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German and Austro-Hungarian forces under the command of generals von Hindenburg and Archduke Friedrich besieged Warsaw. Circular portraits of Austrian generals von Hötzendorf, Friedrich, and Pflanzer-Baltin form the bottom of the ring; German generals von Scholtz, von Woyrsch, von Mackensen, von Hindenburg, Ludendorff, von Gallwitz, and von Below complete it. In the center of the ring is Warsaw and the Vistula River. The flag and shield of Germany are to the bottom left; those of Austria and Hungary to the bottom right. Green oak leaves complete the picture.
Text, the generals' names, and, in a scroll at the top: Der Ring um Warschau, The Ring Encircling Warsaw.
Bottom right: 5258; illegible logo bottom left
Reverse: registration lines only.

German and Austro-Hungarian forces under the command of generals von Hindenburg and Archduke Friedrich besieged Warsaw, and took it during the Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive. Austrians von Hötzendorf, Friedrich, and Pflanzer-Baltin form the bottom of the ring; the others are German. The flag and shield of Germany are on the bottom left; those of Austria and Hungary the bottom right.

Image text

Der Ring um Warschau, The Ring Encircling Warsaw.

Bottom right: 5258; illegible logo bottom left



Reverse: registration lines only.

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Thursday, September 16, 1915

"Exertions, privations, very heavy knapsack, neck and shoulder pain from the rifle and long, difficult marches; extremely tired feet and body. Bad roads — either uneven asphalt or deep sand — and always the uneven fields, marching up and down deep furrows. Often in double time, and usually no water or at best stinking water, no bread for days on end. When we do get food, it is little or bad, hardly any meat at all. Nothing but freezing and freezing, and back pains."

Quotation Context

Private Wilhelm Schulin of the German 26th Infantry Division, just north of Brest-Litovsk, Russia, on the German advance in the Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive. German Commander Erich von Falkenhayn had instructed his generals to stop in August and again on September 2. Claiming he misunderstood Falkenhayn's directions, General Erich Ludendorff continued his offensive, at increasing cost. The Germans would capture Vilna on September 18, the last major prize in their advance.

Source

The First World War: Germany and Austria Hungary 1914-1918 by Holger H. Herwig, page 145, copyright © 1997 Holger H. Herwig, publisher: Arnold, publication date: 1997

Tags

1915-09-16, 1915, September, Brest-Litovsk, Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive, Polish Russia, Russian Poland