Hand drawn bunker schematic - translation help

[zachb]

I saw this during my travels over the holiday and had to have it. I am the worlds worst with pictures... my scan doesn't begin to capture the beauty of this document. The drawings are in pencil and what appears to be water color, their are three illustrations of a bunker. The first view appears to be looking from the back to the front of the bunker, the second is an over head view, and the third, pictured below, is a side view (and though it is hard to make out the drawing of a cannon?). Written in pencil on the top right corner is:

"Geschutzstand fur ein Nahkampfgeschutz"

Below that in type face is:

"Artl. - Kommandeur 54. J.-D.
Tagb. Nr.__2059___"

Also the words (in pencil):

"Ansicht von Nord"

There is other writing on the document which I presume to be things such as "transverse" etc. The document has two holes punched on the left side and appears to have been in a notebook. Any help in discerning what this might be or what the above words translate to would be much appreciated. Many Thanks, Zach

scan0003.jpg

[Larry deZeng]

It's entitled "Gun Emplacement for Close Combat Gun". By that it could mean anything from a heavy MG to 37 mm, or 50 mm and I suppose even 75 mm short barrel field or AT guns.

The "two hole punch notebook" you referred to is called a Leitz binder and was/is the German equivalent of our 3-hole binders.

--Larry

[zachb]

Wow, thanks Larry. Is their anyway to tell from the document where the bunker might have been constructed or is this just a general schematic, i.e., "Artl. - Kommandeur 54. J.-D..." How common are things like this? Any idea on the value? Thanks again for the further information and translation of the title. Zach

[Hank C.]

"Ansicht von Nord" is "viewed from the north side".

The "J" in 54 JD is actually an "I", so it's from the 54th Infantry Division. If the document is dated, you can research to see where they were around that time.

Also, masstab 1:50, means (I believe) 1 cm on the drawing equals 50 cm in real life. Any draftsman or architects that can confirm or deny?

best
Hank

[zachb]

Thanks a lot Hank. Underneath the scale/ratio that you translated is the following: "29. III. iy" ...the "y" might be a "z" or something else as it is written in cursive/script. This is the only thing that I can discern that might possibly be a date? It is written in pencil...my ignorance of the German language knows no bounds. At least I saw "schutz" and "kampf" and had vague notion of what I was looking at. I know in Europe they write the date differently than Americans, i.e., different order correct? I don't know if the "iy" could be an abbreviation for a month or a year...I just don't see anything else that could possibly be a date. Thank you so much for your help. Zach

[zachb]

BTW, if I am reading the diagram correctly the view "Ansict von Nord" from the North (as you translated) would then indicate that the bunker would have been facing South, as this view shows that one is looking from the rear (north side) or back of the bunker to the front. I will see if I can find out some information on the 54th. Thanks again, Zach

[Akira Takiguchi]

Very nice WWI stuff.

[Larry deZeng]

The drawing was prepared by the "Artl.-Kommandeur 54. I.D." (Artillery Commander 54th Infantry Division). The "29.III.xx" is the date: 29 March followed by two digits for the year, which apparently are illegible. That's about as much as can be gleaned from it.

--Larry

[Akira Takiguchi]

Because Arko 54 was established late war ( according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/54th_In...rman_Empire%29 ), I would say 17.

[zachb]

Gentlemen, thank you for all of your help. I had no idea this drawing was 91 years old. Zach

[Akira Takiguchi]

I moved this thread to the Imperial forum.

[zachb]

Thank you Akira. I thought I would share this with the members of this sub forum after we discovered it was WWI era, pursuant to our previous discussions in the photo/paper forum. If anyone has any other information on the 54th or any idea of value or further information I would greatly appreciate it. I plan to frame it soon and will try to get some better scans/photos if their is further interest. Zach