The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-25
BY MILTON BRONNER
European Manager. NEA Service
fConvriqht. 1872. NEA Service Inc /

DERLIN, Feb. 25.-In the gray
II light of an early morning in
the latter part of August, 1914, an
old gentleman in civilian attire nerv-
ously paced up and down the rail-
way platform at Hanover, accom-
panied by a solicitous old lady.
1t was Paul Won Hindenburg and
his wife waiting for the special train
which was speeding from the west
front in Belgium, bearing General
Eric Ludendorff, who was to be his
chief Of staff.
The two men never had met. All
that Ludendorff knew about Hin
denburg was that he had attained
high rank, had retired, had reached
the age of 81. but was, nevertheless,
reported to have sharp wits and
considerable military ability.
1t is doubtful if Hindenburg
knew that much about Ludendorff.
German military headquarters was
displeased greatly with Colonel
General Won Prittwitz, who was in
command in the east, and who was
clamoring that he must withdraw
his troops beyond the Vistula.
This would mean giving up most
of east Prussia to the Russians, and
if the Germans then we're beaten,
would open the way for the Rus
sian steam roller to go crashing to-
ward Berlin.
Then somebody at general head
quarters remembered Hindenburg;
that he was east Prussjan and
formerly had been stationed at
Koenigsburg, so that he probably
was well acquainted with the ter
rain.
Ludendorff also was an east PruS-
sian. It would be a good scheme
to send the older man as general
and the younger man as strategist.
So said, so done.
XXTHEN Ludendorff's ci al
w train drew in, he stepped
down, saluted, and shook hands. 1t
was the first time the famous pair
had met. They quickly boarded
their train and started off in haste
for KOenigsburg.
The German situation was Seri-
GUS enough. Their army had Gen
eral Rennenkampf, with a huge
Russian army on one side and Cen
eral Samsonoff, with another army,
farther south.
Maybe Hindenburg knew some
thing about the hatred between the
two Russian commanders. which
had begun in the Russo Japanese
war. Whatever it was, he deter
mined to put his fortunes to the
test.
He withdrew most of the troops
facing Rennenkampf, leaving only
a slight screen. He concentrated
all the troops he could secure I'm an
endeavor to draw Samsonof into a
trap. Tt succeeded.
The Russian army was almost
annihilated. Ninety thousand pris-
oners were taken. SamSonof shot
himself on the battlefield which
Hlndenburg named Tannenberg.
1t was the revenge for the defeat
MS ancestors had suffered here
nearly 500 years before. JOY bells
were rung all over east Prussia.
Germany, as a whole, heard of
this old dug-out for the first time.
Small fortunes were made selling
his pictures.
HINDENBURG now went hotfoot
IL after Rennenkampf's army
which narrowly escaped a trap and
got out of German territory. By
m1d-September, east Prussia was
cleared of Russians.
But, as a whole, things were not
going well for the central powers.
The allies had more than held their
own in the west. They had won
the battle of the Marine.
In the east, the Russians were in
Galicia and were threatening Hun
gary.
Hindenburg was made comman-
der-in-chief of the armies of the
east. AS such, he wanted to make
an offensive toward Warsaw, but
his plans were limited by the timid
Falkenhayn, then generalissimo of
the German forces.
Notwithstanding that, he did lead
his armies near to Warsaw, and
then was compelled to fall back.
because of Austrian defeats.
Then Hindenburg turned about
and captured Lodz in Poland.
THE Grand Duke Nicholas. chief
Il of the Russian armies. had lost
100000 men in six weeks and winter
was coming on.
Nevertheless. in response to the
call Of the allies in the west, he
prepared another grandioSe plan.
involving millions of men. One
huge army was to force its way
through the snowy passes of the
Carpathians into the wheat plains
Of Hungary-the breadbasket of the
central powers.
AT the same time, another big
army was to invade east Prussia.
Hindenburg, himself, took charge of
the troops in east Prussia and in
February was fought the second
hattie Of the Masurian lakes. result
mo in ITO mn Pucciaps ha;on