New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-27
THE GENERAL STAFF.
THE HEART OF GERMANS MILITARY
SYSTEM

fEpO
Berlin. January 10.
The great red brick building on konigs Piatz
near the Exhibition Park, the seat OIL INC sencrai
staff of the German army, and the nome OIL inc
venerable Field Marshal, Count Won Moitkc, Is
one of the chief attractions for vlsltorS III Deri
Few. however. are allowed within its walls and
- IL ordnarv mortal despite its friendly appear
ance. it is as mysterious as was once Onlem-
sersee. The guards are half regiment The
aaifce is AT present undergoing number OIL
changes in accordance with the plans OF the rest
Isss Fmneror who desires his individuality i'm
nressed pnon everything with which he comes
into contact.
Tho rsneral staff is the most important adjunct
:, a.. German army. During the greater part
- . century IL has had but four chiefs, Count
- Moltle having occupied the place nearly
sh;rtv wears. Count Waldersee is the last.
The position of Quartermaster-General which ne
tormerly held has been abolished, and instead
three auartermaster chiefs have been appointed.
relieving the chief of staff of some responsibility
and considerable work. The Prussian general
staff is not an exclusive corps in the sense IN
which the Austrian staff is exclusive. All ranks
are admitted The connecting link between ltS
members is intellectual capacity. Ihey are al
graduates of the famous Academy oil war IN the
Dorotheenstrassc, whose beautiful archtecture
makes it one of the most noted structures in the
city, The candidates must have been heutenants
OF several years standing before making their
application for admission to the institution. Inc
applications are numerous, but as only the one
hundred best men are accepted annually from
the great number who make the attempt many
are of course rejected. Nine months OF each
year are devoted 10 the study of sciences apper-
tanning to war, making speciality, too oil IAN
guages Great attention is paid to Russia, to the
untold discomfort of the officers The summer
months are devoted to practical work In the helos
or TO a residence in Russia, Turkey or France
for the purpose of gaining better acquaintance
with their respective tongues After three years
they leave the academy to return to their reg-
ments Not more than one-fourth of the graduates
are attached to the general staff, 1t being OF
course. the cream of ALL Another fourth is en-
rloyed in the "higher adjutant service
The others are sent back to their regiments with
recomme ndations for rapid promotion Even
those of the first category are obliged to serve
three months with the troops again befoSc DC
ginning work with the general staff. The gen
eral STAFF is divided into the great general sah'
and the general staff oil the troops The lat
ter makes all preparations for manoeuvres moolh-
cation of the army in case Of war. besides at
tending TO the construction of the railways ana
tclegraphs, though the work is naturally done Dy
the engineer corps The great general stan at
tends to the operations of war The members
are forced to study the advantages OF foreign
systems, to gain intimate acquaintance with the
battIe-iclds OF the past, improve the tacucs' ana
cultivate military sciences. In other worus,
they are charged with the intellectual condust oil
the army "
On the ground-foor of the red brick build
ing is located what is called the central DIVISION
which is in truth the heart of the army In
the first story are the railroad division and the
divisions known by the numbers OF one Two ana
three The railroad division is very important
To it falls the duty of preparing everything con-
nected with the transport of troops. horses, guns
md ammunition Its attaches know exactly at
what hour each body of troops will arrive at a
certain point. when the sanitary wagons are TO
stop, how long they are to halt ana wnither
they 60; where the men are TO be ted, where the
horses are 10 be watercd. where the SICK are 10
I've rursed and where the reserved stock OF weapons
and ammunition is TO be placed. The work is
colossal. Keeping in mind the fact that these
questions are TO be solved for campaigns in every
country and in every district within the same,
one can form some i5ea OF the gigantic
labor and the weighty tones which the records
fill The first and second divisions have each
special region TO study. The first division busies
itself with Eastern Europe, studying Russia Italy,
Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Servia, Bulgaria,
Turkey Switzerland, Norway and Sweden. The
second division tlevotes its time 10 Western Eu-
rome The members of these divisions use all
means AT their command to gain detailed informa- 4
lion regarding the countries which they watch.
Men who walk the bouievards OF Paris, or inno-
Gently visit the neigbborhood Of French fort
T.. .Ixow wsrcH no
countless travellers foresters, drummers and Of
fcers in their employ. The experiences of all are
recorded These divisions aided in their dill
cult and trying work by the Geographical and
Statistical Departments lodged in the basement
of the building, where exact and minute maps
of every country in the world are kept. Every
hill and dale is marked upon them, and every pos
sible point OF attack and escape carefully noted
The archives Of war and the library supplement-
the whole being the most complete in the pos
session of any Government OH the globe The cor
rectness of Prussias military records, synonymous
of course with those OF Germany, is not equalled
by any country. It is little wonder that the red
building is so closely guarded and that pointed
bayonets meet one az every step. Foreigners have
attempted TO burn and rob it countless times
The plans which I'LL the rooms are numoerless
Even America has not escaped, far removed as she
is. Ana il is not improbable as the rumors 80,
that since the trouble with Samoa the officers OF
the general staff have been refreshing their knowl
edge of the United States.
|