South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-19
HAPPY WHEN He
RECEIVED ORDERS
Wife of Gen. Won Hindenburg
Grants Interview - Never
Studied Eastern Lakes.

BERLIN. Nov. 19.-Frau Won Hin
denburg. the wife OF the most popular
Of the German army leaders. recently
granted an interview 20 the Hungar-
ian Journalist Nicholas Necei. He
says:
THE wife Of the great German
field marshal is a woman of pro-
nounced German type. She is tall
and strong, but not stout and her ma
tural grace gives her an almost youth
full appearance. Although she has
passed the half century mark nobody
would take her to be more thap 40
years old. Her rich hair is but slight
~ mixed with gray. her large blue
eyes give her particular charm and
she moves with the grace and east OF
a young girl Her face has a hard
and severe expression. but her voice
is soft and her manners are charm
ing. She dresses very plainly and
never wears Jewelry but her wedding
ring and narrow bracelet. a gift of
her famous husband.
The lady received me at her hotel
after the unveiiing OF the giant wood
en- statue OF Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg in Berlin. You desire me
70 talk Of my husband and to tell YOU
how he lived before the war she
said. The field marshal has always
been a typical soldier. When the war
excited. He had been retired four
years before and was afraid that he
would not be permitted TO go to the
front.
offered His Services.
"'An hour after mobilization was
proclaimed he offered his services to
the minister Of war, but he only re-
ceived non-committal answer. which
stated that he might possibly be call
in-laws left for the front but my hus-
band had TO stay with me at our resi-
dence. Is Wedekind st, Hanover
He became grouchy and melan-
choly and would not be humOred At
last, on Aug. p, OF last year he re-
ceived telegram informing him that
he had been appointed commander
in-chief OF the German forces in east
ern Prussia and that Gen. Won Luden-
dorff. his future chief of staff. would
meet hin. at Hanover to accompany
him TO the front
Now he was as happy as a boy
and he started packing his things with
feverish haste. When Gen. Luden-
dorff arrived a few hours later he was
ready. / went to the depot with him
and have not seen him since
When 1 asked whether il was true
that the field marshal had been the
military instructor of the emperor and
that he had made a special study Of
the strategic value OF the Mazurian
lake district, Frau Won Hindenburgh
replied smilingly: These stories are
legends. My husband never was
tutor, nor 6n intimate friend of the
kaiser. When he was commander OF
an army corps he had to report to
the emperor personally once a month.
but further than that the monarch
did not know him.
Never Studied Lakes.
Tt is also untrue that he made a
special study OF the Mazurian lakes |
When he was stationed at Koenigs-
berg as a captain of the general staff
years ago he studied the military con-
ditionS on the eastern frontier, like
every other staff officer. but he paid
no special attention to the lakes. AS
a matter Of fact. he made more ex-
pensive studies on the western from
tier than in the east.
My husband writes to me almost
every day" she continued, but he
never mentions strategic matters and
he does not report his victories 10 me
When he destroyed the first Russian
army at Tannenberg he did not even
send a telegram and L never learned
more about this battle than what the
newspapers reported. The field mar
shall only writes about minor incidents
at the front. about the thousands of
congratulatory letters he has received
from all parts of the world and about
the excellent state of his health. Since
he left me to go TO the front he has
not been sick n single day
ITO my remark that more monu-
ments would probably be erected in
honor OF her husband than of Bis
mark. Frau Won Hindenburg replied
prOtestingly:
That is all nonsense. Bismark
and MOltke were our greatest men.
because they welded the German en-
plre together. We are today ONLY de-
Tending their work and the unity Of
the German nation. Our statesmen
and soldiers are doing nothing i'm this
war but building further on the