Outbreak of the First World War and the German Mobilization

Arms buildups and mutual distrust created, at the beginning of the 20th century, a climate in which a spark could trigger an explosion. The First World War had increasingly become a certainty in the years before 1914. The decisive trigger ultimately proved to be an act of blood on the Balkans. On 28.06.1914 the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo. The background to this assassination was the Slavonic aspirations for freedom within the borders of the moribund Danube Monarchy.

Hatred and agitation against the Habsburg monarchy had their center in Serbia, which had become powerful after the Balkan Wars and, backed by the Russian Tsarist Empire, wanted to secure political self-determination for the Slavic minorities.

Nationalism threatened the existence of the Austro-Hungarian multi-ethnic state. Austria-Hungary therefore reacted to the assassination with a de facto unacceptable ultimatum to Serbia. Because of the mutual alliance obligations, the Austro-Serbian conflict soon became a European and then a worldwide conflict.

... was described by Hubatsch as follows:

In 1914 Germany had approximately 67,000,000 inhabitants. The total wartime strength of the entire army amounted to 3,823,000 men, of whom 2,398,000 belonged to the field army. The total number of trained personnel is said to have been 4,900,000 men. In the winter of 1913/14 the German army was effectively 599,000 men strong (0.9% of the population, including the one-year volunteers and non-commissioned officers 1.08%, including officers 1.15%).

At mobilization the German field army comprised 1,627 battalions, 360 machine-gun companies, 655 squadrons, 516 field artillery and 769 foot artillery batteries, 364 pioneer companies, 41 aviation units, 18 airship units and 60 radio stations. In addition to the 25 active army corps, 13 reserve corps and 1 Landwehr corps were mobilized; furthermore 6 mobile replacement divisions, 1 single replacement brigade, 2 reserve divisions as main fortress reserve and 1 senior Landwehr commander with a number of mobile Landwehr brigades were added, making a total of 86–87 divisions.

The field army comprised the active (field) troops, reserve, mobile replacement and Landwehr formations; the garrison army consisted of fortress formations and immobile replacement, Landwehr and Landsturm troops.

The authorized wartime strength of the German army on 02.08.1914¹ was as follows:

The field and reserve troops were organized as follows:

At the head of the field army stood the OHL (Chief of the General Staff: Helmuth von Moltke, *1848, +1916). The field army itself consisted of 8 armies, 1 army detachment and 4 cavalry corps. Seven armies advanced in the West (a total of 1,600,000 men), one in the East (a total of 200,000 men). The army detachment was stationed in Schleswig-Holstein (2 divisions).

The 4 cavalry corps were directly subordinate to the OHL; 6½ divisions formed the reserve.

The distribution of forces corresponded to the German war plan, which envisaged a rapid decision in the West, while in the East the 8th Army was initially to remain on the defensive.

The troops in Schleswig-Holstein secured against Denmark.   

These events had a lasting effect on public opinion. John Keegan (The First World War. A European Tragedy, Hamburg 2011, p. 113) writes the following on this:

"Politicians harbored gloomy forebodings in the face of the looming war, but the populations of all the belligerent countries greeted the declarations of war in the capitals with enormous enthusiasm. Masses of people thronged the streets, shouting, cheering and singing patriotic songs."

Roger Chickering (The German Empire and the First World War, Munich 2002, p. 24 ff.) adds:

"This spectacle had already taken on the character of a public festival when on Friday, July 31, the news struck like lightning. The bulletin boards and newspapers now announced that the Russian army was mobilizing its troops. Immediately the German government declared the 'state of imminent danger of war.' The headlines of the first four days of August bore witness to the unstoppable course of events that were heading toward a general war: the general mobilization of the German army, the mobilization of the French armed forces, the German declaration of war on France and finally the British intervention against Germany. The public demonstrations in Germany kept pace with the escalating drama, but they were now directed toward the barracks of the local regiments. Armed young men in uniform on their way to the front took the lead of the city parades. They marched toward an adventure which most believed would be over by Christmas at the latest."

The wartime volunteer and later German writer Carl Zuckmayer (*27.12.1896 in Nackenheim, Rhenish Hesse; †18.01.1977 in Visp, Canton Valais) remembers:

"Toward evening, still before darkness, the 117ers marched out, the 'Life Regiment of the Grand Duchess,' the most popular infantry unit of our homeland, in which many well-known local figures had served and which now marched as a mobile reserve. One saw familiar faces, even the stars of the 'Mainz Rowing Club,' who had won victory at many international regattas. They passed our house, which was near the station: the senior officers, regimental and battalion staff, on horseback, the leaders of the smaller units, young lieutenants on foot, ten paces in front of their men, as they later led them in battle and for the most part fell. They wore field gray, still without steel helmets, which were only introduced later in the course of the war — the famous 'Pickelhauben' covered with gray cloth. Almost all had bouquets on their helmets, on their packs or on the rifle barrels. Some faces were reddened by summer heat and wine, most calm and composed. Young girls, brides and sisters walked beside the marching column and waved to their men, some wept. Our cook, who stood beside us at the door, also wept — her brother was serving as a sergeant, and when she saw him marching with his group she ran up to him and stuffed a package into his pocket. He smiled and greeted us with his simple, rugged peasant face. A young soldier threw his flowers to a woman standing in front of another house, who pressed them to her heart; we knew she was his mother. He still held his hand raised as he disappeared around the corner. It was these small, insignificant details that moved us more than the sight of the whole and etched themselves indelibly into memory. There was no brass band; the first regiments marched out silently and without music, but from the station we then heard them singing, as with one voice."

(Same author, As If It Were a Piece by Me. Hearings of Friendship, Stuttgart/Hamburg, 1966, p. 222 ff.).

On 02.08.1914, for example, Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1st Westphalian) No. 13 was mobilized in accordance with the mobilization plan. In addition to the regiment deploying to the front, it formed a replacement battalion of 4 companies as well as two recruit depots. About the farewell of IR 13 we read in the war chronicle of the city of Münster by Eduard Schulte in the diction of the time under 07.08.1914: "This morning's farewell of the Thirteen turned into a powerful demonstration. The regiment had marched to the drill ground at Haus Spital in field march formation in the morning, where the new commander, Lieutenant Colonel Hermann Delius, took over command after the previous commander, Oberst Freiherr Hermann von Ziegesar, had been appointed commander of the 28th Infantry Brigade. On the return march the regiment passed the Royal Palace in parade march before the commanding General His Excellency von Einem. Then began the last common march, which, because of the uncertain time of departure, was called a farewell, through the city quickly decorated with flags by order of the Lord Mayor. On the Prinzipalmarkt a large crowd gave the Thirteen stormy ovations. The regimental staff turned off toward the town hall under whose arcades numerous members of the magistrate and the city council assembly had gathered, and took the splendid vanguard there. Lieutenant Colonel Delius and the Lord Mayor greeted each other with handshakes and warm words. While the pavement trembled from the iron march and the citizens enthusiastically cheered and waved to the troops, the regimental band played patriotic songs with roaring music on the Michaelisplatz, which were sung along passionately by soldiers and citizens. - Behind the long, weapons-clinking column followed, after the machine-gun company, a troop of called-up reservists, one of whom carried a large sign with the inscription 'Off to the bear hunt'" (p. 22).

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In total, almost 18,000 rail transports were required in the first days of mobilization of the German army. A further 11,000 transports followed to complete the deployment. In the 10 days of the first mobilization phase a total of 3,120,000 men, 860,000 horses and 400,000 tons of material had to be transported. During the deployment an average of 560 trains crossed the Rhine bridges daily heading west; in total it is said to have been 21,000 trains.

The lieutenant — and later Field Marshal — Erwin Rommel describes the journey to the front as follows: "I greet the men of the 7th Company with whom I will now presumably go to the field. There is a glow of joy, enthusiasm and drive in all the young faces. Is there anything more beautiful than to go to battle at the head of such soldiers? … In the evening the proud 6th Württemberg Regiment marches out of the garrison (Weingarten) to the loading for Ravensburg with ringing music and steady step. Thousands of people accompany them … With never-ending shouts of hurrah the regiment departs as night falls … The journey to the field on 5 August through the splendid valleys and meadows of the homeland under the cheers of all compatriots is indescribably beautiful. The troop sings song after song. At every stop it is showered with fruit, chocolate and rolls … At night we cross the Rhine. Searchlights probe the sky for enemy aircraft and airships. The songs have died away. On benches and floors the musketeers sleep… I stand on the locomotive, look into the flickering fire of the engine and then out again into the rushing and whispering of the dark, sultry summer night. What may the next days bring?"².

Paul Schwarzenberg (*1892) also reports in a letter of 12.08.1914, in the style of the time, about the outbreak of war: "The iron wheels that carry us toward an unknown fate now roll day and night. Outside the beautiful Thuringian countryside passes by; Weimar, Erfurt, Eisenach, the Wartburg — everywhere waving, fluttering handkerchiefs, farewell words, thrown off and put back. But the trees and bushes along the way stretch their thousand green arms in the wind and wave a quiet, intimate farewell, entirely without noise and therefore unnoticed. The red poppy blooms in the clover and glows like fresh heart’s blood and points to coming days. — Who knows? Today red — tomorrow dead. But no matter, the rifle barrels gleam merrily, the steel shimmers bluishly, they look forward to the clamour of battle." Schwarzenberg fell on 06.10.1916 at Chaulnes.