German Colonial Officers 1914
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Schutztruppe Kamerun
Major Rammstedt, Major von Raben
Rammstedt conducted the last German Parade in Kamerun.
January 27, 1916 - Birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm II
February 7, 1916 his troops left Kamerun and entered the Spanish Rio Muni.
von Raben was the commander of the last German troops in Kamerun.
His position on Mora mountain he surrenderd February 18, 1916 to the British
General Cunliffe.
Under his agreement wth the British he, his 4 officers and 5 NCOs could keep their weapons.
His 139 askaris and 220 noncombattants got their full pay for their service in the war
by the British and were released to their home villages.
Major Rammstedt, Major von Raben
Rammstedt conducted the last German Parade in Kamerun.
January 27, 1916 - Birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm II
February 7, 1916 his troops left Kamerun and entered the Spanish Rio Muni.
von Raben was the commander of the last German troops in Kamerun.
His position on Mora mountain he surrenderd February 18, 1916 to the British
General Cunliffe.
Under his agreement wth the British he, his 4 officers and 5 NCOs could keep their weapons.
His 139 askaris and 220 noncombattants got their full pay for their service in the war
by the British and were released to their home villages.
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Alfred Meyer-Waldeck
born 27.11.1864 in Sankt Petersburg (Russia)
died 25.08.1928 in Bad Kissingen
After studies at Heidelberg university
1884 Kadett der Marine
1890 Leutnant zur See
1897 Kapitänleutnant
1903 Korvettenkapitän
1901-1905 Service in the General Staff of the Imperial Navy
1907 Fregattenkapitän
1909 Kapitän z. S.
1909-1911 Chief of Staff of the Governor of Kiaochao
1911 Governor of Kiaochao
November 7, 1914 Surrenders the colony to the Japanese Forces after a 12-weeks siege and exhaustion of ammunition
1914-1920 Prisoner of War in Japan
1920 released and promoted Vizeadmiral
born 27.11.1864 in Sankt Petersburg (Russia)
died 25.08.1928 in Bad Kissingen
After studies at Heidelberg university
1884 Kadett der Marine
1890 Leutnant zur See
1897 Kapitänleutnant
1903 Korvettenkapitän
1901-1905 Service in the General Staff of the Imperial Navy
1907 Fregattenkapitän
1909 Kapitän z. S.
1909-1911 Chief of Staff of the Governor of Kiaochao
1911 Governor of Kiaochao
November 7, 1914 Surrenders the colony to the Japanese Forces after a 12-weeks siege and exhaustion of ammunition
1914-1920 Prisoner of War in Japan
1920 released and promoted Vizeadmiral
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Some colonial photos here as well:
Grosser Bilderatlas des Weltkrieges,1919
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bi ... 79&isize=M
Thanks to Trommelfeuer for finding the link.

Grosser Bilderatlas des Weltkrieges,1919
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bi ... 79&isize=M
Thanks to Trommelfeuer for finding the link.

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Schutztruppe Kamerun
The officers of the Sued-Abteilung in October 1914.
The pic was probably taken at Ojem, where the 10. and 11. Kompanie of the Schutztruppe
were concentrated in preparation of an attack against the French troops, that had
started to invade Kamerun from the south.
The advance of the Schutztruppe started on Oct, 25, 1914.
From left to right:
Leutnant von Hanstein
Leutnant Bock von Wülfingen
Leutnant Tamm
Hauptmann von Heigelin
Stabsarzt Kalweit
Hauptmann Liebe
Oberarzt Dr. Voth
Leutnant Hoppe
Oberleutnant Lüders
The officers of the Sued-Abteilung in October 1914.
The pic was probably taken at Ojem, where the 10. and 11. Kompanie of the Schutztruppe
were concentrated in preparation of an attack against the French troops, that had
started to invade Kamerun from the south.
The advance of the Schutztruppe started on Oct, 25, 1914.
From left to right:
Leutnant von Hanstein
Leutnant Bock von Wülfingen
Leutnant Tamm
Hauptmann von Heigelin
Stabsarzt Kalweit
Hauptmann Liebe
Oberarzt Dr. Voth
Leutnant Hoppe
Oberleutnant Lüders
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Last edited by Scarlett on 01 Nov 2005 19:46, edited 1 time in total.
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In Deutsch-Neuguinea there was no Schutztruppe, but only police-forces.
The acting German governor Eduard Haber tried to defend the area around the capital Herbertshöhe with a force of
around 50 Germans (some reservist-officers, the rest farmers) and 240 native police-men.
As the main police-force was accompanying an expedition on mainland New-Guinea,
surveying the German-Australian border, there were only 50 police-men available, who
had served more than 5 months, 70 were taken on during the last 4 months,
none of all of them having ever before fought an enemy carrying firearms.
120 new man conscripted were workers of the farms and never carried a gun before.
September 9, 1914 the radiotelegraph-station of the colony in Bitapaka was completed; on September 11
an Australian armada consisting of one battleship, two cruisers, three destroyers and two subs arrived
with one troop-transport and a hospital-ship. The Australians landed and tried to get to Bitapaka.
In a fierce fighting at Kabakaul-Bitapaka 30 native policemen, one German NCO (Unteroffizier Ritter)
and 6 Australians (two officers) were killed in action. The Australians took no native prisoners but killed
with bayonets all policemen they got.
After this fight the native police mutineered. "Is is not our cause, it is a war between the white men."
As there was no further resistance possible, the acting governor Haber started negotiations with the Australians and
having no authority to surrender the German possessions, gave an assurance that all military resistance should cease.
September 21, 1914 at 10.00 am "the armed German and Native Forces now in the field" were surrendered at Herbershöhe.
With a copy of the agreement with the acting governor the Australians occupied the villages and administrative points
on the mainland.
At Berlinhafen (Eitapé) on the arrival of the Australians on December 4, 1914 the chief of the police, Polizeimeister Weinstein, and his 36 native policemen
together with the head of the German administration, Stationsleiter Schmaus and the local medical assstant,
Heilgehilfe Schleidt, retreated into the bush and after a long march surrendered to the Dutch in Hollandia,
120 miles west of Berlinhafen
The pic shows Polizeimeister Weinstein and his force shortly before the war.
The acting German governor Eduard Haber tried to defend the area around the capital Herbertshöhe with a force of
around 50 Germans (some reservist-officers, the rest farmers) and 240 native police-men.
As the main police-force was accompanying an expedition on mainland New-Guinea,
surveying the German-Australian border, there were only 50 police-men available, who
had served more than 5 months, 70 were taken on during the last 4 months,
none of all of them having ever before fought an enemy carrying firearms.
120 new man conscripted were workers of the farms and never carried a gun before.
September 9, 1914 the radiotelegraph-station of the colony in Bitapaka was completed; on September 11
an Australian armada consisting of one battleship, two cruisers, three destroyers and two subs arrived
with one troop-transport and a hospital-ship. The Australians landed and tried to get to Bitapaka.
In a fierce fighting at Kabakaul-Bitapaka 30 native policemen, one German NCO (Unteroffizier Ritter)
and 6 Australians (two officers) were killed in action. The Australians took no native prisoners but killed
with bayonets all policemen they got.
After this fight the native police mutineered. "Is is not our cause, it is a war between the white men."
As there was no further resistance possible, the acting governor Haber started negotiations with the Australians and
having no authority to surrender the German possessions, gave an assurance that all military resistance should cease.
September 21, 1914 at 10.00 am "the armed German and Native Forces now in the field" were surrendered at Herbershöhe.
With a copy of the agreement with the acting governor the Australians occupied the villages and administrative points
on the mainland.
At Berlinhafen (Eitapé) on the arrival of the Australians on December 4, 1914 the chief of the police, Polizeimeister Weinstein, and his 36 native policemen
together with the head of the German administration, Stationsleiter Schmaus and the local medical assstant,
Heilgehilfe Schleidt, retreated into the bush and after a long march surrendered to the Dutch in Hollandia,
120 miles west of Berlinhafen
The pic shows Polizeimeister Weinstein and his force shortly before the war.
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Last edited by Scarlett on 02 Nov 2005 09:14, edited 3 times in total.
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Schutztruppe Kamerun again.
Hauptmann Dickmann and Major Hädicke were both active on the Western Front.
Hauptmann Dickmann was the commander of the attack against Edea on January 5, 1915.
The commander of the Schutztruppe, Oberstleutnant Zimmermann, hoped to stop
the advance of the Allies from the coast towards Jaunde with an attack of several Kompanien
with 700 men. It should become a "Black Day" for the Schutztruppe.
The French had fortifications east of Edea and had cleared the area to get a free field of fire.
After a march of several hours the troops attacked at 5.45 am.
The attack was stopped by heavy fire.
Then Kompanie Bachmann on the right wing could
invade Edea, but got into fire from the Edea railway-station, which was rebuilt into a
fort by the French. Oberleutnant Bachmann was killed and when his askaris tried to carry
the body back, they had heavy losses. Two further attempts to get the body again led to heavy losses.
The company had to withdraw after having lost half of the men killed or wounded.
Dickmann waited for the arrival of the 4. Reserve-Kompanie to repeat the attack,
but they had been held up by a tributary of the Sanaga-river.
So Hauptmann Dickmann ordered the withdrawal.
The askaris had no problems to get
back out of the line of fire into the forest, but the Germans were exhausted and had again
severe losses.
At 9.30 am the march back started, made very difficult by the necessity to carry so many wounded.
In the morning of January 6 the troops, after a march of 25 miles, were back at Sodibanga,
their starting point.
They had lost 14 Germans dead, 8 heavily wounded, 50 askaris dead,, 90 wounded.
The French had only very small losses.
When Major Rammstedt, the commander of the Westabteilung, heard by the drum messages of the natives
of the bad day, he wanted to attack the British troops on the northern wing of the front, but found nobody.
The British general had already on January 5 heard about a massive German attack on Edea and had
ordered his troops to retreat. Major Rammstedt followed with all available forces and after some
fights during the rest of January the Allies finished their offensive on the Western Front for several months.
Hauptmann Dickmann and Major Hädicke were both active on the Western Front.
Hauptmann Dickmann was the commander of the attack against Edea on January 5, 1915.
The commander of the Schutztruppe, Oberstleutnant Zimmermann, hoped to stop
the advance of the Allies from the coast towards Jaunde with an attack of several Kompanien
with 700 men. It should become a "Black Day" for the Schutztruppe.
The French had fortifications east of Edea and had cleared the area to get a free field of fire.
After a march of several hours the troops attacked at 5.45 am.
The attack was stopped by heavy fire.
Then Kompanie Bachmann on the right wing could
invade Edea, but got into fire from the Edea railway-station, which was rebuilt into a
fort by the French. Oberleutnant Bachmann was killed and when his askaris tried to carry
the body back, they had heavy losses. Two further attempts to get the body again led to heavy losses.
The company had to withdraw after having lost half of the men killed or wounded.
Dickmann waited for the arrival of the 4. Reserve-Kompanie to repeat the attack,
but they had been held up by a tributary of the Sanaga-river.
So Hauptmann Dickmann ordered the withdrawal.
The askaris had no problems to get
back out of the line of fire into the forest, but the Germans were exhausted and had again
severe losses.
At 9.30 am the march back started, made very difficult by the necessity to carry so many wounded.
In the morning of January 6 the troops, after a march of 25 miles, were back at Sodibanga,
their starting point.
They had lost 14 Germans dead, 8 heavily wounded, 50 askaris dead,, 90 wounded.
The French had only very small losses.
When Major Rammstedt, the commander of the Westabteilung, heard by the drum messages of the natives
of the bad day, he wanted to attack the British troops on the northern wing of the front, but found nobody.
The British general had already on January 5 heard about a massive German attack on Edea and had
ordered his troops to retreat. Major Rammstedt followed with all available forces and after some
fights during the rest of January the Allies finished their offensive on the Western Front for several months.
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Hauptmann Dickmann and some of his German Soldiers
From left to right:
Landsturmmann Wilshaus
Obermatrose der Reserve Rassak
Gefreiter der Landwehr Kraus
Unteroffizier Franz
Leutnant zur See Lehmann
Hauptmann Dickmann
Landsturmmann Göbel
Vizefeldwebel der Reserve Öllrich
Unteroffizier der Reserve Müller
Gefreiter der Landwehr Lemke
From left to right:
Landsturmmann Wilshaus
Obermatrose der Reserve Rassak
Gefreiter der Landwehr Kraus
Unteroffizier Franz
Leutnant zur See Lehmann
Hauptmann Dickmann
Landsturmmann Göbel
Vizefeldwebel der Reserve Öllrich
Unteroffizier der Reserve Müller
Gefreiter der Landwehr Lemke
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Hi Scarlett,
Thanks again for a good bit of info on the fighting in Cameroon.
In you bit about New Guineas you mention that "the main police-force was accompanying an expedition on mainland New-Guinea, surveying the German-Australian border". Was this the same mission led by Hauptmann Herman Detzner?
Cheers
Chris
Thanks again for a good bit of info on the fighting in Cameroon.
In you bit about New Guineas you mention that "the main police-force was accompanying an expedition on mainland New-Guinea, surveying the German-Australian border". Was this the same mission led by Hauptmann Herman Detzner?
Cheers
Chris
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Yes, this was the mission led by Hauptmann Hermann Detzner.
At the beginning of the war Detzner was at the German station Morobe.
When the head of the German administration at Morobe, Stationsleiter
Hans Klink, was informed by native chiefs, that behind the Australian
border police-troops were concentrated, he, together with Detzner and
the German native policemen retreated into the hinterland.
Klink went back to Morobe and surrendered to the Australians on March 15, 1915,
fearing repressive measures against his family. His wife, Ambo, was a native.
Nevertheless he was expelled by the Australians and never allowed to return
to New-Guinea and his family.
Detzner staid in the bush with his policemen, playing cat and mouse with the Australians
until the end of the war.
He was supported by missionaries of the Neuendettelsauer Mission., who sent him
food, books and English newspapers. And he had an amazingly good relationship
with the natives, who neither betraid him nor handed him over to the Australians all
the war over.
Sorry, I don't have a pic of Detzner.
At the beginning of the war Detzner was at the German station Morobe.
When the head of the German administration at Morobe, Stationsleiter
Hans Klink, was informed by native chiefs, that behind the Australian
border police-troops were concentrated, he, together with Detzner and
the German native policemen retreated into the hinterland.
Klink went back to Morobe and surrendered to the Australians on March 15, 1915,
fearing repressive measures against his family. His wife, Ambo, was a native.
Nevertheless he was expelled by the Australians and never allowed to return
to New-Guinea and his family.
Detzner staid in the bush with his policemen, playing cat and mouse with the Australians
until the end of the war.
He was supported by missionaries of the Neuendettelsauer Mission., who sent him
food, books and English newspapers. And he had an amazingly good relationship
with the natives, who neither betraid him nor handed him over to the Australians all
the war over.
Sorry, I don't have a pic of Detzner.
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The German ornithologist,biologist Ernst Mayr(1904-2005) did extensive research in New Guinea in the 1930s.He talked and meet many of the missionaries,natives that inhabited the region that Detzner supposedly trekked thru.
He debunked Detzner's tale as a fraud:
http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/sep2005/422.pdf
The conclusion is most likely Detzner went into captivity rather early,was released in 1919,and decided to fabricate a story for fame and profit,an adventure novel at best.
He debunked Detzner's tale as a fraud:
http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/sep2005/422.pdf
There is no mention of a Hermann Detzner in the Australian Official History of operations in Rabaul/New Guinea either.Mayr also entertained my wife and me on a drive back from his country home on the details of how he discovered that a German officer, Hermann Detzner, falsified his entire story in his 1921 book ‘Four Years Among Cannibals’ on how he eluded the Australians in German New Guinea during World War One, and of the elaborate steps he (Mayr) had to take to convince the German Geographical Society in Berlin that this book was a hoax and that the honors received by Detzner should be revoked.
The conclusion is most likely Detzner went into captivity rather early,was released in 1919,and decided to fabricate a story for fame and profit,an adventure novel at best.