Unknown officer in GEA - Fähnrich Freiherr von Blumeneron

[Tanzania]

Unknown officer in GEA - Fähnrich Freiherr von Blumeneron

During the digitizing Ludwig Boell's text passages, I came across the unknown name
of a German officer candidate: Fähnrich Freiherr von Blumeneron

His name appears several times in the records from the 17. March 1915, when a skirmish take
place between German and British-Belgian patrols on Kito-Mountain occurred in the West of GEA.

The background appears here also in AHF: Skirmish on Kito-Hill in March 1915 at GEA / BNR border
Since the focus is on the identification of the name and person, here as a separate thread.

Ludwig Boell-ivent on 17.3.1915.png

Source:
Unpublished original manuscript by Ludwig Boell, Nachlassakte
N 14 / 4, “Der Feldzug in Ostafrika 1914-1918“, II. Band, “Die Ereignisse an der
Bismarckburg-Grenze vom Kriegsausbruch bis Mai 1916“, Kapitel 10, Seite 14/870

I couldn't find this unusual name anywhere else.
• The officer corps of the Schutztruppe for German East Africa in the World War 1914-1918
• German Colonial Journal, Volume 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1918

Any other idea?
Cheers Holger

[Glenn2438]

Holger,

just a possiblility. There was no officer of that name in any of the German contingents. However, there was a k.u.k. Fähnrich in der Reserve Zeno Freiherr von Blumencron (it is Blumencron and not Blumeneron) of the Austro-Hungarian Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 4; He was perhaps in East Africa when war broke out and attached himself to the German forces there?

Regards
Glenn

[Tanzania]

Hello Glenn

Your confirmation of the correct name and his wider identity is very helpful.
K.u.K. Fähnrich der Reserve Zeno Freiherr von Blumencron.

I went through all the mentions of the name in the report about this event
and found that the spelling you mentioned is also listed. Blumencron

K.u.K. Fähnrich der Reserve Zeno Freiherr von Blumencron.jpg

With this very unusual name, not only for GEA, I assume with a near certainly that it´s this person.
It would of course still be very interesting to receive a final confirmation, including how and when
Blumencron came from Austria-Hungary to East Africa.

In the very recommendable and helpful brochure: “The officer corps of the Schutztruppe for GEA
in the WW 1914-1918”, five K.u.K. Officers are listed who joined the Schutztruppe; - both authors
have carried out their research in this sector for over 30 years; - but without Blumencron.

K.u.K. officers in Schutztruppe GEA.jpg

What astonishes me really, is the fact that Blumencron didn´t appeared in any reports, lists or
documents, which known to me; - very, very strange.

Are there any other ways to investigate the matter further?
Cheers Holger

[Tanzania]

Because of the crucial support of Glenn / AHF and Charlie / GWF the identity of
K.u.K. Fähnrich der Reserve Zeno Freiherr von Blumencron could be completed a bit.
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/283 ... defectors/

He was captured only on 21st November 1917 in Newala (Nokonde plateau, near the PEA border)
What means, he have had a long history in the Schutztruppe of GEA. Basis for further research. . .

ICRC ID Freiherr Zeno von Blumencron.jpg

Will be continued . . .
Cheers Holger

[Glenn2438]

Hi Holger,

excellent! Thank you for the follow up.

Regards
Glenn

[Tanzania]

A colleague from www.traditionsverband.de researched intensive further details about this person.

Here are his results:

Zeno Maria Arpad von Blumencron was born on 12. July 1891 in Hareth / Böhmen (today the
Czech Republic) as the son and youngest of 2 children of the K.u.K. Officer Geza von Blumencron
(Gotha ancestral book).

His father died just 3 weeks after he was born. On 1. January 1913, Zeno became K.u.K. Ensign
d.R. appointed to the 4th Dragoons-Regiment. According to a newspaper report, he was registered
in May 1914 for an automobile event "To the Adria", which went via Vienna-Klagenfurt to Trieste.
It is believed that Zeno then travelled from Trieste directly to GEA, either for a hunting trip or for the
National exhibition in Daressalaam spring 1914.

At the beginning of the war in GEA, Zeno registered as an Austrian citizen with the `Schutztruppe´
as a volunteer, and was also employed as an officer candidate / deputy under his original rank.
There he was transferred at the end of 1914 to the `Detachment Bismarckburg´ in the south-west of
the colony. On 26. May 1915, this Detachment was integrated into the 29. Field-Company, and with
high probability, he also took part as a platoon leader in this Company, in the first attack on the British
fortification, Saisi / Jericho Farm on 28. June 1915.

Afterwards he was transferred to the 5. Field-Company and marched within the `Detachment
Markgraf´ to Langenburg at Lake Nyasa. When exactly there, the change to the 2. Field-Company
took place, could not be detected. On 3. July 1916 he was mentioned as Leader of the `Detachment
Bluemencron´ in a skirmish at Ubena (Between Mbeya and Iringa, GEA newspaper on 7. July 1916)

With the 2. Field-Company he took part within the `Detachment Lincke´ in the retreat, later as part
of the `West Troops´, south of Mahenge in the direction of the Portuguese border. Blumencron was
last time mentioned on 18. October 1917 during the fights at Lukuledi, as part of the Battle of Mahiwa,
in the far south-east within the 2. Field-Company. His Company moved on to Portuguese East Africa,
and was part of the `Schutztruppe´ until the armistice on November 25, 1918 in Abercorn.

Blumencron was taken prisoner on 18. November 1917 at Njambindinga (German Federal Archives)
or on 21. November 1917 in Newala (Red Cross), returned to Daressalaam and was afterwards
interned in Maadi / Egypt.

In November 1919 (newspaper) he returned to Hareth via Germany, where he was also recorded
in 1926 (Colonial handbook). He must have moved to Linz after that. In 1939, like his parents, he
married in Linz (Elisabeth Dietzer from Linz). In 1940 he was mentioned as bank-clerk in Linz and
still in 1960 registered as an "administrative lawyer" in Linz. His date of death is currently unknown.

Maybe also photos of him will appear.

Cheers Holger