Prussian Guards' History II

DIE KAISERLICHE GARDE 1914-18,cont

Quartered in Berlin,its administrative and Corps sector,the Garde also fulfilled its function of “defending the Kaiser” and providing the pomp of military parades in the German capital.

The relationship between the Kaiser and what he termed Mein Garde is an interesting separate topic in itself.Stories of his outbursts exclaiming that he “should unleash the Guard on the socialist rabble”,while making good reading have never been confirmed.

However enough evidence exists that at least in 1914-18, the Kaiser spent a lot of his time on front line tours visiting the Garde and showing concern for his Guardsmen. This selective interaction with only this part of the Army,and whether opinions on the progress of the war he received from the Garde officer caste he bonded with in anyway coloured his views on the true nature of the crisis facing his regime is another matter.

The Diaries of Admiral Georg Muller ,Chief of the Naval Cabinet throw practical light on some of these visits,and other concerns with the Garde:

1914
7th September—“…the Kaiser suddenly decided to visit the 2nd Army and,if possible,the Corps of Guard..”

5th October---“…the Kaiser returned from the front this evening.He had also visited the Bavarians and the Guard in Bapaume but did not bother to see his son Eitel Fritz,who is laid up there with a sprained knee.Strange!”

25th December---“…with the Kaiser to Douai to visit the Plettenberg Group,Prince Eitel Fritz,and the First Regiment of Guard…the Kaiser made a speech to the regiment and spoke of ‘overpowering the enemy until he bit the dust’…”


1915
15th September---“…afternoon drive to Nasjelsk,where the 2 Guard Division under General von Luttwitz is stationed prior to its transfer to the West. Small companies and pathetically few officers.A very banal speech by the Kaiser which did not touch the men’s hearts…”

4th October---“a letter from Prince Eitel Friedrich reporting appalling losses of the 1 Guard Division at Souchez(4,500 men)…Plessen requested permission from the Kaiser to go and find the truth on the spot…”

1916
6th September---“His Majesty,who had just read a report from Prince Eitel Friedrich on the situation of the 1 Guard Division in the Somme battle,looked very ill…”

1917
26th July---“…Tarnopol…then from the Headquarters of the 1 Guard Brigade,Colonel von der Osten,drove to a hill to the east of the town from where,without risk,we could watch the slow progess of the division—in particular the 2 Guard Regiment—pursuing the Russians.Lyncker said:’Exactly like being on boring Imperial manoeuvres,but far quieter’.

But the subsequent guard of honour outside the cemetery afforded a remarkable picture.His Majesty on the ruins of a still-smouldering house,the picturesque troops with steel helmets…and finally the Russian prisoners against a background of trees…”


1918
21st March---“after lunch we drove in the direction of St.Quentin to the 1 Guard Division…lightly wounded men were on their way down the line…”

7th April—“..the Guard Division has lost 3,000 men in the past few days,and 8 officers were killed from the 1st Regiment alone…”


Muller’s son also served with the Garde(as did Plessen’s), a particular right of passage for many of the sons of the Kaiser’s entourage.

The Kaiser’s second son, the later Generalmajor Prinz Eitel Friedrich, commanded the 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuss in 1914, the 1 Garde Brigade in 1915,and the 1. Garde Division in 1916-18,showing that there was a family connection to the welfare of the Corps as well.

Prinz Eitel distinguished himself early in the war, during the Battle of Guise(St Quentin to the Germans) in August 1914. His Regiment faltering,he seized a drum from a regimental bandsman and lead the renewed attack against the French.When they arrived at the French positions they found that the enemy had already pulled out.

According to the Muller Diaries the Kaiser henceforth "dubbed him the Hero of St Quentin,which the prince in his modesty found embarrassing..."


Copyright 2008 by Peter H of Australia, Moderator, Axis History Forum,