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Remembered Today:

With the German Guns: Four Years on the Western Fr


Robert Dunlop

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Pen and Sword have recently republished this interesting book in their Military Classics series (ISBN 1 84415 019 4). It features the diary of a German artillerist, who joined the Kaiser's Army in 1914 as a volunteer and survived the war unwounded. Sulzbach served with the 2nd Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment. His memoirs were published in German after the war. Richard Thonger has produced a fine translation that is very readable.

Of interest, Sulzbach was forced to leave Germany prior to WW2 because he was Jewish. He ended up joining the British army and was promoted to Captain.

There is a brief glimpse of the open warfare that charaterised the early weeks of the war. However, things settle into the routine of trench warfare, with Sulzbach frequently serving as a FOO and developing a strong liaison with the infantry. Much of the next two years consists of snippets of historical context (victory at Tannenberg, loss of the Embden, etc), interspersed with information about going on leave or times off-duty while at the Front. Sulzbach's growing fascination with the German air aces comes through strongly; his application to join the airforce was turned down on the grounds that artillery NCOs were in too short supply.

There is limited information in the book for anyone interested in the detail of German artillery. Sulzbach describes his posting to the Somme in the latter stages of that battle. For me, the most interesting military aspect was his description of the German Spring Offensives. His unit was involved in the opening of Operation Michael and then followed the infantry attacks closely. I have long been interested in this period and it was interesting to read that it was not lack of supplies, or too many supplies as is oft quoted, that finally stopped the advance (from Sulzbach's experience). It was the organised infantry resistance, well supported by (French) artillery.

After experiencing the exhilaration of a second successful offensive on the Chemin des Dames, it is striking to read of Sulzbach's shock when the attack at Rheims failed. Then his amazement that Foch could organise a counter-attack. From then until the end of the war, the impression is of constant strain as resources, particularly of men, get shorter and the pressure from the allies continually increases. The effects of allied counter-battery fire are most noticeable at this time.

The most profound aspect of this book is the transformation of an educated, sensitive, articulate man, who showed a deep love of nature and of people, into someone who, in the closing weeks of the war, could take satisfaction in the destruction of a village by artillery fire because some German soldiers were shot by civilians.

A fascinating book that I would highly recommend.

Are there other personal accounts written by German artillerists?

Robert

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A very good book - I had the pleasure of meeting the author a couple of times as he was an early member of the WFA and used to come to the London meetings at NAM. Once he came with his medals; Germans ones for WW1 and British for WW2!!

Glad this has been reprinted as the original is difficult to get.

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I have just read Sulzbach's book, and heartily agree with Robert and Paul.

Don't expect much detail about artillery tactics or gunnery in general. Do expect an easy to read cruise through four years of bewildering experience. The camaraderie of the soldiers at the front comes across very strongly, as does Sulzbach's humanity and decency.

However, perhaps most compelling is the transformation that Robert has described above. Sulzbach is clearly a well rounded human and not a 'hateful Heinrich'; yet his experiences harden him into a different man by 1918. His awareness of events beyond his locality is also striking, as he regularly records political and military events of significance.

I would be very interested to read an account of his experiences in the 1930s and 40s, but am not aware that he wrote one. He seems to have been the only person to have been commissioned in the Imperial German Army and the British Army in WWII - truly stranger than fiction!

Ste

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Another similar book is 'Fritz' The World War I Memoirs of a German Lieutenenat by Fritz nagel. ISBN 0-9604770-0-4. He started in the field artillery at the start of the war and was then transferred to anti-aircraft artillery duty. Towards the end of the war he used his truck mounted gun in the role of assault artilley by shelling an enemy infantry position over direct sites. It is a very good book and gives an interesting point of view of the war from the German side.

Ralph

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  • 3 months later...

Just finished it myself. A most wonderful read!

Thanks Pals for pointing out my duplicate thread on this topic, but hey in my opinion the books good enough for two postings! :lol:

Jon

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Just finished it myself. A most wonderful read!

Thanks Pals for pointing out my duplicate thread on this topic, but hey in my opinion the books good enough for two postings! :lol:

Jon

I would agree with both sentiments :)

Robert

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