Extensive source on the campaign GSWA in GW

[Tanzania]

Extensive source on the campaign GSWA in GW

The protagonist of Georg Orwell´s 1984 said: If history is made only by winners, it is just another form of war.
Historical processes can only be assessed objectively if the sources of all those involved are included.

For those who are interested in the campaign in GSWA during GW exists a very detailed German source:

In Ludwig Boell's files in the Federal Archives in Freiburg contains extensive documents in the main files
RH61 and N14 on the subject of GSWA in WW1. He acted finally as captain of the `Schutztruppe´ in GEA,
and worked after WWI in the Research Institute for War and Army History in Potsdam as a senior government
councillor. In 1943 Boell finished a manuscript with 1,206 pages under the title: KOLONIALBAND.

The complete manuscript is available on the film roll of the RH61 file in Freiburg and deals with the First World
War in all German colonies. But only the part about German East Africa with 444 pages was published after WWII,
in 1951 as a private print at Dachert in Hamburg. This book is well known under the title, THE OPERATIONS IN
EAST AFRICA as 'The' reference work on the subject.

01_Index of film roll RH61.JPG

The other main file N14, with 39 Sub-files, which still exists as the original papers and mainly deals with the
GEA campaign, contains a further, even more detailed chapter on the In GSWA campaign under subtitle 17.

02_Original main file N14-17.JPG

[Tanzania]

Here are some reference data for the archive access: (I was there last in 08/2020.)

Here is the general access, with address:
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/EN/Navigati ... /home.html

Allegedly this can also be done online via invenio; - i.e. digital data access and ordering.
https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/bays2-i ... main.xhtml
But that never worked for me. Probably because the file has not yet been digitized?
That's why I always went there personally.

Archive visit on site:
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/EN/Navigati ... -side.html

I submitted the following for this purpose:
1. separate cover letter created; who I am, why and when I would like to see which files (with alternative time)
2. Completed and submitted the application for use
3. Due to Corona, the use of the reading room must be requested separately in advance.

and then sent to: benutzersaal.freiburg@bundesarchiv.de

As already mentioned, file N14 / 17 is available as an original.
The RH61 file is divided into two microfilms: 4655F and 4429F.

Both then have to be photographed side by side, which is not only very, very time-consuming. I never lasted
more than 4 days. Special the adjusting the individual sides of the film in particular is extremely time-consuming.

The staff at the archive are very helpful and friendly.

(This should be available from the Book publisher fines mundi. https://fines-mundi.de/ But I couldn't find it there.)

P.S .: Bring enough change for the coffee machine and ask
the porter whether there is still a free parking space in the yard.

Cheers Holger