New Wehrordnung Article

[joerookery]

http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/MilitaryService_08.html

If anyone is interested the flowchart is on page 2.

[Chris Boonzaier]

HI,

great article indeed!!!

It is always a pleasure when the Imperial guys advance a step on the web, and this is indeed a great addition to the links.

[Ed_Haynes]

Speaking as a historian: Very good stuff here. Have you thought about publishing it for real (in a venue where non-militaria types will see it)?

Thanks.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Speaking as a historian: Very good stuff here. Have you thought about publishing it for real (in a venue where non-militaria types will see it)?

Thanks.

I took the liberty of contacting a few magazines on Joe#s behalf.

Farmers weekly is about as "Real" as it gets, but they said it did not fall into their readers interest field. GQ said the uniforms were too outdated. Playgirl said they would need a bunch of new photos added, of the kind with bathing German soldiers.

A Historical review (who shall go unnamed) did not answer, but a nice intern I got on the phone who works there twice a month restocking the coffee machine says it is an incestuous little click of fuddy duddies who are only interested in publishing 1) either their own stuff or 2) stuff that they they consider "High Brow" ... main criteria being, it is sooooo boring that it just has to be "Good" ..ala "The role of 3rd cousins in ruling family of Jordan" or "Supply and demand of Horse nails and the effect on General Lees Raiders" and "Australian retailers and the effect on Lamb farming in the Northern Orange Free State".

In Her opinion, Joe's Article would be better off in a Military magazine of some sort as believe it or not, even "Militaria" types may appreciate it... maybe more for its contest than its "I say Ponsby... HERE is one on a subject so obscure it MUST be good" effect, but appreciate we simple folks do.

;-)

[joerookery]

Speaking as a historian: Very good stuff here. Have you thought about publishing it for real (in a venue where non-militaria types will see it)?

Thank you for that very kind complement, it is surely not deserved. I ran into the academic publishing rat race when I used to teach at the U.S. Army war College. I'm not a historian, just an old retired operator who still is trying to figure stuff out in the imperial world. I would love to publish in some other magazines but have not made any effort to contact them. I'm well on my way to completing a book on the subject.

Frankly I think Playgirl missed the mark. They have badly underestimated how many girls think the Wehrordnung is sexy.

[Ed_Haynes]

Thank you for that very kind complement, it is surely not deserved. I ran into the academic publishing rat race when I used to teach at the U.S. Army war College. I'm not a historian, just an old retired operator who still is trying to figure stuff out in the imperial world. I would love to publish in some other magazines but have not made any effort to contact them. I'm well on my way to completing a book on the subject.

Frankly I think Playgirl missed the mark. They have badly underestimated how many girls think the Wehrordnung is sexy.

Should you wish some serious suggestions, contact me off list (e-mail better than PM just now, since that needs a serious housecleaning).

[Ulsterman]

Very interesting....to quote an old comedy program.

There are a few edits needed (I used to work as an editor in an academic journal-and Chris isn't far off the mark there), but I really enjoyed the summary.

There is an excellent series of studies on the Prussian officer corps out there.

One of the things demonstrated by the officer exams, which weren't easy, was that nobility often were not that well educated and that bourgeois technocrats dominated the technical, but less prestigious arms of service.

The train troops however, seem to have been at the dead bottom of everyone's list, socially, academically and career-wise.

One of the really good things about being a One-Year Volunteer was, that upon being bumped to Gefreiter, you didn't have to do guard duty anymore and you couldn't be assigned as a batman to an officer!

Professional NCOs, upon retirement, were also given preference for certain civil service jobs, not unlike the US military.

Edited June 23, 2008 by Ulsterman

[joerookery]

There are a few edits needed

Please send me edits!! I have a small disability and am restricted to typing using a voice typewriter. All too often I miss the very obvious. Thank you for looking.

I was not aware of the benefits you listed for being a one-year volunteer -- makes sense -- thank you for sharing!

There seems to be a significant amount of controversy about how difficult the officer examinations really were. There certainly was a royal effort to make the tests easier and increase the graduation rates. On the one hand it seems as though you could get a royal dispensation for just about anything. On the other hand even the Red Baron flunked one of the tests and became enlisted for a while affecting his seniority.

[joerookery]

It is almost impossible to find Musterung pictures. that is probably because no one knows what they are and they are not wearing uniforms. This is an exceptional photo of some members of the class of 1918. The Musterung is identified as well as the Jahrgang in this case 1898. I have another card which says Musterung 1915 in the same handwriting as the sign but no year for the class. I do not know where these guys are from as the back of the card is blank. If you understand nothing of this -- believe me I understand. Read this article: http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/MilitaryService_08.html

[Ulsterman]

I just saw this and will do the edits and email them to you. I have a copy of the officer cadets exam and a BA student at a decent US college would have difficulty completing it these days, let alone achieving an 80%+ mark! I can send you a xerox if you'd like.