Scenes of War - Rail Transport
The railway played a decisive role in the First World War. Without the developed rail network the rapid mobilization of the (seven) German armies in the West would not have been possible. But a powerful rail system was also indispensable for rapid troop movements. Already in the run-up to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 the German General Staff had recognized the decisive importance of the railway. In 1914 there were already15 bridges over the Rhine between Strasbourg and Wesel. In addition to the classic rail network, branch lines or light railways also assumed an important role during the course of the war, especially in the front area. To do justice to the strategic role of the railway, at the beginning of the war the various railway administrations were merged and placed under a central military command.
In total, nearly 18000 rail transports were necessary in the first days of mobilization of the German army. A further 11000 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 advance 560 trains crossed the Rhine bridges daily heading west.
Photo above: Contemporary photographic postcard. Saxon infantry before the "departure for the theater of war." Photographer: Otto Schmiede/Leipzig.
Paul Schwarzenberg (* 1892) reports on his journey to the front in a letter of 12.08.1914 in the style of the time: "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, cloths fluttering, farewell words, carelessly thrown away and put back. But the trees and the undergrowth along the way, they 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 shines like fresh heart's blood and points to coming days. - Who knows? Today red – tomorrow dead. But never mind, the gun barrels gleam merrily, the steel shimmers bluishly, they rejoice at the clamor of battle." Schwarzenberg fell on 06.10.1916 near Chaulnes.
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