My War Memories, 1914-1918
At twelve noon we made our report to His Majesty the Emperor.
At one sharp we went to luncheon, which lasted half or three-quarters of an hour. Before half-past three I was again in the office-. At eight we had dinner, and after an interval of an hour and a half we resumed work until twelve or one at night.
This regular existence was but seldom interrupted. Even during my four or five days' war leave I was not altogether free of duty.
I was in telephonic and telegraphic communication with all parts of the Front and with the General Headquarters of our Allies. The Armies sent in regular morning and evening reports, but continuous reports were furnished when anything unusual occurred.
The Chief of Field Telegraphs in the East, Colonel Lehmann, and later the Chief of Field Telegraphs for the whole Army, Major-General Hesse, rendered me comprehensive and effective assistance. The telephone formations belonging to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief in the East, and the Field Telegraph Service of General Headquarters, which were responsible for the details of intercommunication, worked extraordinarily well.
On the one hand it was necessary to obtain a clear idea of all events that took place on any part of the enormously extended fronts, but on the other it was uncommonly difficult to feel the pulse of the fighting immediately. But it was absolutely essential that General Headquarters should be informed of all important events at once, as only too often the shortage of reserves obliged us to make immediate decisions of the very greatest importance.
The work of commanding the troops, looking after the welfare of the Army and maintaining fighting efficiency at home took precedence of everything else. ' Questions of future military and political policy were regarded as secondary.
The working hours were absorbed by my own work, reports by my subordinate directors and heads of departments and services, and discussions.
I have the pleasantest memories of our work and social life together, both on my stag in the East and at General Head quarters*
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