Deutschland, Deutschland über alles!

[Robert T.]

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles!


1. The legacy of Langemarck

1.0


This is the story of a Ritterktreuzträger and his family as seen through the diverse parts of a konvolut, this mosaic has been bonded together by feats of heroism and stands as the last witness to those incredible deeds. Beyond all the awards and Hitler’s National Socialism, there will always be two brothers' eternal love for the Fatherland, a love so intense that it has miraculously survived obliteration and two World Wars in order to reach us today.

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In the beginning, there was the Legend of Langemarck....

[Robert T.]

1.1

Kriegsfreiwilliger


At the outbreak of war, the early German youth movement did not hesitate to wholeheartedly embrace the Empire's entry into World War 1. War was viewed as highly idealized combat and struggle in battle as natural and organic need. Thousands of German university and technical college students volunteered enthusiastically for the army. Poorly prepared they were sent into action after less than seven weeks of training – much of it from elderly Officers of the reserve who had little idea of the killing power of modern artillery and machine-guns. Instead of being divided up and sent to different units, almost all these volunteers and other reservists went to make up the numbers in the hastily reformed German fourth army.

“We had left lecture rooms, school benches, and work tables behind and in the short
weeks of instruction we’d been melted together into a great, inspired body, the carrier
of German idealism since 1870. Grown up in materialistic age, we all longed for the
unusual, for great danger. The war had gripped us like an intoxicant.”

Ernst Jünger [Storm of steel].
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Hermann Koopmann, a 21 years old “Kriegsfreiwilliger" (war volunteer) and law student at Marburg University found himself on the road to Flanders Fields along with his fraternity brothers(*) and classmates to experience their baptism of fire as soldiers of XXVI. Reserve Corps.

(*) As long as there have been universities in Germany, the students have banded together into associations like Burschenschaft and Corps, those different groups can be separated by their style of uniform, hat, and a brightly coloured sash done in the colors of that fraternity. The Corps were the most inclusive of student organizations with their houses, ritualized practices and stringent codes of conduct which often included duelling but always demanded consuming large amount of beer. They were elitist, nationalist, conservative and, with varying degrees of explicitness, anti-Semitic in thought and action. Hermann is shown here wearing the (green) cap and (coloured) sash of Corps Hasso-Nassovia Marburg. One interesting story is that student volunteers were often seen wearing their caps on the battlefield instead of the regulation spiked helmets!

[Robert T.]

1.2

THE RACE TO THE SEA (First Battle of Ypres)


After numerous losses in the Battle of the Marne and the collapse of the Schlieffen Plan in September 1914, the "race to the sea" began. Over the course of this race, the Fourth German Army advanced in the direction of Ypres. On November 10th 1914, the ill-fated German infantry regiments of XXVI. Reserve Corps suffered catastrophic casualties while launching badly prepared attacks against British army positions west of Langemarck and were shot down and slaughtered by experienced British riflemen. Hermann was mortally wounded during the assault and died 8 days later at the Houthulst forest.
On November 11th, the German high command released a communiqué about the ongoing battles around Ypres, which was printed on the first page in newspapers all over Germany;

"Freiburger Tagblatt, No. 263, November 12, 1914:
WTB [Wolff Telegraph Service]. Berlin, November 11. Report from General
Headquarters. On the Yser section of the front we made good progress yesterday. We
stormed Dixmuiden. Approximately 500 prisoners of war and about nine machine guns
fell into our hands. Further to the south our troops forced their way over the canal. To the
west of Langemarck our young regiments attacked, singing “Deutschland, Deutschland
über alles” while advancing against the enemy lines and taking them."

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From this announcement, the basis of a long-lasting and influential myth was formed. Legend has it that the young infantry soldiers sang the first stanza of the song “Das Deutschlandlied”(*), as they charged and marched to certain death, the event became known in Germany as “KINDERMORD VON YPERN” (The Massacre of the Innocents at Ypres). The young victims were regarded by their surviving peers as symbols of a tremendous sacrifice for the nation and the youth of future German generations. The fallen symbolized the triumph of youth. They were not really dead but were sleeping in the lap of Christ, according to pictures widely distributed at the time.

(*) The song was chosen for the national anthem of Germany in 1922, at the time of the Weimar Republic. It continued to be used in Nazi Germany, but only its first verse, immediately followed by the party anthem, the Horst Wessel Song. In 1952, West Germany adopted the third stanza of the Deutschlandlied as its national anthem. The hymn is sometimes informally known by the opening words and refrain of the first stanza, “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles” (Germany, Germany above all), but this was never the title of the original work.

[Robert T.]

1.3

LETTERS FROM HEAVEN


Several touching letters from the war front (dated Nov. 7-8-9-10, 1914), written by Hermann to his family in the days before his death, were originally entrusted to a publisher by the grieving parents and appeared in a printed journal in 1915; for a privileged glimpse into the heart and soul of the thoughtful and religious young man.

The following text is a translation of the second letter.
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THE WAY OUR YOUTH DIES
Last letters of a young law student from Oldenburg addressed to his parents.

"Sunday November 8, 1914

Dear Parents!

Sunday, a day of peace. A magnificent morning. The sky is wholly blue and the
November sun is spreading its warm rays upon our cold hands and clothes which are
soaked from the nightly fog and humidity. I can hear the Sunday bells ringing in the
distance – I am certain of it! This beautiful Sunday calm is disturbed only by the bullets
hissing above us, aimed at us from the enemy trenches only 250 meters away, and the
cannons that are roaring further away from us today. We are lying on straw and I have
never been so content and serenely cheerful as on this wonderful day.
Father’s dear third letter and the “news” from October 31st which arrived this morning are
lying just next to me. They have made us extremely happy. Thank you very much, my
dear parents, for the good news. So you have heard about my experiences from the
wounded soldiers and meanwhile you must have also received my accounts. I am
overjoyed even to receive the smallest message from you, and I am especially pleased
that everything arrives, it seems, even though often quite late. The chocolate tastes
wonderful! I don’t want to be immodest, but send more of it. May I list all my wishes? I
believe that I am immodest and have talked too much about such things, but on the other
hand, it is all part of our diet as the food is always the same here and often there is none
at all.
It seems that the enemy knows that we receive a hot dinner at 7 p.m. when night falls. In
the last few days they have regularly opened such murderous fire around that time that
our cooking team could not come near to us, and as a consequence we had cold pea or
bean soup at half past eight – there is nothing else but we are satisfied. Otherwise there is
just bread and every now and then we receive a small piece of bacon as a special treat –
father was right. So you can imagine how delicious your presents are. Please send more
and plenty! Above all, it is chocolate we wish for, or candy, sausages and simply
anything which is edible. Quantity is more important than quality. And now the joyous
Christmas season is approaching, so there will be soon marzipan and other delicious
wonders. You might think that your Hermann is quite demanding, but if you could see
what is going on here and how happy you will make us with your presents, then you will
pardon my gluttony.
Our battle is hard and, as I have read in the newspaper, the subject is being followed with
the greatest interest and suspense. How many lives it has cost us! Last night, our third
company commander succumbed to his wounds and D. was wounded, there is a spot
in our trench where 20 soldiers were killed or wounded. God has really been mercifully
protecting me until now and truly I have a premonition that I will see my native country
again. And these premonitions often come true. How many have had premonitions about
their death and, as I have heard in many cases, were then killed in action. Whatever that
might mean, the most important thing is to be brave and that is what I have been doing
so far. Victory is imperative and thanks God that the chances are favourable.

Sincerely, your Hermann”

[Robert T.]

1.4

A MARTYR ON THE THRESHOLD OF DEATH


Hermann’s last ever message, written down as he was suffering from his wounds and hopelessly expecting to die. The laboured characters bearing witness to painful effort and losing strength, along with the journal’s article and comments from the publisher;
________________________________


“My dearest parents!
Myself too, I must die the most
beautiful death. These are my
last regards. Farewell and
do not weep. I am
eternally grateful for
all the good that I have
received from you. Farewell
eternally. I will see you
in heaven. Your
Hermann"

These last farewell greetings dated the 10th of November were written from the battlefield
half an hour after an assault in which H. was gravely wounded. H. succumbed to his
wounds on the 18th of November and lies buried in consecrated ground in Flanders.
Deeply moved and shaken we read your last letters, dear, young hero. We did not know
you, but we have grown fond of you and let you into our heart. When one day the great
hour of reunion in heaven draws near, we will also look out for you, press your hand
firmly and persistently and look into your big, childlike, heroic eyes. Until then, sleep
protected by God’s care! You have done your duty for our dear Fatherland, and nobody
could have achieved a greater feat. We thank you!
GERMANY, WHAT HEROIC SONS YOU HAVE GOT!

[Robert T.]

1.5

Sacred ground


While on their way to Paris to attend a congress in August 1928, a group of students and war veterans visited Langemarck and found German graves scattered all over and overgrown with weeds. Remembering the words “A PEOPLE THAT DOES NOT HONOR THEIR DEAD IS NOT WORTH THEIR SACRIFICE”, they resolved with the help of the German war grave committee to build an appropriate cemetery.
After four years of construction, it was finally opened on July 10th 1932. On the occasion, one observer wrote; “The earth of Flanders which drank the blood of the German youth has once again become holy ground”. The entrance building has a chapel-like room with oak panels inscribed with the known 6313 names of the 10,143 soldiers who were originally buried in the lower part of the cemetery, Hermann’s grave was formerly marked by a wooden cross.

[Robert T.]

1.6

DER STUDENTENFRIEDHOF


There, upon entering the sacred grove of heroes, the visitors are confronted by a large headstone covered by a bronze wreath of oak leaves with the sculpted biblical words “I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). Right behind is a huge underground vaulted chamber built in the late 1950’s containing the remains of 25,000 servicemen of whom 8,000 remain unknown.
On each side of this mass grave are hundreds of flat stone markers above the graves of yet more soldiers, each slab bears the names of several men (the original black wooden crosses have been replaced with stone slabs). There is an additional 19,000 German soldiers resting here under the oak trees. At the rear of the cemetery is a sculpture of four mourning figures by Professor Emil Krieger, the group was added in 1956 and is said to stand guard over the fallen. Hermann’s grave is located at the burial plot A/3936.
About 3,000 of the graves at Langemarck are those of the Student Volunteers who died in October and November 1914 and as a result of this, the cemetery became known as the Student Cemetery - Der Studentenfriedhof.

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A Soldier's Prayer for the Fallen of Langemarck. (Flanders, August 1st 1915)


“Aber wir, die wir hier oben
Noch im Sonnenlicht, geloben
Eins Euch in die Gruft hinein :
Nicht umsonst habt Ihr gelitten,
Nicht umsonst habt Ihr gestritten,
Eure Erben woll'n wir sein.
Eurer blut'gen Kämpfe Erben,
Erben selbst von Not und Sterben,
Alles geht von Hand zu Hand,
Erben Eures Herzens Brennen,
Für das Höchste, was wir kennen,
Unser Volk und Vaterland.”

Amen.

[Robert T.]

1.7

True love never dies


A cenotaph was kept by the family in remembrance of the fallen son. A sombre wooden chest was designed to preserve some of the memorabilia, it is ornamented with a nameplate just above a silver plaque engraved with Hermann’s last written words.

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The voices of over 2,000 unfortunate souls were silenced on that tragic day and are now confined within a sole battlefield artefact; a quiet message to the living, still vibrant with emotions after nearly 100 years and perhaps...

The last tangible link between the Legend of Langemarck and our reality.

[Robert T.]

1.8

The Langemarck Hall


Located underneath the bell tower at the Berlin Olympic stadium complex, is the Langemarck Hall; a cult site built by the National Socialists and dedicated to the memory of those German youths who marched in happy consciousness of imminent death in Flanders that first autumn of the Great War, their deaths were to be commemorated here in a "national consecration site" as they called it. The Langemarck myth was celebrated by the Nazis, as they wanted to encourage this spirit of sacrifice in young German men.
Before Adolf Hitler joined the procession of IOC members into the Olympic stadium to open the games on August 1st 1936, he visited the Hall and paid tribute to the lives of the Langemarck martyrs. He strode past the 12 enormous columns on which were affixed the flags of the German regiments who fought at the battle, he gazed at the shields bearing the names of the divisions hanging from the massive construction. Hitler stood for a moment, pensive, in front of a shrine holding blood-soaked Belgian earth, suddenly awakening from his daydream, Hitler looked at his small entourage and swore “revenge for Langemarck”: only a new World War, he told his audience, could free the German people from their “chains”. The sacrificial deaths of students had found fulfillment and their resurrection in his political party, thus putting the Olympic Games into the context of youthful heroism. During the last days of World War II, the sports field itself became a devastating theatre of war.

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(Since the beginning of May 2006, in the so-called Langemarckhalle, an exhibition compiled by “Das Deutsche Historische Museum” shows the history of the site's planning and architecture, the connection between sport and politics and the history of the venue's usage up to the present day. The twelve original shields that had been saved from destruction by the British troops, now hang again for all to see as a reminder of the terrible tragedy of war.)

[Robert T.]

2. Bloodlines

2.0

The shattered dreams


Hermann Koopmann was born in Oldenburg in 1893, the son of a railway administrative official. His family had just moved in the region a few weeks before his birth, he grew up there with his 3 brothers in comfortable middle-class surroundings. The youngest boy, Erwin, was born on New Year's Day 1900, and only 14 years old when Hermann died in the Great War. They were raised believing that they could accomplish anything they wanted in life, their father (Johannes) stressed the need for a good education and they were encouraged to attend institutions of higher learning, but the war came and shattered all those dreams.

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In the first part of this presentation, I've tried to present a broad overview of the Langemarck legacy, we will now see how it played into Erwin's life and forever changed his existence.

[Robert T.]

2.1

OUR FATHERS


Johannes Koopmann (1859-1924), completed his advanced studies in Dresden and Hannover. He later worked in Köln, Berlin, Hannover and finally Oldenburg, as a supervisor responsible for the Oldenburg / Wilhelmshaven trains. He always took great care of his employees and they would affectionately call him “FATHER KOOPMANN” to show their gratitude, he retired in 1924 and sadly passed away a few months later…
For his support to the war effort in 1916 (precious metals donation), he received a Commemorative Medal as a token of appreciation, a “thank you” note given to the big-hearted Germans for their financial help.
The Baden Field Service Decoration (Felddienst-Auszeichnung) was allegedly awarded to his own father for having fought in the 1848/1849 Baden campaigns.

[Robert T.]

2.2

THE FIRST DUTY


In the closing months of the war, Erwin now 18 years old, saw battlefront duties in France with Infanterie-Regiment Bremen Nr. 75 of the 17th Infantry Division. After less than 8 weeks of warfare (Sep. /Oct. 1918), he had been promoted to Unteroffizier because of his courageous conduct against the enemy and awarded the:

Prussian iron cross 2nd class, Oldenburg Friedrich August cross 2nd class and the Bremen Hanseatic cross

[Robert T.]

2.3

Freikorps


Following Germany’s defeat in World War 1, the new German Republic attempted to stabilize itself and re-establish “law and order” with the appearance of paramilitary units whose job was to defend the nation against Bolshevism. Former senior officers in the German Army began raising private armies called Freikorps; a quasi-military force raised from the remnants of disbanded regiments, unemployed youth, and other discontents. Students were among the main groups to whom the appeal to defend the homeland was directed. In January 1919, a student coalition from Marburg University decided to offer assistance to the new Government, but only if they would receive assurance that classes would be closed and state examination dates postponed, so that the volunteers for paramilitary service would not be disadvantaged in comparison with those who choose not to perform their “patriotic” duties. In February, the Minister of Culture and the Reich Army Minister offered to suspend classes in return for students’ participation in temporary volunteer military service.
After facing the grim realities of war, Erwin Koopmann wanted to follow the path already laid down by his brother Hermann and wished to become a lawyer. Didn’t his father say that it was the only thing for an intelligent young man to study… Erwin was already scheduled to attend classes at Marburg University, but he answered the call and joined a Freikorps unit to protect the State against “BOLSHEVISM AND ANARCHY”.
For his 3 months service “under fire” in Kurland in 1919, he was awarded the Baltic Cross.

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Although a photo of “Pour le Mérite” winner Major Walter Caspari was found among his souvenirs, I do not know if Erwin served under W. Caspari as a member of “Freikorps Caspari”, which was formed from Infanterie-Regiment Bremen Nr. 75, and saw action against the Socialist forces in Bremen from Jan. 29th to Feb. 8th 1919.

Shown below are Erwin's wehrpass entries and Baltic Cross.

[Robert T.]

2.4

Massacre at Mechterstädt


In early 1919, the strength of the Reichswehr, the regular army, was estimated at 350,000. There were in addition in excess of 250,000 men enlisted in the various Freikorps units. Under the terms of the Versailles Treaty, Germany was required to reduce its armed forces to a maximum of 100,000 soldiers. Freikorps units were therefore expected to be disbanded. On March 13th 1920, the Ehrhardt Brigade (Freikorps unit) dissolution appeared imminent, its leaders were determined to resist and marched into Berlin to overthrow the Government. Its nominal leader was Wolfgang Kapp, a civil servant and fervent nationalist. The regular army refused to suppress the putsch and the Government was forced to abandon Berlin. The working class rallied to the defence of the Weimar Republic and staged a comprehensive general strike that crippled the Kapp regime's chances for survival. By March 17th, Kapp had resigned.
Leftist mobilization against the Kapp putsch could not be simply halted after the removal of the regime and as a result one region of Germany described as “MITTELDEUTSCHLAND” was crisscrossed with conflicts between pro-Kapp putschists, defenders of the republic and Communist revolutionaries. The Government now back in power in Berlin was forced one again to call upon Right-wing volunteer military troops to suppress the Left-extremists. Numerous calls for participation in military battalions appeared in the local newspapers. One of them issued in Marburg on March 19th and signed by the district commanding officer read:

“The Fatherland is in serious danger. In Thuringia, chaos reigns. Armed, marauding
bands march through the countryside. Immediate help is therefore needed! The troops in
Marburg including any volunteers will soon be transported (to Thuringia).
All authorities and all political parties that defend the Constitution are called upon to join
in securing peace and order. Anyone who can handle a weapon and who is willing to put
aside petty strife, has a duty to serve the Fatherland. In the hour of need we must look
above our narrow concerns and see the whole picture; (we must) put aside our personal
interests and strive for common goals.”

An extra edition of the local newspaper published on the same day reported an immediate response. “As a consequence of today’s announcement,” the article read, “numerous volunteers, most of them students, reported to the local battalion. They are being readied for service.” A number of fraternity members from Marburg University had already fought in Freikorps units in Magdeburg and in the Baltic in 1919. Above all, the students who turned out to volunteer for the STUDENTENKORPS MARBURG (Stukoma) were chiefly demobilized army veterans. On March 25th, a few days after the Stukoma arrival in Thuringia, some students shot and killed 15 unarmed prisoners during an “escape attempt” near Mechterstädt. A total of 14 students were incriminated and in June 1920 were found not guilty by a Military Court; because of the defendants' considerable military experience, the Court believed that their actions could hardly have been unprovoked…
In the aftermath, the students were confronted with a series of repressive actions and the Government banned university students' further participation in volunteer military units. Right-wing students throughout Germany recognized the incident as a symbol for war veterans' unselfish patriotism in service to an ungrateful and weak-willed Government. It exacerbated an already violent struggle over the existence of the new state and contributed to a shift of power that benefited the Republic’s growing number of opponents.

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Erwin is wearing the Hasso-Nassovia's ritual green cap and sash. At least 50 Corps Hasso-Nassovia members volunteered for Thuringia, together with elements from several other Marburg fraternities.

[Robert T.]

2.5

THE BADGE OF WISDOM


After Marburg, Erwin completed his advanced studies at the Albertina University of Königsberg(*) as a member of the student fraternity "Corps Hansea Königsberg". The Albertina University is well-known for having been the “home” of IMMANUEL KANT (1724/1804); a German philosopher considered by many to be the most influential thinker of modern times. Erwin really enjoyed the intellectual challenges that were presented to him, in particular the application of Kantian insights. As a reminder of the period spent at the Albertina, he cherished a German silver coin dated 1724 (Kant's year of birth) that had been turned into a brooch; a BADGE OF WISDOM for the deserving student.


(*) The Teutonic Knights founded the castle of Königsberg (the King’s mountain) in 1256. On August 17th 1944, the University celebrated its 400th anniversary and during the nights of August 26th to August 29th, Königsberg suffered heavy damage from British air attacks and burned for several days. Almost 80 percent of the city and the University campus were destroyed, first by the Royal Air Force, and then by Soviet shelling in April 1945 (Kant’s grave fortunately escaped destruction). Almost all German residents who remained at the end of the war, an estimated 200,000 out of the city's prewar population of 316,000, were expelled from the city. Many people died of hunger during the war's closing stages and the shortages which followed. During this time, mass looting took place all over East Prussia, Red Army soldiers allegedly raped a huge number of German female civilians in this region. After the war, Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad, and was installed with predominantly Russian settlers from other areas of the Soviet Union. In 2005, the University was renamed after Immanuel Kant and attained federal status as Immanuel Kant State University of Russia.
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"Two things fill the mind with ever increasing
wonder and awe, the more often and the more
intensely the mind of thought is drawn to them: the
starry heavens above me and the moral law within me."

Immanuel Kant