Imperial Puzzle: Generalstab 1914

[Stauffenberg II]

Hi!

Could anybody help me out. I have the Department leaders in the 1914 General Staff as per as the 1914 rank list. Unfortunately the list doesn´t give the name of the departments they headed. I think Tappen was head 2. Abteilung ("Deutsche Abteilung", "Aufmarschabteilung") and Gröner was head 7. Abteilung ("Eisenbahnabteilung"). Furthermore I know the heads of the Landesaufnahme. I would appreciate any help.

Oberst Gr. v. Posadowsky-Wehner
Oberst v. Griesheim
Oberst Buchholtz
Oberst v. Kemnitz
Oberst v. Bartenwerffer
K. W. Obstlt. Renner
K. W. Obstlt. Gröner
Obstlt. Tappen
Obstlt. v. Fabeck
Obstlt. v. der Heyde

Landesaufnahme
Oberst Weidner, Chef der Topograph. Abt./Landesaufnahme
Obstlt. Launhardt, Chef der Trigon. Abt./Landesaufnahme
Obstlt. Scherenberg, Abt. Chef/Landesaufnahme

Thanks!
J.

[Glenn2438]

Greetings Jürgen!

Oberst Gr. v. Posadowsky-Wehner: 1. Abteilung
Oberst v. Griesheim: 10. Abteilung
Oberst Buchholtz: 4. Abteilung
Oberst v. Kemnitz: 5. Abteilung
Oberst v. Bartenwerffer: 6. Abteilung
K. W. Obstlt. Renner: Kriegsgesch. Abt. 1
K. W. Obstlt. Gröner: Eisb. Abt.
Obstlt. Tappen: 2. Abteilung
Obstlt. v. Fabeck: Zentral-Abteilung
Obstlt. v. der Heyde: 8. Abteilung

Regards
Glenn

[Stauffenberg II]

Hi Glenn!

Might I ask for a further favour by any chance.

Thank you very much for providing that info. I should have known that it would be you coming up trumps. Do you happen to know who headed 3. Abt. and 9. Abt? I have just realized that a certain GM v. Friederich was detached ("zugeteilt") to the Grand General Staff as department leader too (p. 28). Was he one of them?

Thank you!
Jürgen

[Glenn2438]

Hi Jürgen,

I am afraid it is not clear. I think Scherenberg is one of the missing Department Heads as is Oberstleutnant Richard Hentsch who also had the rank of Departmental Head in the Great General Staff. The 7. Abteilung was responsible for the Eastern Theatre and was not the Railway Department.

That therefore leaves three "missing" department heads - 3, 7 & 9. One can only assume that v. Friederich, Hentsch and Scherenberg were the departmental heads. I will keep looking.

Regards
Glenn

[Stauffenberg II]

Hello Glenn,

thanks in advance for all efforts. This is really interesting! It appears that my sources regarding imperial departments are wrong, because I have the following 1914 structure in my notes:

Your comments would be most appreciated.

Jürgen

[Glenn2438]

Jürgen,

this from Frhr. v. der Osten-Sacken's "Preußens Heer von seinem Anfängen is zur Gegenwart" published in early 1914.

Regards
Glenn

[Stauffenberg II]

Thank you very much for your courtesy! This is for sure a most reliable source.

Yours,
Jürgen

[Svennie]

Jürgen,

online are the adress books for Berlin and in the 1914 edition is a perfect breakdown of the Grosser Generalstab. My guess for 3.Abteilung is Von Kuhl but unfortunately precisely there the copy is not clear.
Hope this helps anyway
Best regards
Sven

[Stauffenberg II]

Thanks Svennie!

[Minotauros]

Good morning,

My guess for 3.Abteilung is Von Kuhl

Yes, indeed, it was Generalmajor Dr. phil. Hermann Josef von KUHL (2.11.1856 in Koblenz – 4.11.1958 in Frankfurt am Main) but he left that post in 1912 when being assigned as the commander of the 25.Infanterie-Brigade in Münster.

regards,