The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-20

the Nicmsn. The battle ragged all round
German territory west of the Vistula.
The Austrian army's offensive for
the relief of Przemysl had been unsuc-
cessful The Russians very soon made
counter attacks. Przemysl would have
to be left to its fate. On the whole
eartern front we were now faced by
the prospect of heavy Russian attacks,
+ RUSSIAN ATTACK FAILS
After the Augustowo Forest had been
cleared and the wounded, removed at
the beginning OF March, General Won
Eichhorn, in accordance with instruc-
tons, withdrew his right to the defen-
sive line. and his left north of the
Augustowo Forest as far As Seiny and
south OF Kalwarys. He proposed to
fall on the pursuing Russians again and
defeat them by enveloping their right
wing.
The idea was a good one and in ac-
.cordance with the resolute spirit pre-
vailing from army headquarters. The
days from March 9 to II witnessed a
fresh success for the newly formed
10th Russian army suffered defeat But
the troops needed rest SO much and the
weather was so bad that the army
command had reluctantly to decide to
give up any idea of further attacks and
have recourse to position warfare, es-
pecially as more troops had to be trans
ferred to the Eighth army and Gall
wit'z detachment The left wing re-
manned in the neighborhood of Kali
wsrya Marismpol Pilwischki.
About the middle OF March the Rus
slams hurled themselves against these
positions but period of quiet gradu :
ally set in.
At the beginning of February the
Russians were still on Prussian terri
ct Of
justified in our desire to wrest this la st
small corner of German soil from the
power of the enemy The task was en-
trusted to the governor of Konigsberg
General Won Pappritz. with the Land
sturm forces stationed there. reinforced
by some artillery. Tauroggen was
seized on February Is
TRIES TO REWARD A GIRL
The peace which reigned once MORE
north of the Pregel was rudely brok en-
on March II by an inroad near Mcneil
posed OF shome-defense and frontier
guard formations They took US by
surprise whilst we were still devoting
all our attention to events elsewhere.
The Russian horde advanced on
Memel, which the Landsturm forces
abandoned. We heard OF this through
a telephone girl who rang us up and
were actually in the post office.
endearvored to obtain the Iron
Cross of the Second Class for this
young girl, Fraulein Erica RosteI. This
was not possible, but she afterwards
received n gold watch from the state.
The Russians took Tauroggen at the
same time and pushed on in the direc-
ton of Tilsit. The actions on the other
fronts had used up the reserves. The
command of the Second A. C. had now
them from Stettin, a proof of how
severely our strength had been taxed
place since the beginning of February
on the 22nd 5000 people who had been
enemy. The Russians had wrought in
credible havoc Tauroggen fell or
March %.
END OF THE INVASION
East Prussia was once more free
and henceforth was spared any further
enemy invasion. 1t was now possible
TO begin the work of reconstruction.
Since the middle of February oul
headquarters had been at Lotzen. These
were hard days for me until the begin
ming of April. / had to abandon the
hopes l had entertained of making i'm.
mediate strategetical use Of the advant
ages gained by the winter battle. Tao
italy this battle had been successful
and that filled me with satisfaction.
1t was nice to know that the Grand
Dukes heavy attacks had been shat
=