Oberstleutnant Georg Sick

[Hamburger]

Hi,

has anybody by any chance done any in-depth research into Georg Sick of the 163 infantrie regiment?

I am looking for photos.

 

my great grandfather was the Bursche of the Oberstleutnant.

 

 

much appreciate any response 

regards

 

 

[The Prussian]

Hello Hamburger!

Georg Sick (* 17.10.1861, + 30.6.1937)

Promotions:

Leutnant: 17.10.83

Oberleutnant: 28.7.92

Hauptmann: 27.1.98

Major: 27.1.10

Oberstleutnant: 27.1.15

Oberst 27.1.18

 

 

Peacetime duties (Company/Regiment):

 

Leutnant

late 1883-1886: 6./27

1887-1889: 5./27

1890-1891: 12./27

1892: Adjutant II.Btl./27

 

Oberleutnant

1893: Adjutant II.Btl./27

1894-1896: 2./27

1897: 11./27

 

Hauptmann (1904: Order of the Red-Eagle 4, 1908: Service Award Cross)

1898: 11./27

1899-1909: 11./41

 

Major

1910-autumn 1912: Staff/47

Autumn 1912-1913: III.Btl./47

1914: II.Btl./47

 

Wartime duties:

2.8.14-5.1.15: Commander II./47

5.1.15-21.4.15: Commander Inf.Rgt.46

25.4.15-25.7.18: Commander Inf.Rgt.163 (simultaneously 30.6.18-25.7.18 Commander 81.Inf.Brig.)

24.7.18-end of war: Commander 59.Landwehr-Brig.

 

24.9.15: wounded:

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/424354

3.1.15: back to Inf.Rgt.47

 

20.5.17: Pour-le-Mérite

German Wiki-page:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Sick

 

In Inf.Rgt.163 (with Pour-le-Mérite, both Iron Crosses and Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by The Prussian

[Hamburger]

Thank you Prussian,

Do you know anyone that has done more? Looking into his family?

thank you

 

 

[The Prussian]

Hi Hamburger!

Unfortunately not. I only have military dates. Maybe you translate the german wiki-page?

[Klaus P. Schad]

Hi Andi,

I found Oberstlt. Sick in Reichsarchiv, Schlachten des Welkrieges.

 

Band 20, Somme Nord, Teil I, Seite 120, 183, 185.

 

Band 21, Somme Nord, Teil II, Seite 43.

 

Band 29, Osterschlacht bei Arras 1917, Teil II, Seite 38, 63, 65.

 

Best regards,

Klaus

 

 

 

[The Prussian]

Thanks a lot, Klaus!

Good job!

[Hamburger]

Yes thank you very much!

 

[Hamburger]

Thank for your help everyone again.

I had a bit of success with my research into my great grand father who served with Oberstleutnant Sick on the western front. 

I would like to share this picture I unearthed in an archive in the USA. By pure chance!

The picture description in the album reads: Genommene englische Stützpunkte.

Taken english positions. Behind Georg Sick, left stands my great grandfather.

Hope you enjoy this as much as me.

 

[The Prussian]

Hello!

Congratulations! That´s a bull´s-eye hit!

The question is:

Georg Sick served with different units during the war.

2.8.14-5.1.15: Commander II./47

5.1.15-21.4.15: Commander Inf.Rgt.46

25.4.15-25.7.18: Commander Inf.Rgt.163 (simultaneously 30.6.18-25.7.18 Commander 81.Inf.Brig.)

24.7.18-end of war: Commander 59.Landwehr-Brig.

Was your grandfather always with him or only in regiment 163?

The regiment was generally under command of 81.Inf.Brig. (17.Res.Div.)

 

Temporary during the Battle of the Somme:

4.7.16-14.7.16: 185.Inf.Div.

14.7.16-23.7.16: 6.Guard-Inf.Brig. (3.Guard-Inf.Div.)

28.7.16-3.8.16: 10.Inf.Brig. (5.Inf.Div.)

 

Regimental Staff:

From 29.9.15-13.1.16 the staff of the regiment 163 led a new temporary regiment: "Regiment Sick"

This regiment was also called "Inf.Rgt.3 of the Division Hartz"

Units:

Staff/Inf.Rgt.163

III.Btl./Inf.Rgt.162

½ MG-Comp./Inf.Rgt.76

III.Btl./Res.Inf.Rgt.31

I.Btl./Res.Inf.Rgt.86 (since 7.10.15)

½ MG-Comp./Res.Inf.Rgt.84

 

Note the Division Hartz was the 2nd bavarian Inf.Div. (I.bavarian army-corps, 6th army)

Engagements:

25.9.15-13.10.15: Battle of La Bassée and Arras

14.10.15-25.12.15: Trench-battles in Flanders and Artois

14.-15.11.15: Battle of Thélus

Since 25.12.15 the Division Hartz was under command of IX.Res.Corps.

14.1.16 the Regiment Sick came back to the Inf.Rgt.163

 

By the way...

Here you can download the regimental history of Inf.Rgt.163 for free:

https://digital.wlb-stuttgart.de/sammlungen/sammlungsliste/werksansicht?tx_dlf[id]=245&tx_dlf[page]=1&cHash=bbc62ab2144a0a2b35ed54b50b34d562

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by The Prussian

[Hamburger]

Wow thank you Prussian,

I had  no idea that I could download load the book. I had to buy it.
 

You raised an interesting point , had of course I don’t know when my great grandfather joined the 163. I base my assumption on that he lived in Hamburg he must have been with the 163. 

 

As far as what my grandfather did, I have no idea really.

 

I found an interesting article on what it ment to be a Batman, or Bursche:

 

https://opaskrieg.de/de/opa-franz-der-bursche/

 

thank you 

 

[GreyC]

3 hours ago, Hamburger said:

I base my assumption on that he lived in Hamburg he must have been with the 163. 

 

How do you come to that assumption?

The IR 163 was garrisoned in Neumünster und Heide in 1914. It was formed in 1897 by contributions from regiments from Schleswig-Holstein (IR 31, 84, 85, FR86).

The Ersatz was also from Schleswig-Holstein.

Attached a photo from the inside of the barracks in Neumünster and a picture postcard with the barracks in Heide from my collection. The latter was only completed in October 1914. The III. Btl was stationed in Lockstedt from 1912-14.

GreyC

.

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by GreyC

[Hamburger]

GreyC,

Yes you are correct I can't really know for sure.

I base what I know on the pictures and dates I have, I deduced some information.

I know that my Great-grandfather was handed his Iron Cross on the 6.11.1916 I will attach the picture. That gives me the conclusion that on the pictures with Sick he is wearing the bar, it must be after that date. Presuming he wasn't part of the 163th before that, which is most possible.

 

In the nice article above of Christian Mack on Opa as Bursche: https://opaskrieg.de/de/opa-franz-der-bursche/    you find a quote. 

 

"Jeder Bursche muss ein Jahr an der Front dienen und dient das zweite Jahr als Bursche. Ein Posten, der sehr gesucht ist. Diese Männer sind im Allgemeinen dienstfrei und werden nur dreimal in der Woche, entweder am Vormittag oder nachmittags „herangezogen“, damit sie nicht zu fett werden und nicht alles Gelernte wieder vergessen."

 

" Every Batman must serve one year in combat and the second year as batman. A position, that was highly sought after. These men are generally off-duty and are only engaged about three times a week, either in the morning or in the afternoon, so that they do not get too fat and forget everything they have learned."

 

So if I go by that; My great grandfather might not have been part of the 163th before that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This pictures is from 14.8.1917,

Taken at the Command post of the 81st Infantry Brigade, Oberstleutnant Sick's Command Post.

My great grandfather in the background.

 

Hopefully I will find more information in the next few years.

 

thanks 

[GreyC]

As inhabitant of Hamburg he would have been registered with either Bezirkskommando 1,2 or 3. and if assigned to an infantry regiment, it would have been IR 76 or RIR 76. Other regiments in the region (as IR 163) were not out of question, but woulds have been a rare case, depending on the ability of the Bezirkskommando  Neumünster to scrap up enough enforcements for its regiment or not.

GreyC

Edited October 23, 2022 by GreyC

[The Prussian]

Hello!.

The place in the first card should be "Moorslede", in the second one "Sailly".

In that time, the Regimental staff and the "Rest-Bataillon" were in Moorslede. (regimental history, page 188).

The "Sailly" is "Sailly-en-Ostrevent".

Unfortunately I can´t read the cards... GreyC, please...😁

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Moorslede,+Belgien/Sailly-en-Ostrevent,+Frankreich/@50.5904487,2.7791194,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c33361ff2b0101:0x457e728cb4c9419d!2m2!1d3.0633461!2d50.8912006!1m5!1m1!1s0x47c2b5144d4a1c09:0x40af13e8163d7d0!2m2!1d2.993226!2d50.289526!3e2

Edited October 23, 2022 by The Prussian

[Hamburger]

Thank you guys for your valuable information! 

 

[Hamburger]

Bernhard H.Holst translated those texts for me back in 2015.

 

 

I have another good picture.

Perhaps someone can help identify some of the faces.

The one with the coffee pot is my great grandfather, he stands at the right of Georg Sick.

The rest I don't know. Nothing written on the back.

Thank you!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GreyC]

Hi,

nobody above the rank of Hauptmann. So probably not the staff of IR 163. More likely Kompanieführer-Treffen around 1915 orl later, as all have EKII and at least three EKI. Interestingly no medals on the Oberst. But it was the officer´s choice what to wear in a situation like that.

GreyC

[Hamburger]

Thank you GreyC,

I think it’s Pfingsten celebrations in May 1917.

I could be wrong.

[The Prussian]

Hello!

Ah, ok. Bernhard already translated it.

Well, to the 81.Inf.Brig.

In 1914 there were Inf.Rgt.162 and 163, in 1918 Res.Inf.Rgt.76 and 1./Res.Hus.Rgt.6 were added.

Commanders in the great war were:

2.8.14-10.12.14: Karl v. Lewinski

10.12.14-1.4.16: Carl v. Wichmann

1.4.16-15.2.17: Wilhelm v. Beczwarzowski

15.2.17-21.2.19: Ernst v. Heynitz

 

Leaders:

Gustav Beyer (no dates known)

Georg Sick (30.6.-25.7.18)

 

 

[Hamburger]

Interesting thank you!

slowly a picture is emerging.