My War Memories, 1914-1918
at a round table on which stood a palm, the gift of H.M. our Kaiserin, a true German woman, of whom I always think with the greatest admiration.
This short hour was a great relaxation to me in the midst of the almost crushing work of those four months of war.
A great battle had been fought and won. New problems were ahead of us. Germany and Austria-Hungary had been saved from the Russian danger. All the Grand Duke's plans were shattered. His attack on the East Prussian frontier, his advance on the west bank of the Vistula, and, with this, all the Entente's hope of a victorious finish of the war in the year 1914 had fallen to the ground. The surrender of the eastern portion of East Prussia and of a large part of Galicia, hard as it was, was of no consequence compared with these results.
The second part of the campaign in Poland was, also, an achievement. There is little in military history that can compare with it.
Our troops, which had been constantly fighting or on the move since the beginning of August, had shown themselves beyond all praise. Once more they had been victorious against an enemy with nearly twice their numbers. It was only with such leaders and such men that it proved actually possible for us to translate bold plans into action against such superior forces.
Honour and perpetual remembrance to the German Army of 1914!
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