Two Ottoman officers in the Vosges in May-June 1918

[trajan]

17 hours ago, Ottokarl said:

... I don't have J. Joseph's article (which appeared in a local journal), what I have somewhere is another article by him ("Le tacot: la 'Lordonbahn' dans le Val de Villé", from Dialogues Transvosgiens 1-2 1983-84, 7 pages), another artcile by "J.P." in Voie Etroite 2/85, and a brochure which you find here: https://www.guerre-en-vosges.com/presentatonde-lagev (28 pages).

 

Have you posted all pictures from the album? I am surprised a bit that there is no picture of the massive station below Petit Ballon, the one on the third of my pictures. My terraced house would easily fit into it, I think. The photo doesn't do it justice, really.

 

Hmmm, I wonder how I can get a copy of the Joseph article  perhaps time to try Inter Library loan again?... I did write to the society and they explained that he died a few years back. If you would copy and e-mail - for research purposes, so ok under copyright law, as one scholar to another! - the other articles, I would appreciate that!  The link did not work just now, so I'll try later.

 

Yes, that is everything in the album! I was thinking of writing a short article on it but need to check things through first!

 

Julian

 

PS: so what do you teach? Obviously for me the Roman Empire, etc.,...

[trajan]

17 hours ago, Ottokarl said:

Regarding Prussian documents, yes, most of them were lost in WW II. What is left is now in the Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv in Freiburg. However, some documents of Armeeabteilung Gaede (later, after Gaede's death in 1916, called Armeeabteilung B ) survive in the Generallandesarchiv in Karlsruhe. There I have seen reports by the "Stabsoffizier der Pioniere der Armee-Abteilung Gaede" regarding the cable cars at Hartmannswillerkopf and Tête des Faux (Buchenkopf) - which you can scan when you are there, but not publish without their explicit consent. The pictures, however, have been digitalised and can be seen (and downloaded) on their website, or via https://www.archivportal-d.de/.

 

Between the Donon and Moussey, another Eisenbahnbaukompanie has left traces. And the documents of yet another one survive in Munich, in the Kriegsarchiv of the Bavarian Hauptstaatsarchiv. The monument of the Bavarian railway troops is rather close to the Kriegsarchiv, by the way.

 

 

Heck, more travelling than I would have wanted on the trail of the "Auf die Elsasseisenbahne" historical records! But thanks for letting me know. Great photographs yet again. The memorial for those who died in the construction process very moving... And the last one also. Thanks!

17 hours ago, Ottokarl said:

Talking about the Donon - on the pass there are also the ruins of a combined railway / cable car station, though it is not clear if the cable car ever operated. It was built in automn 1918 ... At the point where the cable car turned towards the valley of Abreschwiller, there are more ruins, of a "Winkelstation".

 

Thanks yet again!

[Ottokarl]

Good evening Julian,

 

let me start with Mr Joseph: the journal in which his article appeared seems to be available at Freiburg university, I will try to remember to have a look (and a scan) when I go there again. I wouldn't expect anything new, though. I will be fairly busy the next couple of days, not least as I will do some teacher training in the Vosges ;-), together with a French colleague, for staff from both countries. We will visit the battlefield at the Col de la Chapelotte (supplied by a branch of the Dononbahn, by the way), and the concentration camp at Natzwiller-Struthof, the following day, covering 100 years of Franco-German history. This partly answers your question regarding my subjects: I teach history, plus English and Spanish. I'll scan or photograph those articles when I find time to do so. You are from Britain, teaching in Turkey?

 

My trips to Munich etc. were not simply for finding information on military railways etc., but for information on the Vosges in WW I in general, for my book. Railways etc. are but one aspect of my project.

 

I attach some pictures of a the cable car station above Noires Colas, in the Plaine valley, and the Förderbahn behind the German lines above the Chapelotte pass. The Dononbahn descended into that valley from the Donon, and used the existing civilian (French) railway for a stretch.

 

The last picture shows some French rails near the evacuation trench of one of their mine galleries (40 cm, I suppose).

[Dragon]

On ‎17‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 09:33, trajan said:

 

I would certainly like to see at some stage - if you have it - a copy of J.Joseph, "Sur les Traces du 'Tacot-La Lordonbahn, chemin de fer de campagne allemand de la guerre 1914", Soc. d'Histoire du val de Ville, 6 (1981), if you have this! Is it a book or an article in that journal? I have not been able as yet to get it through Inter-Library Loan...

 

 

Julian, many towns and villages have back copies of their local history journals, and looking on the website of Société d'Histoire du Val de Villé, it looks as if that Annuaire is still available.  I think you have to contact them via their website. I have usually found that people are willing to copy short pieces, given time.

 

It also seems to be available on Abebooks here (if link doesn't work put "Société d'Histoire du Val de Villé" as an exact phrase into the search otherwise you'll get anything with val de and ville - without acute accent -  in it, such as Munster).

 

Gwyn

Edited 19 November , 2018 by Dragon
Abebooks info

[Ottokarl]

According to the map showing the officers' itinerary between 28 May and 2 June, their visit was limited to the area behind the front of 'Armeeabteilung B' (formerly, until 1916: 'Armeeabteilung Gaede'), and they didn't see the Dononbahn, the Hantzbahn, and the Lordonbahn themselves - the corresponding pictures must have been provided by German army authorities.

 

Still, here is another picture of German rails north of the Col de la Chapelotte, 50 cm, discovered recently by friends from the 'Association Guerre en Vosges' (https://www.guerre-en-vosges.com/) that takes care of the battlefield there and offers guided tours. They also run a museum, which displays German bayonets among other things ;-).

 

The rails belong to one of the branches of the Dononbahn, or rather the Förderbahn at its very end, less than 500 m from the French. This Förderbahn was linked to the cable car station shown in one of the pictures above, and was certainly used to deliver the prefabricated concrete blocks used in the construction of pillboxes etc. in that sector. It was also used to evacuate wounded soldiers. In one instance, an officer shot while observing from the top of a pillbox was taken to the military hospital in Schirmeck, some 27 km away by road, on the same day. He died there, but it is still remarkable that it was possible to get him there, considering the topography of the area. His comrades commemorated him with an inscription, apparently at the site where he was hit. The concrete blocks, or at least the long ones seen in the second picture, were produced in Schirmeck; a period photograph shows Russian POWs handling some. If you are interested in more information on this particular battlefield, I could open a new thread.

[Ottokarl]

A French friend of mine has managed to get hold of Joseph's article, and permission to post it here (as PDF). I add some pictures - with his permission as well - of relics of German military railways in the southern Vosges. They were displayed in Soultzmatt in 2017.

PAGE 49 - 66.pdf

PAGE 67 - 81.pdf

PAGE 82 - 95.pdf

PAGE 96 - 99.pdf

[Ottokarl]

On 29/01/2018 at 16:19, trajan said:

 

 

Heck - a pound to a Eurocent says that is the same wheel!

 

No trace of the concrete 'station' for Rieth? But that barn on the right looks to have the same roof pitch and slope as in the album photograph, and there is a hint of the outbuilding seen in the album photograph in this Google view.

 

Thanks yet again for the comparanda!

 

I am quite sure it is not the same wheel as the one in the picture of "Endstation Kl. Belchen" - Egbert's wheel is one of two that are left in the station under the "Aussichtsfelsen" at the Hartmannsweilerkopf. They may well have been of the same type, though, as Bleichert (and most probably its competitors Pohlig and Heckel as well) sold military cable cars as sets ("Feldseilbahn"). In the Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv in Freiburg they have the complete list of one such set, "Bleichert-Feldseilbahn Modell 150/39". There is a Wikipedia article (of course ;-)) on Adolf Bleichert, including a link to Stephan's book on cable cars pre-1914, which focuses on Bleichert. Amazing - that company from Leipzig operated globally before the First World War, and Pohlig also built cable cars on the other side of the world, Tasmania for example. There are more wheels below the summit of the Buchenkopf, cf. second and third picture (all in the same station).

[Ottokarl]

On 29/01/2018 at 16:19, trajan said:

 

 

Heck - a pound to a Eurocent says that is the same wheel!

 

No trace of the concrete 'station' for Rieth? But that barn on the right looks to have the same roof pitch and slope as in the album photograph, and there is a hint of the outbuilding seen in the album photograph in this Google view.

 

Thanks yet again for the comparanda!

 

Regarding the visit of the Ottoman officers: the surviving documents of Armeeabteilung B, which obviously hosted them, are filed in the Generallandesarchiv in Karlsruhe:

https://www2.landesarchiv-bw.de/ofs21/olf/struktur.php?bestand=13749

That visit should be documented somewhere, there might also be a reference in the "Freiburger Zeitung" (they did pass through Freiburg, didn't they?), which is available online:

https://fz.ub.uni-freiburg.de/show/fz.cgi?pKuerzel=FZ

Edited 29 November , 2018 by Ottokarl

[trajan]

On 24/11/2018 at 10:24, Ottokarl said:

According to the map showing the officers' itinerary between 28 May and 2 June, their visit was limited to the area behind the front of 'Armeeabteilung B' (formerly, until 1916: 'Armeeabteilung Gaede'), and they didn't see the Dononbahn, the Hantzbahn, and the Lordonbahn themselves - the corresponding pictures must have been provided by German army authorities.

 

Still, here is another picture of German rails north of the Col de la Chapelotte, 50 cm, discovered recently by friends from the 'Association Guerre en Vosges' (https://www.guerre-en-vosges.com/) that takes care of the battlefield there and offers guided tours. They also run a museum, which displays German bayonets among other things ;-).

 

The rails belong to one of the branches of the Dononbahn, or rather the Förderbahn at its very end, less than 500 m from the French. This Förderbahn was linked to the cable car station shown in one of the pictures above, and was certainly used to deliver the prefabricated concrete blocks used in the construction of pillboxes etc. in that sector. It was also used to evacuate wounded soldiers. In one instance, an officer shot while observing from the top of a pillbox was taken to the military hospital in Schirmeck, some 27 km away by road, on the same day. He died there, but it is still remarkable that it was possible to get him there, considering the topography of the area. His comrades commemorated him with an inscription, apparently at the site where he was hit. The concrete blocks, or at least the long ones seen in the second picture, were produced in Schirmeck; a period photograph shows Russian POWs handling some. If you are interested in more information on this particular battlefield, I could open a new thread.

 

Hi Ottokarl,

 

Sorry for this really late reply - I had a 30th November deadline to complete and submit for reveiew and possible publication an article on the Roman army, an once that was done I had lots of university and student work to catch up on! 

 

These are yet again astounding photographs! Thank you so much! It is amazing just how much survives, although I can imagine that nature of the area and the terrain has meant that little deliberate destruction of the remains and/or the robbing for re-use of the metal rails took place after 1918. 

 

Julian

[trajan]

On 29/11/2018 at 22:15, Ottokarl said:

A French friend of mine has managed to get hold of Joseph's article, and permission to post it here (as PDF). I add some pictures - with his permission as well - of relics of German military railways in the southern Vosges. They were displayed in Soultzmatt in 2017.

PAGE 49 - 66.pdf

PAGE 67 - 81.pdf

PAGE 82 - 95.pdf

PAGE 96 - 99.pdf

 

Ottokarl,

 

THANK YOU AND YOUR FRIEND SO VERY MUCH FOR THE ARTICE! Just what I needed! My French is not excellent, but a glance through it shows me it is written in a nice relatively easy-to-read style. Also, naturally, many thanks for even more lovely photographs of arterfacts from the system.

 

It all makes me wonder even more why the Ottoman army might have been interested in - apparently - cable-car systems at this date... I freely confess that I have not really looked into what the Ottoman army was doing in the Eastern part of Anatolia or in the Caucasus in early-mid 1918, so pehaps something to do with activity there? Nor have I looked at the Ottoman army's involvement on the East European front at the time, but I can't really see them wanting to establish their own railway systems there given how the Austo-Hungarian army would have been in a much-better position to do this.

 

The really annoying thing is that there is nothing in the photographs to suggest what service branch these two officers belonged to. According the Chris Flaherty, the go-to expert on the Ottoman army, by 1914, there were "four Railway battalions, of four companies each. Two were in Syria. Two in Constantinople", and I understand that there was only 5,700 km. of railway track in the Ottoman Empire, much of that being the relevant section of the Berlin-Baghdad railway... There were, however, various short stretches of localised supply lines in Syria-Palestine that some other GWF Pals have posted on in the Forum.

 

All for now, but once again, many thanks!

 

Julian

[trajan]

On 30/11/2018 at 00:01, Ottokarl said:

 

Regarding the visit of the Ottoman officers: the surviving documents of Armeeabteilung B, which obviously hosted them, are filed in the Generallandesarchiv in Karlsruhe:

https://www2.landesarchiv-bw.de/ofs21/olf/struktur.php?bestand=13749

That visit should be documented somewhere, there might also be a reference in the "Freiburger Zeitung" (they did pass through Freiburg, didn't they?), which is available online:

https://fz.ub.uni-freiburg.de/show/fz.cgi?pKuerzel=FZ

 

Ottokarl,

 

I really can't thank you enough for all your help in advancing mine and everybody else's knowledge and indicating further lines of research on this remarkable railway system!  I really must get to the area at some point to look at things on the ground, and of course scour through the archives. It is a great help knowing these are at Karlsruhe, and I will try and look through the Freiburg Zeitung to see if there is a reference to them. I had hoped that there was a published biography of Prince Joachim or, better still, his war-time diary, but apparently not. I was planning a long-delayed visit in late January 2019 to Munich and Oberndorf to look at bayonet related archives, but Karlsruhe will have to await another time.

 

Best wishes,

 

Julian

[Ottokarl]

Morning Julian,

 

there are some questions indeed ... The visit might not have had nay particular purpose, though. I have the impression that visits to the front by officers from allied countries were more or less routine. In the Kriegsarchiv in Munich there is this picture, for example: https://www.gda.bayern.de/findmitteldb/Archivalie/249083/ , showing two Bulgarian officers on the Buchenkopf, right in front of the Bastion at the highest point of the German positions which certainly features in Egberts thread on that mountain. They may have taken such visitors to the Vosges because (1) it was a comparatively quiet sector after 1915, and (2) it featured particularly interesting constructions, such as those railways and cable cars.

 

That makes me wonder why the two Turks apparently never got really close to the actual front ... The Bulgarians got to within 100 m or so of the first French trench. On the other hand, they might have had a more specific interest in cable cars etc. as those were used on their front as well. If I remember correctly, you somewhere write that the album was probably not intended for the Ottoman officers, so maybe it was the German who made it who was fascinated by the cable cars etc.? On the other hand again, they visited bridges in the Black Forest as well - where some war-related work was at least planned.

 

I have had a quick look at the Freiburger Zeitung for the days of the visit (i.e. the bigger headlines), but have found nothing. There may be some inconspicuuous notes somewhere, however. What I have found regarding Karlsruhe just looks like a programme, which you already have, basically. There might be more somewhere else - possibly in Stuttgart as well, as the Vosges (including Armeeabteilungen A & B belonged to Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht from early 1917, which was a Wurttemberg formation. A visit by Ottoman allies might have involved that level of command as well, beyond the Armeeabteilung.

 

Regarding bayonets - do you know of this: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayerisches_Armeemuseum ? When you come to the Vosges, let me know - if possible, I will be happy to you some of the sites, and / or get you in touch with others who know the individual sectors better than I do.

 

I attach pictures from the foot of Hartmannswillerkopf, showing foundations of a bridge and, nearby, a trench in which that Feldbahn continued to the cable car stations, plus some (probably) recycled rails in the vineyards near the site. Plus more rails etc. that used to lie around near 'Kurve 2' of the military road built in early 1915 (Serpentinenstraße).

 

Best wishes -

 

Ottokarl

 

 

 

[trajan]

Well, the Ottoman officers had lunch with P.Joachim on 3rd June at the Schwarztwaldhotel in Freiburg, but I cannot see anything in the newpapers about him or these chapes being there. But that was a quick look so I might have missed something...

 

Got to dash - no. 2 son to tennis, no. 1 son homework to do at tennis club... Back later...

 

Julian

Edited 9 December , 2018 by trajan

[trajan]

On 26/12/2017 at 18:00, trajan said:

And last of all for now, on 28th May 1918, these two Ottoman officers - who feature in about 5 or so of the photographs - met up with Prinz Joachim (Franz Humbert) von Preußen in Kayersberg... So, is there any record of whom he met that day?

 

 

 

 

The background has not changed much! - See below, from https://www.francethisway.com/places/kaysersberg.php

[Guest]

Hi guys,

this post is incredible...

I'm currently from Villé (Weiler) and I'm a militaria collector and I have a big passion for the history of "La vallée de villé" during the war...

 

Your album is amazing, and I would pay whatever to get it hahaha, thanks for the share tho ! 

 

Page 5 the numbered pictures, from 1 to 3 are taken in Urbeis and I can do Then & Now later in the day. 

 

There was an ammunition depot in Bassemberg. 

 

On saturday we are going on a hike with my friends, I'll take pictures of the Lordonbahn parts that you can still see ! 

[trajan]

17 hours ago, TheoMili said:

Hi guys,

this post is incredible...

 

Hi TheoMili,

 

And welcome to GWForum!

 

Glad you like the album - an amazing find to make here in Ankara. I want to do some more constructive work on its contents plus the contributions that have been made by Egbert and others, and hopefully I will get time for this during the summer. A priority remains to identify the two Ottoman officers... There should be something in the war diary for Armee Abteilung B - if that has survived, but I cannot find any trace of it from here using Google.de. Also perhaps something in the personal diary of Prinz Joachim (Franz Humbert) von Preußen - but again, does this exist and if so where?

 

I'd certainly be interested in any photographs you might be able to share with us all here!

 

Julian

[eisenbahn.tv]

Smokebox Letters:

 

 

A.      Betriebswerksmeisterei     Aachen-West
Amg. Maschinenamt                   Amagne-Lucquy
An.    Betriebswerksmeisterei     Antwerpen
Ar.     Maschinenamt                  Arlon
At.     Betriebswerksmeisterei     Athus
Au.    Betriebswerksmeisterei     Audun-le-Roman
Br.     Maschinenamt                  Brüssel
C.     Maschinenamt                   Charleroi
Cf.    Maschinenamt 3                Conflans
F.      Betriebswerksmeisterei     Lüttich Verschiebebahnhof
G.     Maschinenamt                   Gent
H.     Betriebswerksmeisterei     Welkenraedt
Hi.    Maschinenamt                   Hirson
L.     Betriebswerksmeisterei     Lüttich Hauptbahnhof

La.   Maschinenamt                   Laon
Ln.   Betriebswerksmeisterei     Löwen
M1   Maschinenamt 1                Cambrai
M3   Maschinenamt                   Lille
Mo.  Maschinenamt                   Mons
N.    Betriebswerksmeisterei     Namur
Se.  Maschinenamt                   Sedan
T.     Betriebswerksmeisterei     Trois-Ponts
Te.   Maschinenamt                   Tergnier
V.    Maschinenamt                    Valenciennes

 

 

 

Regards Eisenbahn.tv

[GreyC]

Hi Julian,

with regard to:

"Also perhaps something in the personal diary of Prinz Joachim (Franz Humbert) von Preußen - but again, does this exist and if so where?"

See: https://www.gsta.spk-berlin.de/kategorie_detail.php?detail=350&PAGE_ID=952

[trajan]

2 hours ago, eisenbahn.tv said:

Smokebox Letters: ...

Regards Eisenbahn.tv

 

Thanks Eisenbahn!

 

2 hours ago, GreyC said:

Hi Julian,

with regard to:

"Also perhaps something in the personal diary of Prinz Joachim (Franz Humbert) von Preußen - but again, does this exist and if so where?"

See: https://www.gsta.spk-berlin.de/kategorie_detail.php?detail=350&PAGE_ID=952

 

Hmmmm, secret archives... Could be fun! I had assumed that anything Joachim wrote might remain sealed away in view of his later life and then demise - but who knows? Thanks, though... There are very few times I wish I was rich enough to give up work and simply follow my heart's desire but I have to admit it would be nice to do this one properly!

[JulianR]

On ‎28‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 17:55, trajan said:

. Dienstag, den 28. 5. 18.

Mit Kraftwagen von Colmar über Türkheim nach Seilbahnstation „Vogesenhisle“ (Bauart Pohlig/Bleichert gemischt). Nach kurzem Vortrag mit Seilbahn zum Feldbahnhof  Grünmatt. Hier Frühstuck, sodann mit Benzolbahn weiter nach Weir-Kruz und mit Kraftwagen zurück nach Drei-Aehren, Besichtigung der Wallfahrtskapelle und des Seilaufzuges, Aussicht auf Münster- und Rheintal. Ueber Arnmerschweir nach Urbach. Besichtigung der Baustellen ann Kayers- / berger-Tahlbahn und des grossen Umschlag- und Parkbahnhofs Benn­weier. Mit Kleinbahn alsdann nach Kaysersberg; Mittagessen im Bahnofshotel daselbst.

 

An der Fahrt nahm Teil: S. Kgl. Hoheit Prinz Joachim v.Preussen.

 

2. Tuesday, 28. 5. 18.

By car from Colmar via Türkheim to cable car station "Vogesenhisle" (mixed type Pohlig / Bleichert). After a short lecture continue by cable car to Feldbahnhof Grünmatt. Breakfast there, then continue with Benzol train to Weir-Kruz and then by car back to Drei-Aehren, with a visit to the pilgrimage chapel and the cable lift, and an overview of Münster and the Rhine Valley. Then [by car] continue via Arnmerschweir to Urbach. Visit to the construction sites on the Kaysersberger-Tahlbahn and the large cargo handling and depot station at Bennweier. By small train then to Kaysersberg; Lunch at the Bahnofshotel there.

 

For part of the journey joined by his Highness Prince Joachim von Prussia.

 

3. Mittwoch, den 29. 5. 18.

Im Kraftwagen nach Rufach, Besichtigung der Feldbahnanlagen daselbst. Nach kurzer Feldbahnfahrt nach Geweiler. Sehr klarer Blick auf Hartmannsweilerkopf. Besichtigung des dreischienigen Ausbaus der Vollbahn (Klappen zur schnellen Ueberbrückung der Vollbahnschienen für die Feldbahn). In Heissenstein Besischtigung der Seilantriebstelle (Bau art Pohlig). Weiter über Lautenbach (schöner Blick auf deutsche und französische Stellungen) nach Thanweiler. Mit Seilbahn (Bauart Bleichert) über Station Bönles- / grab nach Brudermatt. Dort Frühstück vor einem Offizierblockhaus. Zu Fuss nach  Strohberg-Sattel. Mot Seilbahn zum Kleinen Belchen - 1261 m hoch - Unterwegs Artilleriefeur! Zu Fuss nach Stemlesbergrücken. Von hier prächtiger Rundblick aud deutsche und französische Stellungen vom Buchenkopf, Grosser Hohneck und auf den Grenzkam. Zu fuss zur Seilbahnstation Rieth (über tiefe Schluchten bei heftigem Sturm) nach Steindebach. In der Offiziersmesse des Seilbahnbetriebsamts da­selbst Mittagessen. Gegen 7 Abds. Rückkehr nach Colmar.

I would translate Kleinbahn as narrow gauge, Benzol train I think means an locomotive using petrol (benzine) as fuel, 

[JulianR]

On ‎28‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 17:55, trajan said:

OK,

 

Here is my transcript and my rough translation of the first part of the trip... Comments - and corrections! - welcomed...

 

Kommandeur der Eisenbahntruppen          A[rmee].H[aupt].Qu[artier]. den 4.6.1918

I[m]. B[ereich].d[er].Armee-Abteilung B.

Ubt... B.=Nr...

 

Reiseplan im Bereich des „Kodeis B“

 

1. Montag, den 27. 5. 18.

5.0 Abends Ankunft in Colmar. Uebernachtung: Hotel Terminus.

 

1. Monday, 27. 5. 18.

5.00 Evening arrival in Colmar. Overnight: Hotel Terminus

 

2. Dienstag, den 28. 5. 18.

Mit Kraftwagen von Colmar über Türkheim nach Seilbahnstation „Vogesenhisle“ (Bauart Pohlig/Bleichert gemischt). Nach kurzem Vortrag mit Seilbahn zum Feldbahnhof  Grünmatt. Hier Frühstuck, sodann mit Benzolbahn weiter nach Weir-Kruz und mit Kraftwagen zurück nach Drei-Aehren, Besichtigung der Wallfahrtskapelle und des Seilaufzuges, Aussicht auf Münster- und Rheintal. Ueber Arnmerschweir nach Urbach. Besichtigung der Baustellen ann Kayers- / berger-Tahlbahn und des grossen Umschlag- und Parkbahnhofs Benn­weier. Mit Kleinbahn alsdann nach Kaysersberg; Mittagessen im Bahnofshotel daselbst.

 

An der Fahrt nahm Teil: S. Kgl. Hoheit Prinz Joachim v.Preussen.

 

2. Tuesday, 28. 5. 18.

By car from Colmar via Türkheim to cable car station "Vogesenhisle" (mixed type Pohlig / Bleichert). After a short lecture continue by cable car to Feldbahnhof Grünmatt. Breakfast there, then continue with Benzol train to Weir-Kruz and then by car back to Drei-Aehren, with a visit to the pilgrimage chapel and the cable lift, and an overview of Münster and the Rhine Valley. Then [by car] continue via Arnmerschweir to Urbach. Visit to the construction sites on the Kaysersberger-Tahlbahn and the large cargo handling and depot station at Bennweier. By small train then to Kaysersberg; Lunch at the Bahnofshotel there.

 

For part of the journey joined by his Highness Prince Joachim von Prussia.

 

3. Mittwoch, den 29. 5. 18.

Im Kraftwagen nach Rufach, Besichtigung der Feldbahnanlagen daselbst. Nach kurzer Feldbahnfahrt nach Geweiler. Sehr klarer Blick auf Hartmannsweilerkopf. Besichtigung des dreischienigen Ausbaus der Vollbahn (Klappen zur schnellen Ueberbrückung der Vollbahnschienen für die Feldbahn). In Heissenstein Besischtigung der Seilantriebstelle (Bau art Pohlig). Weiter über Lautenbach (schöner Blick auf deutsche und französische Stellungen) nach Thanweiler. Mit Seilbahn (Bauart Bleichert) über Station Bönles- / grab nach Brudermatt. Dort Frühstück vor einem Offizierblockhaus. Zu Fuss nach  Strohberg-Sattel. Mot Seilbahn zum Kleinen Belchen - 1261 m hoch - Unterwegs Artilleriefeur! Zu Fuss nach Stemlesbergrücken. Von hier prächtiger Rundblick aud deutsche und französische Stellungen vom Buchenkopf, Grosser Hohneck und auf den Grenzkam. Zu fuss zur Seilbahnstation Rieth (über tiefe Schluchten bei heftigem Sturm) nach Steindebach. In der Offiziersmesse des Seilbahnbetriebsamts da­selbst Mittagessen. Gegen 7 Abds. Rückkehr nach Colmar.

 

3. Wednesday, 29. 5. 18.

By car to Rufach, and visit the field railway facilities there. Then a short journey by field train to Geweiler. Very clear view of Hartmannsweilerkopf. Inspection of the three-rail extension of the full-length track (with flaps for the quick bridging of the full-length track for the field railway). In Heissenstein, visit the cable drive station (Pohlig type). Continue via Lautenbach (with a nice view of the German and French positions) to Thanweiler. By cable car (Bleichert type) via the Bönlesgrab station to Brudermatt. Breakfast there in front of an officer’s log cabin. Then by foot to the Strohberg saddle. Then by cable car to the Kleinen Belchen - 1261 m high – experiencing artillery fire on the way! On foot to Stemlesbergrücken. From there a magnificent panoramic view of the German and French positions from Buchenkopf, Grosser Hohneck and onto the Grenzkam. On foot to the cable car station Rieth (passing over deep gorges in a violent flood) to Steindebach. Lunch at the officers' mess of the cable car company. Towards 7 in the evening return to Colmar.

 

4. Donnerstag, den 30. 5. 18.

Jm Schienenkraftwagen über Enisheim nach Fallbrücke. Auf dem Feldbahnhof kurzes Frühstück. Alsdann Besichtigung der Neu­baustrecke der Jllbahn (Feldbahnfahrt, Kanalbrücke im Bau). Jm Schienankraftwagen weiter nach Hartwald-Banzenheim und über den Rhein nach Neuenburg. Unterwegs Besichtigung des zweigleisigen Ausbaus dieser Vollbahnlinie. Anschliessend in Banzenheim bei Festungs-Eis. Bau-Komp. 7 Mittagessen. Sodann über die „Nordriedbahn" (im Sommer 1917 neu gebaut) und Neubreisach nach Colmar zurück.

 

4. Thursday, 30. 5. 18.
By Schienenkraftwagen over Enisheim to Fallbrücke. On the field station a short breakfast. Then visit of the new construction line of the Jllbahn (Feldbahnfahrt, as canal-bridge under construction). In Schienankraftwagen continue to Hartwald-Banzenheim and over the Rhine to Neuenburg. En route visit the twin-track extension of this full-train line. Subsequently to Fortress Eisenbahntruppen Construction Company 7 for lunch. Then on the "Nordriedbahn" (newly built in the summer of 1917) and to Neubreisach, and back to Colmar. 

Sorry If I was really good I would have joined all this together, but I am not.

 

More thoughts, the bit about the three-rail extension means that they have two tracks of different gauges running on the same sleepers, with one common rail, and the other two rails being for the narrow gauge or standard gauge trains.  You can see this in one of the photos.  Vollbahnlinie means standard gauge line, i.e. 4ft 8.5 inches or 1435 mm.  Technically, I know 1435 mm is not exactly 4ft 8.5 inches it is 2mm narrower, but that is now the common reporting gauge.

 

Someone commented on the parade with the troops wearing picklehaubes, I feel that this is a formal parade to welcome an important visiting General and show his the respect due.  

 

Julian

[JulianR]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 08:11, trajan said:

 I am beginning to see just HOW poor my 10 yrs old scanner is... If I get that graduate assistant, then certainly a priority to get several is not all of these album photographs properly copied...

 

Anyway, for now, page 13 Recto

 

 

In the top photo we have a standard gauge to narrow gauge interchange station, so probably well back from the front line.

 

In the lower photo you can see how the 3-rail section works.  I was a bit baffled by that description as I started thinking about 3rd rail electrification here in the UK, with the live current rail about 1-ft away from the running rails.  

 

Julian

[JulianR]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 08:05, trajan said:

I hate it when they merge things.... 

 

Back to page 12 recto... With a magnifying glass the left-hand small sign seems to read: "Waschgelegenheit", the right hand one certainly "Pferdetranke" (with umlaut 'a' ) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waschgelegenheit washing troughs for the men

Pferdetranke watering trough for horses and mules

 

Julian

[JulianR]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 09:06, trajan said:

Gedruckt von Vermess.Abteilung No.13 (Wurtt)

Drawn by Survey Section No. 13 Wurttemberg  Vermess is short for Vermessung, i.e. land surveying

 

Julian

[JulianR]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 12:14, trajan said:

What I give you here for now is a photograph plus some sectional scan details to print off and cut out to to form a single map. Hope that keeps you happy for a day or two! But, what is a "Febamt"?

 

Map scale is 1:50,000 and I am fairly sure that Amt in German means an Office, more I think in terms of an organisation rather than necessarily a physical one, so we have some sort of area office.

 

Julian