General Hans Kundt and the Gran Chaco War

[Peter H]

Commander in Chief of the Bolivian Army,Hans Kundt, has been described as the "defacto dictator of Bolivia" in the early stages of the Gran Chaco War(1932-1935).Due to his bloody frontal attack tactics and the defeats that the Bolivian army suffered,especially in 1933,Kundt was sacked in early 1934 and returned to Germany.

From what I can establish on this German 'advisor' to Latin American:

Born 1869 in Mecklenburg.

1888:Commissioned as Officer in German army.

1911:Major--commanded German Military Mission to Bolivia,consisting of 5 officers and 13 NCOs.

1914-18:-Major Kundt returned to Germany and commanded a German Regiment on the Russian Front.Promoted to Colonel,then Major-General at close of war.

1921-26:returned to Bolivia.Appointed Chief of Staff of Bolivian Army.

1927:Appointed Bolivian Minister of War.

1930:booted out of Bolivia because of political intrigue.Ended up in Chile as Staff Instructor for Chilean Army.Planned some aspects of the Chilean/Argentinian border fighting over Patagonia in that year.

1932:recalled to Bolivia at start of Gran Chaco War and appointed Commander in Chief,Bolivian Army.

1933:serious Bolivian reverse at Campo Via in December blamed on Kundt's poor generalship.

1934:Kundt sacked and returns home to Germany.

1939:died.

Has anyone got any details or photos of this gentleman?

This from the excellent Austro-Hungarian-army website,Kundt in WW1:


http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/bruch/kundt.jpg

[Glenn2438]

Here are a few further details on Generalmajor Kundt:

Leutnant: 21 Sep 1889
Oberstleutnant: 19 Aug 1914 Ff
Oberst: 18 Apr 1917 P

Chief of Staff X. Reserve-Korps: 30 Jun 1915-29 Nov 1915
Commander Kaiser Alexander-Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1: 2 Jan 1917-3 Jan 1918.
Commander 211. Infanterie-Brigade: 3 Jan 1918-8 Sep 1918
Commander Kaiser Alexander-Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1: 20 Jan 1919

Retired as a Generalmajor a.D.

Regards
Glenn

[Peter H]

Thanks Glenn.

I found two photos of Kundt in Bolivia on Corbis.com but for some reason can't enlarge or post them.

Kundt looks corpulent and very grey haired.

[Glenn2438]

I think I managed it.

Regards
Glenn

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Hello Folks!

I believe a few Germans especially pilots had volunteerly fought in that war right? As I recall Werner Junck a German ace with five air victories during WW 1 had probably being in that little known war.

Thanks,

Edward

[Glenn2438]

Edward,

the later Generalleutnant Werner Junck was indeed on the staff of the German Military Mission in Bolivia between 1930 and 1931 although technically then a retired officer having left the Reichsheer on 31st of May 1923.

Regards
Glenn

[Peter H]

A Captain von Krier also commanded the Bolivian 'Tank Corps'.

Ernst Rohm also served as an adviser there until returning to Germany in 1931,well before the war started.


Here's Kundt visiting the troops in September 1933:

http://pro.corbis.com/images/watermark/ ... 068626.jpg

[alcantur]

In fact during the Chaco War Boliva counted with the following german advisors or volunteers:

Gral. Hans Kundt (Commander)
Maj. Wilhelm 'Wim' Brandt (tanks and infantry)
Maj. Achim R. von Kries (tanks)
Maj. Luis Ernst (pilot LAB junkers 52 transports)
Cpt. Werner Junck (pilot LAB junkers 52 transports)
Cpt. Walter Jästram (pilot LAB junkers 52 transports)
Cpt. Hermann Schroth (pilot LAB junkers 52 transports)
Mr. Kastener (aircraft mechanic LAB)
Karl Heming (Inteligence)
Wálter Mass (Inteligence)
Otto Berg (Inteligence)
Karl Ackerman (Inteligence)

must be remembered that Kundt also had bolivian citizenship. German pilots served to bolivian army because they were flying for LAB when the company was taken by the military to serve as military transports.

In the past (before 1931) Bolivia also had the following german advisors:
Cnl. Klaus (War academy, retired before the war)
Maj. Friedich Muther (Military academy, retired before the war)
Cpt. Ernst Rohm (NCO academy, retired before the war)
and other 3 NCOs whose names are not recorded

[alcantur]

There is a very good book related to Kundt and it's service to Bolivian Army, with a chapter dedicated to the infamous Ernst Rohm: "El General y su presidentes-vida y tiempos de Hans Kundt, Ernst Rohm y siete presidentes de Bolivia" by Robert Brockman, Plural Editores. Some unknown data and photographs of Kundt are published in it.

[demir]

Here is another picture of Gen. Hans Kundt.
He has the Turkish War Medal (right breast) and the Iron Cross 1st class and Wound badge and some other medals. Is it possible to identify them.
Thanks
Demir

[Ruhrpottpreusse]

Hello Demir!
Do you know, why he did earn the TWM?

[demir]

I don't know but, according the info above :
"1914-18:-Major Kundt returned to Germany and commanded a German Regiment on the Russian Front.Promoted to Colonel,then Major-General at close of war. "
so he was on the Russian front and became a major general at the end of the war. A well known general usually gets a medal from the allies. Just a guess.

[Ruhrpottpreusse]

Hello Demir!
Thans a lot for your reponse. I´ll try to check his way and where he served. Maybe I can find a connection.
Andreas