August 1915 - Nowo Georgiewsk - 3000 horses shot - Why?

[torstenbel]

I have got this photo with captions to say that there were 3000 horses shot following the capture of Nowo Georgiewsk by German troops in August 1915. Why were these horses shot? Were they basically surplus to requirements? Cheers, Torsten.

[torstenbel]

close up

[torstenbel]

the reverse of the photo

[Gerdan]

The German text:

Erinnerung an die eroberte Festung Novo-Georgiewsk.
Hunderte von toten Pferden in der Nähe der Citadelle.
August 1915

In rememberece of the captured fortress Novo-Geogiewsk.
Hundreds of killed/dead horses near the Citadelle.
August 1915

Gerdan

[regular122]

From the notes written on the card, it looks like the Germans discovered the dead horses after the Polish citadel was taken. Perhaps the Russian forces destroyed them to keep them from falling into their enemy's hands. An enormous amount of equipment was taken in this battle. As the citadel was surrounded, it could not be evacuated. Note the Russian artillery carts in the background.

Here is a postcard of more abandoned equipment from the battle. Steve

[torstenbel]

Hi Steve, true. the writing on the card could be taken either way .. the way it is written, it is not specific to say that it was either the Germans or the Russians that did shoot the horses ... for some reason, I just assumed that it was the Germans that killed them and never thought of the possibility that it may have been the Russians, but it does make more sense if it had been the Russian before getting away ... does anyone know for sure? Cheers, Torsten.

[Diesel]

Nowo Georgiewsk

Hello Torsten

Here is a description of the russian situation the 17. and 18 August:

"Am 17. August begann das Inbrandstecken der Gebäude und Vorräte unter Zuhilfenahme von Naphta. Man zerschlug, was im Wege war und versenkte vieles im Fluß. Die Soldaten waren wie ein Rudel hungriger Wölfe. Es erwachte in ihnen die Gier, immer noch mehr zu haben, trotzdem man schon übergenug gegessen, getrunken und geräubert hatte. Viele wußten vor Sinnlosigkeit nicht, was sie taten. Manchen allerdings tat das Vernichten der wertvollen Sachen leid, besonders der erheblichen Mengen genießbarer Vorräte an Butter, Zucker, Tee, Fleisch, Talg und Tabak. Furchtbar war das Erschießen einen großen Teils der in der Festung befindlichen Pferde. Am 18. morgens stellte man über 500 Pferde in zwei Reihen auf. Mehrere Leute mit Revolvern gingen die Reihen entlang und schossen die Pferde nacheinander durch den Kopf. Manche Abschiedsszene spielte sich ab. General Astaschew verabschiedete sich von seinem guten alten Roß: "Du hast mit mir den japanischen Krieg durchgemacht, ein ganzes Jahr bist du in diesem Krieg gewesen, und was hat dir nun das Schicksal beschert!"... Ringsherum brennt alles; alles vernichtet man, alles wird zerschlagen, so naht das Ende"

Source: "Die Eroberung von Nowo Georgiewsk", Verlag von Gerhard Stalling, Berlin 1925

Regards
Diesel

[torstenbel]

ah, so it was the Russians .. thanks Diesel for the excerpt ... Cheers, Torsten.

[Christopher]

"On the 17th of August the Inbrandstecken of the buildings and supplies began under aid of Naphta. One smashed, what was in the way and sunk of much in the river. The soldiers were like a bunch of hungry wolfs. The greed awoke eaten in them to have still more, nevertheless one already more than enough, drunk and had geräubert. Many did not know before senselessness, what they did. The destroying of the valuable things sorrow did many a to be sure, especially the considerable quantities of enjoyable supplies at butter, sugar, tea, meat, tallow and tobacco. The shooting was terrible a large part of the horse present in the fort. On that 18th mornings one set up over 500 horses in two rows. Several people with revolvers went along the rows and shot the horses one after another through the head. Many a departure scene happened. General Astaschew took leave of its good old horse: "You endured with me the Japanese war, an entire year were gave" you in this war, and what you now the fate!... Round about all burns; one destroyed is smashed everything, everything, so seam the end

there you all go
Christopher

[torstenbel]

"On the 17th of August the Inbrandstecken of the buildings and supplies began under aid of Naphta. One smashed, what was in the way and sunk of much in the river. The soldiers were like a bunch of hungry wolfs. The greed awoke eaten in them to have still more, nevertheless one already more than enough, drunk and had geräubert. Many did not know before senselessness, what they did. The destroying of the valuable things sorrow did many a to be sure, especially the considerable quantities of enjoyable supplies at butter, sugar, tea, meat, tallow and tobacco. The shooting was terrible a large part of the horse present in the fort. On that 18th mornings one set up over 500 horses in two rows. Several people with revolvers went along the rows and shot the horses one after another through the head. Many a departure scene happened. General Astaschew took leave of its good old horse: "You endured with me the Japanese war, an entire year were gave" you in this war, and what you now the fate!... Round about all burns; one destroyed is smashed everything, everything, so seam the end

there you all go
Christopher

As a little addition 'Inbrandstecken' means 'torching'. Cheers, Torsten.

[Ferg 1]

Here are a set of four commemorative medals for 1915. Unusually they detail the events on the eastern front (except the death of Weddigen).It is usually the western front that sees the limelight,anyway one of them is in celerbration of the capture of fortress you are talking about.Ferg1

[torstenbel]

Beautiful set of medals. I have never seen them before ... thanks for showing. Cheers, Torsten.

[regular122]

Nice set Ferg. With the back of the medal saying that 85,000 prisoners and 1,640 cannons captured, that would certainly account for a lot of horses. Steve