Historical Novelist Posted 10 April , 2017 Share Posted 10 April , 2017 (edited) Hi, I'm a novelist and a small section of my current novel will take place on the Eastern Front between January 1 1917 and June 1917. While of course I've been reading books and memoirs wherever I can, I could really do with a little help pinning down a location. I need to find a place on the Eastern Front where my Austro-Hungarian officer would be situated in January 1917. He is then injured (can be an accident -- it doesn't have to be enemy action) and placed in a temporary field hospital. During one of the Austro-Hungarian army retreats he is then left behind and captured by the Russians. Ideally I'd like it to be marshy terrain... but this is fiction, and it doesn't have to be perfect. Rivers have been known to divert a little from their course, even in Thomas Hardy... Does anyone have any suggestions as to where this could be? I would also love some suggestions as to his rank (he comes from an extremely wealthy family but he is a Jew which limits his rank). I am hugely grateful for any thoughts! Many thanks, Natasha Edited 10 April , 2017 by Historical Novelist grammatical error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 10 April , 2017 Share Posted 10 April , 2017 The Austro-Hungarian official history "Austria-Hungary's last war 1914-1918 is online in both English and German. It does tell you what's going on in the East from a A-H viewpoint during this time. The only time the Austrians retreated in 1917 was during the Kerensky offensive. He could be a Captain. The KUK armee was not that big on promoting people so he could be a Battalion commander. Looking at the maps of the area there are plenty of swamps in this part of the Russian front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historical Novelist Posted 13 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2017 Thanks so much, that's really helpful. I'll look up the Kerensky offensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 13 April , 2017 Share Posted 13 April , 2017 Oh for the days when hard yards of research were just one rich part of writer's pleasure ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historical Novelist Posted 20 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 20 April , 2017 On 13/04/2017 at 17:37, David Filsell said: Oh for the days when hard yards of research were just one rich part of writer's pleasure ! Don't worry David... I've spent the best part of a year researching this book... this is a single detail that I'm struggling to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 20 April , 2017 Share Posted 20 April , 2017 I know the feeling only too well - it wasn't a criticism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 21 April , 2017 Share Posted 21 April , 2017 I think there is a book that is the memoirs of an KUK armee soldier who was a POW the title is "Siberian Garrison" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historical Novelist Posted 4 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2017 Great -- thanks will look all of these up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 4 May , 2017 Share Posted 4 May , 2017 Good books on POWs in Russia: Among the Prisoners of War in Russia and Siberia Elsa Branstorm POWs and the Great war captiviity on the Eastern Front Alan Rachaminov Also : Secret Service on the Russian Front Max Wild ( He was captured in 1917 and escaped from a POW camp note Wild was a German intelligence officer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 6 May , 2017 Share Posted 6 May , 2017 Other books on the A-H empire and armee: The Hapsberg Empire 1790-1918 The Passing of the Hapsberg Monarchy 1914-1918 The Army of Franz-Joesph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 6 May , 2017 Share Posted 6 May , 2017 For background on AH The Radetski March by Roth is both invaluable and brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historical Novelist Posted 19 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 19 May , 2017 Thanks for all the suggestions -- and I agree the Radetzky March is magnificent. One of the great novels of the last century... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 27 May , 2017 Share Posted 27 May , 2017 On 1914 and AH there is the book "A Mad Catastrope" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historical Novelist Posted 9 June , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 June , 2017 Thanks again -- Secret Service on the Russian front was great... it does read like a novel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James A Pratt III Posted 12 June , 2017 Share Posted 12 June , 2017 Glad to be of help . There is another book that I have not read but looks like it should be useful to you "Beyond Nationalism" which deals with the Hapsberg Officer Corps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historical Novelist Posted 30 June , 2017 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2017 These are all great -- much appreciated. The novel will be published in May next year. My desk is sagging under the weight of these book suggestions -- so thanks again, everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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