My War Memories, 19144918
Polish question were held, at whirh tJener.il v<»n Beseler was prosont, between the oiheials responsible, tor ilu* poliey and military operations of Germany and Austria Hungary. These were of importance to me only so tar jim they dealt with the possibility of obtaining a Polish army to ivintorw our own.
General von Beseler held t»» his favourable view, although General von Conrad tutored a strom: w.irniu;.; against optimism. Tluj former stated that a fundamental eouditinn i^r eomplde siutoss was tho pnidamation of the kin,ud»'ta and the establishment ot a single administration in i*t4ami by tlu* anuU^anution of tho two Governments of Lublin and \Y,u>aw,   i'ntil that was done the Polos would not be convinced that the Central Powers went really in earnest as to the earrvini* out uf their Polish proposals,   I thought that there must In* a ejvat deal of truth in this.   In the interest^ of the nation of thi* nnv annv, I pressoil Iho projH^sed amaljnain.ili*»n of the two <iuvrrniwntM earnestly oa Huron Huriau.   The ;4atesnteu r*«nlil   not   come to any atjiwninit.   ^dfhe wishes ut tiie I>u:il Monatvhy and tht^ tear <^f domestic ditliculties were mote important  to  Baron Burian than tht? common proseeuf ion of tlu* u.tr,   The amalgamation of the two (iovrnnnimts, advitrated bv (»,H.y. and by General von Hest^kler» was dropped,   tieneral vt*n He^'ler, nevertheless, thought that it would still hi* possible tti form an army, if the Central Powers pnn-Uiiwd thr vstablishinent *»( the Polish Kingdom,   llv proposed that (or a start (our or fiw divisions should be- formed, fr»r whi**h the Polish legion should form tho nucleus.   Ho hoped to be able to plarc theHe <liv5si*>riti at the disposal of G,H,Q. in April, k}!;, ami tlten to proceed with the formation of further ones,   It was not much, but it did offer us the hope of some increase of strength.   The war might still last for years, and evciy new addition tu our forces should be welcomed,   The military situation compelled us to agree to General von Besder's proposal, and (i.H.Q. accordingly adopted the policy which he held to be feasible,
The Imperial Government now proceeded to carry out the programme of von Bethmann and Baron Burian for the creation of the Kingdom of Poland, while we discussed the raising of a