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Remembered Today:

My climb up Hartmannsweilerkopf (HWK)


egbert

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Egbert,

Thank you for yet another excellent tour.

I think the photography on this one has even surpassed your previous stunning efforts.

Phil

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  • 3 months later...

There's even more of them than in your thread about the converted bunker. How wonderful. What a privilege to be on a snowy Hartmannswillerkopf in the first place and then see these secretive creatures.

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  • 2 months later...

I Just love going back over this thread. So interesting.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Good sunset Egbert, looking forward to seeing some more of your latest trip.

Pete.

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Where were you? I was in the Vosges then too!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Egbert, all:

Moments ago, I discovered a family connection to Hartmannswillerkopf:

post-32240-0-29173700-1435548289_thumb.j

I am downloading his files from the ICRC as we speak!

-Daniel

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Incredible, I know exactly the location where JB14 fought. It is also shown and explained in this thread. I have pictures from 4 more expeditions to the HWK , the places where your relative fought but decided not to post anymore,

1. because there is absolutely no interest for the HWK in this forum , and

2. because this picture thread has been castrated by the fact that "classics" has been eliminated and even by tagging "HWK" you cannot find this thread anymore (I am glad you did).

Anyway nuff rattling. If you are interested in the 21 Dec 1915 chronic, here it is . The 21st was the day of one the most bloody campaingns on, around and at the HWK:

21. Dezember

Von der Abhörstelle Wetterstation unterhalb des Aussichtsfelsen wird um 10: 10h Alarm ausgelöst.

Die Beschießung des HK beginnt in 5 Minuten.

Morgens 10:15 Feuerüberfall der französischen Artillerie, Schloss Ollweiler bekommt die

ersten Treffer aus einer 37-cm-Kanone, die oberhalb von Goldbach steht, und wird anschließend

zusammengeschossen. Auf allen Bergen, Höhen, Orten und Strassen liegt französisches

Artilleriefeuer. Es beginnt die Weihnachtsoffensive der 66. Division unter General Serret mit

seinem altbewehrtem Alpen-Jägerbataillon und dem Leib-Regiment von General Joffre, den

15.2er.

MMW I fällt durch Rohrkrepierer aus. Ein Minenwerfer weniger der Sturmabwehrfeuer

schießen sollte. Kurz darauf fällt Minenwerfer III durch Rohrkrepierer aus. Somit sind alle

MMW der Minenwerferkompanie 325 ausgefallen. Der SMW-Koob feuert noch.

Seine Schussgeschwindigkeit ist jedoch zu langsam.

Auf deutscher Seite ist man sich nicht im Klaren, wo der Haupangriff kommen wird.

Die Reserven sind kümmerlich. Zwei Züge Pioniere XIV an der Kurve zwei, 5. und 7. Kompanie

des IR 73 und dazu zwei Züge der 1. Kompanie des RJB 8 auf dem Sandgrubenkopf.

Fünf Minuten vor dem Infanterieangriff wird der Angriffbeginn abgehört 3: 15h. Der Alarmruf

erfolgt zu spät.

Angriff der Franzosen am Nachmittag und Wegnahme des Hartmannsweilerkopfs und des

Hirzstein. Nach einer französischen Artillerievorbereitung werden das JB 14, RIR 78 und das

LIR 99 von dem 27e und 28e BCA angegriffen. Der Hirzstein wird erstürmt von der

6e Jägerbrigade unter der Führung von Lt.Col. Hennequin. Am Unter Rehfelsen scheitert das

23e RI und das 15 BCP.

Das 15.2 RI nimmt die Feste Rohrburg, Großherzog und den Aussichtsfelsen und stoßen bis

Kurve 6 vor. Das 5e BCP stößt mit Teilen über den Bischofshut zur Kurve sieben, hinunter

zur Schlummerklippe bis zum 700 Meterweg. Das JB 14 ist geschlagen. Was nicht gefallen

ist, geht in Gefangenschaft.

Auf deutscher Seite werden das RJgBtl 8, LIR 40 und 56 alarmiert und an den HK herangeführt.

Zwei Züge der 1. Kompanie des RJB 8 steigen ausgeschwärmt zum Sandgrubenkopf

empor. In Jungholz setzen sich die 5. und 7. Kompanie des RIR 73 in Marsch. Aus Sulz

kommen 2 Züge der 1. LwPKomp. XIV zur Kurve zwei. 24 Tragtierführer stehen an der Kurve

sechs zur Verfügung, das ist die gesamte Deutsche Reserve.

Der 6. französischen Jägerbrigade steht gegenüber das II. Bataillon RIR Nr. 78 unter Major

Dietlein mit vier Kompanien. Am Unter-Rehfelsen kämpft die 8. Kompanie, es folgen talwärts

die 7., 6. und 5. Kompanie. Der Hirzstein und die Wattweiler Stellungen werden vom

III. Bataillon. RIR Nr. 78 verteidigt.

Stand: 26.04.2012 53

Auf dem Kopf werden die letzten Verteidiger des 1. und 4./Jäg. 14 überrannt. Oberleutnant

Kasper und Leutnant Reber haben noch bis 18: 00h Telefonverbindung, dann verstummt das

Telefon. Auch die 6. Kompanie des 1. Armierungs-Bataillons 23 kehrt nicht zurück.

Die 12. Kompanie des Reserve Infanterie Regiments 78 hat am Hirzstein aufgehört zu existieren.

Die nördlich der Kuppe liegenden 14er Jäger und Res. IR Nr.78 werden auf den 700 Meterweg

abgedrängt. Das L.I.R 99 wehrt sich am Jägerfriedhof verzweifelt und hält. Das 5./RIR

Nr.73 erhält den Befehl, die Reservestellung am Ulanenfriedhof zu beziehen.

Das LIR 40 wird alarmiert. Der Abmarsch zum Hartmannsweilerkopf erfolgt am Abend. Das

I.-Bataillon trifft im Sandgrubenkopf ein. Der Divisionspfarrer Kreutz besucht die Truppen

und bleibt auf der Seilbahn hängen. Ein Armierungssoldat befreit ihn aus 10 Meter Höhe. In

einem Unterstand wartet er das Trommelfeuer bis 3 Uhr Nachmittag ab.

21. Dezember Abschnitt Jägertanne Nord

10:15 beginnt hier die schwere Beschießung.

In der rechten Hälfte der Jägertannenstellung hat sich alles, was ein Gewehr tragen kann,

unter Hauptmann Freiherr von Schenk zu Schweinsberg in der dritten und letzten Linie eingefunden.

Leutnant Bornefeld, der Nahkampfmitteloffizier bereitet letzen Widerstand vor.

Major Schüler, Kampfgruppenkommandeur vom IV LIR 99 zieht die 13. und zwei Züge der

14. Kompanie vor zum Tanzplatz. Linker Abschnitt übernimmt Zug Löhner vom IR 78.

Schwere Verluste erleidet die Landwehr. Die mit Holz ausgekleideten Gräben und Stützpunkte

fangen Feuer. Das Leopoldswerk brennt lichterloh. Die 15. LIR 99 wird vorgezogen zur 13.

Kompanie. Die 78er werden eingedrückt, die 13. LIR 99 eilen zur Hilfe und der rasante Angriff

der französischen Jäger 5e wird von der 15.LIR 99 abgefangen.

Die restlichen stürmenden Alpenjäger werden von dem 14. und 16. LIR 99 aufgehalten und

halten die Linie vom Jägerfriedhof, Felseneck bis Schlummerklippe. In den Morgenstunden

trifft die 2. Kompanie Landwehr Pionier XIV und eine Patrouille des RJB 8 zur Verstärkung

ein.

21. Dezember deutscher Gefechtsstand

Major Kachel RJB 8, Oberleutnant Mühe Adjutant, Oberjäger Tillmann treffen im Gefechtsstand

der 82. Brigade in Sulz ein. General Rudolph ist die Lage am Berg noch nicht bekannt.

Kradmelder wurden ausgeschickt. Major Kachel bekommt freie Hand für den Gegenangriff

mit seinen Jägern. Die 4 Kompanien Jäger werden sofort zu Kurve Zwei befohlen. Kachel

begibt sich mit Tillmann und Mühe zur Kurve Zwei und übernimmt das Kommando. Über

diese Begebenheit besteht eine Tonaufzeichnung in der Tillmann das Geschehen genau schildert,

im Online Shop erhältlich. Noch am Abend des 21.12. erreichen die vier Kompanien

ohne Verluste die Kurve Zwei.

22. Dezember

Rückeroberung des Hartmannsweilerkopfs durch die in der Nacht herangeführten deutschen

Truppen…………….

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How interesting!

Daniel, Egbert is the expert on HWK but if you find that there is a grave or memorial for Leopold in the Alsace region, I will be very happy to take photos for you. I will be back there soon, all being well.

I'm unsure what the implications of the last handwritten sentence are: do you know?

Egbert, thanks for the extract. I'm afraid I had to resort to Google Translate but I got the gist. (I wrote something somewhere about the centenary of the previous terrible Christmas on HWK but everyone was too interested in chocolate to be bothered with real events.) I would be interested to see some photos of the location where Daniel's family member fought.

Gwyn

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Gwyn, most of my pictures in the thread refer to places where the 14 JB fought on 21 Dec 15. It was a large scale French attack across the flanks to the top and beyond into the Northern descending slope. I have some 20 pages of accounts from 21 Dec. Very dramatic accounts. I could findthe 1. Kompanie 14.JB engaged at AUSSICHTSFELSEN, the 2.Kompanie at BISCHOFSHUT and 700m TRAIL, also elements of the 14 JB defended the ZIEGELRÜCKEN. Later the day the 4.Kompanie was engaged at AUSSICHTSFELSEN and HIMMELPFORTE, also surrounded at OBERREHFELSEN. All mentioned locations are to be found in this picture thread.

Basicly at the end of the day the 14.JB was innihilated and non existing anymore. The Bn was gone!

.....When Maj Kachel reached the 14JB HQ he asked the commander "Where is your Battalion Sir? The commander shivered and stuttered. Tears rolled over his face: "My whole Battalion is completely destroyed".......

One telephone still existed to sub-section B, Lt Hoffmann in his gallery deep in AUSSICHTSFELSEN. I managed to contact him and he reported the French composition and strength and that the French are about to overrun his position. At this moment he reported that the French found his HQ and are taking it. Hoffmann replied "They are taking my HQ, good-bye to all of you good men......

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This is all quite stunning. Egbert and Gwyn, it may please you to know that poor Leopold survived the slaughter! He was taken as a prisoner of war and little did I know, moved to Queens New York where he lived out his life not 30 miles from me! I cannot in words express how immensely frustrating it has been to have learned of all these relations like Leopold who lived so close to me growing up and that I never knew.

I am at work at the moment so cannot post much in the way of an update on what I found about Leopold but will add material tonight when I have access to my computer and files.

Egbert, I will be rereading this thread in its entirety and hope that you will not let this amazing thread wither on the vine, so to speak. It's absolutely priceless.

-Daniel

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How interesting!

Daniel, Egbert is the expert on HWK but if you find that there is a grave or memorial for Leopold in the Alsace region, I will be very happy to take photos for you. I will be back there soon, all being well.

I'm unsure what the implications of the last handwritten sentence are: do you know?

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn,

I have not found anything near Alsace relating to Leopold per se but if there is a memorial to the men of his unit that died there I would love a photo of that, if one exists.

In regards to the last sentence, that ties in with his entry on one of the POW rosters associated with one of his cards. I believe it is suggesting (and this is a guess on my part) he was sent to a POW Camp in Chartres-Romorantin? At the top of the manifest he appears in it says "ETAT de Sous Officiers et soldats prisonniers arrives a la date du 5/I/16 au Depot du MANS. (Captures le 21/12/15 a l'Hartmannswillerkopf" (apologies for the lack of proper accents). There was another thread on the GWF that suggested that Du Mans was possibly a POW Camp but I don't think anyone found anything definitive about that.

-Daniel

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I have not found anything near Alsace relating to Leopold per se but if there is a memorial to the men of his unit that died there I would love a photo of that, if one exists.

Egbert, do you know of one? (Daniel, I'm pleased he survived.)

Where were his colleagues who died at HWK taken for burial?

The remarks by the commanders (#1086) are heartwrenching. What happened to Lt Hoffmann?

I endorse Daniel's enthusiasm for the thread.

Gwyn

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Daniel, here in this magnificant camcopter aerial you can see all the HWK places where the 14 th Jägerbataillon fought, died and was annihilated. All of these places are also captured in my picture thread.

@Gwyn- for the time being I have no answers to your questions Will try to rumble my archive

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The aerial film is stunning. Wonderful. Thank you. (It's easy to see why we got lost at dusk that time.)

I've shared it in a separate post - I hope that's ok.

Gwyn

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The Drone - Cam Copter video is - top quality.

you certainly get a feel for the terrain.

Martin

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Thanks Egbert (and Gwyn for posting a further link). It really brings home how impressive the works were (are) and how the mountain commands the plain to the west.

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Thanks Egbert, the drone footage is stunning, almost as good as being there. I've really enjoyed the voyage of discovery that Daniel has been on, that's been fascinating too.

Pete.

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I have just received informations about Jägerbataillon 14 and their fate around 21.12.1915. Thanks to my friend Louis, also Sigi and Francois. I need to sift through the wealth of information- will take some time- and report back.

I have seen already information where 3.Kompanie exactly was positioned. The quantity of information is by far too big to translate all the accounts and results. For the time being you could formulate your specific questions which I shall trace in the documents. Also for Gwyn -I think I have all the cemeteries now identified where the fallen of JB 14 were buried.....

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The following map snippet depicts the positions and the retreat route of 3. Kompanie Jägerbataillon 14 as of 21.12.1915 the so called Christmas offensive.

The position was called Unterabschnitt IIa (subsection) and was located on the summit of HWK. 3.Kompanie was engaged between Dora trench and Moss-sap

Leopold Levy's platoon leader was Lt Freiherr von Thüna.

post-80-0-76556800-1435749277_thumb.jpg

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21.12.1915, 3. Kompanie Jägerbataillon 14

10:15 French Christmas Offensive on HWK begins with heavy bombardment by artillery, cal 38-7.5cm and trench mortars

Abschnitt IIa (section)

As the night before was calm, unfortunately all JB14 troops were employed in front line trench works, so got surprised without protective measures and without having reserves in the rear. The Battalion chronic says that they used every available shelter and cover in the front line trench on the summit. Disconnected from the rear lines by the bombardment they could not call for support. Most Jäger were killed by trench mortar fire in the front line trenches which were completely destroyed.

15:15 begins French infantry attack

Unterabschnitt A, Dora trench, Moss Sappe

received some less fire from artillery , that’s why more men survived the initial bombardment . When the attack started a couple of surviving 14er engaged with the French 152er regiment from the collapsed trenches.

15:30 overrun at Dora

Kompanieführer (coy leader) 3./JB14, Lt Freiherr von Thüna, evaded surrounding by retreating through section-hopping to the next rear-ward sections.

First he resisted with 3./ In Bischofshut fortress for 30 minutes defensive combat until the last MG was destroyed and the French almost surrounded them. From there they retreated back to Bastion fortress held the position for 45 minutes and were forced to retreat back to 3rd line downhill and below slightly left of Bastion. Here they managed to build up a line of resistance; grew up to some 70-80 men, gathered and composed of the few stragglers that survived the summit position artillery bombardment. They received the first reinforcements at 18:30.

The Bn was almost obliterated and was taken out of the lines on 22.12.1915.

The majority of the JB14 dead are now buried at Guebweiler German war cemetery.

Total losses on 21.12.1915:

DEAD: 7 officers and 76 Jäger

WOUNDED: 6 officers and 51 Jäger

MISSING: 2 officers , 53 Jäger

PRISONER OF WAR: 13 officers/NCOs and 606 Jäger, one of them Leopold Levy

And what was it good for? The next day the German reserves attacked and regained all the positions that have been lost the day before, the French casualties run in the thousands on 22.12.1915.

That' a fine example why this Hartmansweilerkopf mountain is still called today "The man-eater mountain"

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Addition for Gwyn:

I have the complete lists and plot no.s of buried Jäger from the 4 cemeteries as pdf file.

As I mentioned after the Bn was released on 22.12. they buried their dead in Guebweiler war cemetery, which is still existent. Jäger were searched for and found until months after Christmas 1915 in various stages of decomposition they were either buried in Guebweiler or on HWK cemeteries

"Ehrenfriedhof Wünheimer Weg",

"Friedhof Kurve 7" (cemetery curve no. 7)

"Pionierdorf"

The 3 latter cemeteries do not exist anymore

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Loved the aerial footage: top quality!

Roel

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