LIFE IN A GERMAN CRACK REGIMENT
LIFE IN A GERMAN
CRACK REGIMENT
BY
BARON VON SCHLICHT
(COUNT VON BAUDISSIN)
NEW YORK
DODD MEAD AND COMPANY
PREFACE
Lieutenant Bilse, Beyerlein, and Baron vonSchlicht,[A] the author of the present work, withtheir many less-known followers, have managedamong them to create what may be regardedas a novel of a new species—the "critical"military novel. What is commonly called the"military novel," has, of course, long beenknown in Germany, but it differed considerablyfrom the new species. The older military novelgave more or less lively pictures of camp, garrisonand casino life, and the gay young lieutenantwho generally figured as hero was much adoredby ladies (as indeed he still is). But betweenthe lieutenant of romance and the lieutenant ofstern reality there is a gulf. Readers have nowbefore them the lieutenant of reality, and theuplifting of the veil on his interesting, if not veryedifying, personality and doings, has arousedin Germany a curious storm of indignation,especially in army and official circles. Indeed,as may be remembered, Baron von Schlicht[Pg vi]was "insulted" over the present work in theReichstag itself, and the affair went so far thata duel nearly followed. The widespread interesttaken in these revelations of military life istestified by the number of copies of the presentwork (40,000) which have been sold in Germany,though its circulation is now forbidden there;while for his outspokenness in this novel it isrumoured that Baron von Schlicht has to meethis trial in Berlin very shortly.
[A] This is a pen-name. The author's actual name is Countvon Baudissin.
Though widely known as the author of variousmilitary sketches and stories of a more or lesslight and humorous turn, in the present caseBaron von Schlicht shows little trace of hischaracteristic vein. Here, rather, he devoteshimself seriously to making what is in effect adetailed and apparently dispassionate exposéin regard to the manners and morals of officersof the old nobility in the German army. Theindignation aroused against him is all the greateras he himself belongs to the old nobility whichhe so freely criticises, and he has the furtheradvantage of speaking from inside knowledgeof the officers' caste (Offiziers-Kaste) to whichhe himself belonged during his military career.Lieutenant Bilse wrote from outside this circleof the old nobility; thus Baron von Schlicht'swork fills a gap which Lieutenant Bilse's bookstill left open.
R. M.