A Day in a German Camp
(A Page from a book of General Orders) Translated by Professor
When the German Army evacuated the Russian fortressof Modlin at the time of the Armistice a page out of thegeneral-order book flew into the air and blew about thefortress ground for some time until it was picked up by anAmerican in the Polish army. It may be of some interestnow that ivar stories have come into vogue again to reprintthe general orders of a day in camp.
COMMANDER'S OFFICE ORDERS OF JAN. 20, EVENING 1. Morning, January 21, 1916, 11 o'clock a.m. Hearing in the new business room of the temporary court of the command together with the Government Court. (Kaiser Wilhelmstr. 399). On this occasion are to appear Landsturmman Karl Zimmer, 3 Komp. Battalion Saarbriicken, First Corporal Schwarm and officers of the Parkcompany, Landwehr, Foot artillery 11.
2. Troops and authorities will inquire up to the 25th of this month whether a bicycle of trade mark "Wanderer" No. 192964 is there. Answer required if this is not the case.
3. According to announcement of the Prisoner's Guard, Command Ciechanow, there escaped on the 17th of January, 1916, the Russian prisoner, Sanitary Corps, Woizech Wolski 851, 28 years old, 1.70 meters high, figure slender, hair and mustache decidedly blond, speaks Russian and Polish, home Szerkakow, residence Warsaw, clothing field-gray uniform and cap. Is also in possession of a black krimmer cap. On the upper edge of the boot-tops two buckles. Fiancee of the escaped man lives in the village Kemba near Nowy-Dwor. Search is to be made for the same and information given to the command.
4. Yesterday another Russian prisoner escaped in Modlin through the fault of one of the guards. Court marshal investigation is ordered. When I talk with guards of prisoner commands, I generally hear the expression "Oh, another one will not run away." I protest against such foolish confidence. It is rather to be assumed that a prisoner will use every opportunity offered for escape. Therefore, the sharpest watch is absolutely necessary, no matter under what conditions.
5. Extract from Governmental Command of January 19. No. 4. At the command of the General Commanding Division IV B No. 177/16 the number of stretcher bearers for every battalion is established at two noncommissioned officers and for every company at eight privates, and for each squadron or battery, four privates. So far as these numbers are not present, instruction in stretcher bearing will be held. The command of the garrison troops and the relief infantry troops, as well as the command Modlin, inquire until the 21st of January whether stretcher bearers are present in the required number among the troops there stationed. Signed Von Etzdorf.
P. S. of the Command. Reply of the troops here stationed, except Landsturm, Regiment 26 on the 21st of January noon at the Command, Division IV B.
6. Menu, from the 24th to the Slst of January. 24th Beef stew (canned), one-half dried vegetables, one-half potatoes, and coffee.
25th Frozen beef, butter, cooked fruit, coffee. 26th Frozen pork, bacon, peas, coffee. 27th Beef stew (canned), one-half rice, one-half potatoes, coffee. 28th Frozen beef, one-half cooked fruit, onehalf noodles, bacon, coffee. 29th Fried bacon, one-half sauerkraut, one-half potatoes, coffee. 30th Fresh meat, butter, one-half fresh vegetables, one-half potatoes, coffee. Every day, bread, salt, tobacco.
Potatoes and fresh vegetables are to be procured by the troops themselves.
7. Attention is called to the fact that on requisitioning post furs at the governmental headquarters, according to government command, government orders of November 2, 1915 (references to orders) on the receipt of endorsement of the place making the requisition that the necessity of the requisition is proved, must not be lacking. Signed, Von der Lancken.
ENTRANCE TO FORTRESS OF MODLIN The old Russian Eagle that formerly perched oyer the gateway has been torn away. This fort was at one time the largest in Europe, and at the junction of the Vistula and Narev rivers commanded the approach to central and eastern Europe. It was a fort in 1410 when the Poles and Lithuanians were warring against the Teutonic Knights, and it was strengthened by Napoleon in his conquests in eastern Europe. Under the Russian Tsars in the Nineteenth Century it was built up as a barricade against the Germans but it fell easily in 1915 against airplanes and long-range artillery. From the most western outlying fort to the eastern outpost is about 40 miles. The Russians named it Novo-Georgeoviesk (pronounce it if you can) but the designation lasted only a few years.
