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Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz

Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz, the Prussian soldier and military writer, was bora at Bielkenfeld, East Prussia, on the X2th of August 1843, and entered the Prussian infantry in 1861. In 1864 he entered the Berlin Military Academy, but was temporarily withdrawn in 1866 to serve in the Austrian war, in which he was wounded at Trautenau. In 1867 be joined the topographical section of the general staff, and at the beginning of the Franco-German War of 1870-71 was attached to the staff of Prince Frederick Charles. He took part in the battles of Ytonville and Gravelotle and in the siege of Metz. Afterwards he served under the Red Prince in the campaign of the Loire, including the battles of Orleans and Le Mans.

He was appointed in 1871 professor at tbe military school at Potsdam, and the same year was promoted captain and placed ¡o the historical section of the general staff. It was then he wrote Die Operationen der ?. Armee bis tur Capitulation von Metz and Die Sieben Tage von Le Mans, both published in 1873. la 1874 be was appointed to the staff of the 6th division, and while so employed wrote Die Operationen der ?. Armee an der Loire and Léon Gombefta und seine Armeen, published in 1875 and 1877 respectively. The latter was translated into French the same year, and both were impartially written.

The views expressed in the latter work led to his being sent back to regimental duty for a time, but it was not long before he returned to the military history section. In 1878 von der Goltz was appointed lecturer in military history at the military academy at Berlin, where he remained for five years and attained the rank of major. He published, in 1883, Rossbach und Jena (new and revised edition, Von Rossbach bis Jena und Auerstädt, 1906), Das Volk in Waffen (English translation The Nation in Arms), both of which quickly became military classics, and during his residence in Berlin contributed many articles to the military journals.

"The question, then, arises: Is a knowledge of war valuable to the ordinary mortal, when it may only tempt him to dare difficulties and dangers perhaps to his own undoing ? Certainly ! What true soldierly nature would hesitate long to brush aside all scruples and seize the opportunity, when offered, of wielding the baton of a Field-Marshal ? The prize is a great one; it is that which beckons the poet and artist onward on a thorny path-Immortality! This word has an irresistible charm. The fortunate warrior rescues his name from oblivion."-" Das Volk in Waffen" (the Nation in Arms), pp. 472-3. Von der Goltz quotes with approval von Clausewitz's cynical references to the philanthropists and humanitarians, and lays down the proposition that the object of war is the " total defeat " of the enemy, and that to this end a belligerent may employ " all means material and intellectual, to overcome his adversary." (Pp. 3, 7.)

In June 1883 his services were lent to Turkey to reorganize the military establishments of the country. He spent twelve years in this work, the result of which appeared in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, and he was made a pasha and in 1895 a mushir or field-marshal. As the immense possibilities which lay in the Turkish possessions in Asia Minor were realized, the German enthusiasm increased. An energetic development of this country would bring untold prosperity to a great state. Bismarck began to feel the Drang nach Osten as well as Austria Hungary. His action supporting Austria-Hungary in the Congress of Berlin, and thus assuming the credit, to some extent at least, of saving Turkey from the rapacity of Russia, gave him an entering wedge for the cultivation of good relations with the Porte. Even though Great Britain had long been the protector of Turkey, her influence might be supplanted there by adroit diplomacy. The initial step was taken by lending to the Turkish government German officers for the much-needed reorganization of the army.

The first official indication of German influence upon the Sultan was in 1882 when a military commission of twelve German officers at the head of which was the celebrated Colmar Von der Goltz was sent to Constantinople to reorganize the Turkish army. As M. Cheradame remarks, the time had long passed since Bismark had said, " The entire Eastern Question is not worth the bones of one Pomeranian grenadier." From 1883 to 1895 one of the most promising of the younger officers of the German army, Colmar von der Goltz, labored successfully with this problem. The results were shown in the overwhelming victory achieved by Turkey in the short Greco-Turkish war of 1897. A second step was taken by diverting German capital into railroad, mining, and development concessions in Asia Minor. Thus the first link of what became known as the Bagdad railroad, the link from Contantinople to Angora, was built in 1888, and work begun on the branch from Eski-Shehir to Konia. From this period on, Germany was as keenly and vitally interested in the pressure toward the east as was her Austro Hungarian ally.

On his return to Germany in 1896 he became a lieutenant-general and commander of the 5th division, and in 1898, head of the Engineer and Pioneer Corps and inspector-general of fortifications. In 1900 he was made general of infantry and in 1902 commander of the I. army corps. In 1907 he was made inspector-general of the newly created sixth army inspection established at Berlin, and in 1908 was given the rank of colonel-general (Generaloberst).

In addition to the works already named and frequent contributions to military periodical literature, he wrote Kriegführung (1895, later edition Krieg- und Heerfúhrung, 1901 ; Eng. trans. The Conduct of War}-. Der thessaiisfhe Krieg (Berlin, 1898); Ein Ausflug nach Macédonien (1894); Anatolische Ausflüge (1896); a map and description of the environs of Constantinople; Von Jena bis Pr. Eylau (1907), a most important historical work, carrying on the story of Reisbach und Jena to the peace of Tilsit. &c.

Gen. von der Goltz was made a field-marshal in 1911 and retired in 1913. In August 1914 he was appointed governor-general of Belgium, then occupied by German forces. In November of the same year he was attached to the Turkish headquarters as aide-de-camp-general to the Sultan. In April 1915 he was placed in the chief command of the I. Turkish army in Mesopotamia, and succeeded in investing Gen. Townshend's British forces at Kut-el-Amara on April 19 1916. He died at Bagdad and was said to have been poisoned by the Young Turks.