prussian award, but that would be extremely rare... if I undestand it's award and significance. With regard to your suggestions, I don't understand why would he have received a medal from Lippe-Detmold when he was in a Hannoverian regiment? Thank you and everyone else for your time and assistance.

I'm trying to help a friend understand exactly what medal her distant relative received in April 1918. All that the brief obituary offers is that he was a Vizefeldw. from Hannover, serving in Regiment Nr. 74 and that he received the "Kriegsverdienstkreuz in Gold". I thought it would be easy to show her a picture of the medal or maybe even get her a copy (i.e. fake) to put in a frame, but I can't even understand which medal he received! Would this be the Prussian Kriegsverdienstkreuz or the Saxon Kriegsverdienstkreuz or something else? There is no mention of it being with or without swords, but family legend indicates that he received it for combat. Your help in explaining this to me and my friend would be grately appreciation. Thank you

A few months ago that question of why we collect came up during a concerted effort on the part of some people to stop a military collectors' show. Some of may know of the Ohio Valley Military Collectors Society and it's annual Show of Shows. There are several videos of past shows that offer pretty representative examples of the type of activity at these gatherings. After outgrowing several other venues, for the last several years the OVMS has rented space at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville, Kentucky, to hold the show. This year, however, there was considerable doubt that the show would occur. As some of you may know, the political left in the United States has been striking out at anything and everything it deems inappropriate or offensive. Well, after several left-wing lunatics learned that a vendor at another gunshow held on the grounds had Nazi christmas ornaments for sale there, they demanded that the Kentucky State Fair Board not rent its facilities to the OVMS. Essentially they claimed that anyone who owned, sold, collected or even looked at anything with a swastika was a nasty, hateful, racist person and therefore should not be allowed on the Kentucky State Fairgrounds much less be allowed to rent space there. The OVMS tried to address the concerns of the Fair officials (ironic term isn't it?) and finally managed to convice them that the OVMS was not a "nasty, hateful, racist" organization, but only just barely. The Fair Board agreed to allow the SOS with certain conditions such as no reproductions. This was not an isolated incident. Since the 1960s, gun collectors have been under attack by the political left. More recently many of these same people and their younger political allies have attacked anything to do with the Confederate States and the Civil War. The point is that, at least in the US, collectors are increasingly having to defend themselves. A good and convinceing answer to the question of "why do you collect" is becoming a matter of life and death for those of us who enjoy it. Thanks!

Hello again folks: I have run across another word that I really don't understand. In this case the word is "Querriegel". Its in an account of the fight north and east of Ypres in late July 1917. The author uses the word several times as though anyone would know what it means. From the context of the sentences, it appears to be either a single place or some sort of defensive structure that was to be found at more than one place in the landscape. I've pretty much exhausted the internet searching for possibilites and have found explanations ranging from the single word "crossbar" to more complex explanations about it referring to "a wooden crossbeam on a gate of a canal or sluse lock." As always, any and all help is greatly appreciated. Most gratefully yours -- Steve

I recently ran across a word that leaves me uncertain. What exactly is "Übermaterialschlacht" ? I think that I understand "Materialschlacht", but not certain what adding the "Über" to the front of it does to the meaning. As always, any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Hello and congratulations on owning a wonderful luger. I'm jealous! The quotation about the creation of the regiment and the MW unit suggests that you have found the website for IR 186--GenWiki. Just in case you haven't found it already, look near the botton of that page and you will find a section labeled "Literatur". There are two sources listed: Die Hessen im Weltkrieg 1914 - 1918, nach Aufzeichnungen u. Berichten v. Mitkämpfern. Hrsg. v. F. W. Deiß; Charlottenburg, zum IR186 von Seite 97 bis 113; and Pfeffer, Georg und Neubronner, Carl: Geschichte des Infanterie-Regiments 186, Erinnerungsblätter deutscher Regimenter, G. Stalling, Oldenburg i. O., 1926, mit 282 Seiten, 74 Abbildungen, 4 von 6 Karten, und 20 Skizzen über den Kampf des Regiments an der Westfront ... The second title will probably provide the most details about the history of you luger after it joined the Regiment and it is available through Bookfinder.com and ZVAB.com for a reasonable price. Thanks again for sharing. I'm still jealous!

Please try to forgive my very, very limited abilities when it comes to the German language. I can make it through most things, at least with a vague understanding in most cases, but I keep encountering this phrase -- "Strich-Dauerfeuer' -- with regard to German machinegun fire and don't really understand what it means. I can quess that 'Dauer' means something about duration, and the context usually suggests 'Strich' means something in the way of a 'dash' or short, brief or burst of fire. But that is all just a guess. I would appreciate a more meaningful, accurate definition. Thank you!

Thank you for the answers. I just can't seem to understand the organization of the Army. I have a few of the books that people have recommended -- Cron, etc. -- I even managed to get a copy of the relatively new book by Kelso, Under Arms for the Kaiser (almost sounds like deoderant but really deals with schulterklappen) -- but I just can't find any good explanation for lots of things. I realize that part of the reason is that the organizational structure changed over time, but even the basic issues/questions seem to lack explanations. I think it's interesting that in the midst of what many folks would consider to be crisis and turmoil, German command decided it was a good idea to tinker almost continuously with issues like this. When and why did they (whoever "they" are) decide to assign the 200 series regiments to Reserve units? And then when and why did they stop that practice. Similarly, when, where, and how were the reserve regiments and landwehr regiments formed and put in the field, and what was the relation, if any to the original regiment. Thank you again for your help. All additional information or suggestions for my reading/library are greatly appreciated.

Am I correct in my understanding that there was no IR 243, but only a RIR 243? If something is marked "II/243", does that mean 2nd Battalion/ RIR 243? Your thoughts and explanations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you