With the German armies in the West

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

79238

Title

With the German armies in the West

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Sven Anders Hedin offers a firsthand account of the German advance through France and Belgium in 1914. Blending travelogue with military observation, the text details the journey from Ems to Antwerp, highlighting the landscape, the treatment of wounded soldiers, and the author's interactions with German officers. Hedin defends German discipline while critiquing English policy, presenting a perspective focused on personal experience rather than war history.

Summary up to 500 words

In "With the German armies in the West," Sven Anders Hedin documents his journey along the German western front during the early stages of World War I. Beginning in Ems, Hedin and his companions travel rapidly along the Rhine and Moselle rivers, passing Coblenz and Treis. He contrasts the region's scenic beauty with the grim reality of war, noting the efficient transport of wounded soldiers and the humane treatment afforded to prisoners and the sick by German medical staff. At Treves, Hedin visits hospitals where he observes the conditions of both German and French wounded. He notes that French prisoners were allowed to correspond with their homes and were treated with the same care as German soldiers, lying on straw and covered with blankets in well-equipped wagons. Despite the hardships, the troops maintain high morale and a blind faith in the German army's ultimate victory. The narrative continues to Brussels, where Hedin interviews Field-Marshal General Baron Colmar von der Goltz. Von der Goltz, a learned military historian, discusses the strategic situation and the fall of Antwerp. Hedin describes the city's bombardment, noting that while fire broke out and destruction occurred, the German artillery spared buildings of great historic and artistic value, such as the cathedral and museums. The bombardment ceased at eleven o'clock on October 9th, allowing German troops to enter the city peacefully at three o'clock the same day. Hedin concludes that the German army possesses superior qualities, having captured the fortress of Antwerp in thirteen days with insignificant losses, a feat that challenges the notion of its impregnability. Throughout the account, Hedin maintains an objective tone, defending the German army's conduct against accusations of cruelty while expressing regret for England's entry into the conflict, which he believes was unnecessary and detrimental to the English people.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Biography
• History
• World War I