Evening star., 1934-08-08
BY CYRIL A. PLAYER.

BY CYRIL A. PLAYER.
Il had taken only two weeks to free
East Prussia. and there the Russians
had lost well over ESQ 600 men and
500 guns Their losses exceeded those
Of the Germans by 10 to l. Luden-
dorff, Won Francois Col. Hoffman,
and Gen. Won PrittWitz all had
share In the triumph, for some Of
them. and for others unnamed. the
fun fame OF the achievement has been
claimed here and there. Marshal Won
Hindenburg's attention was called to
this. He grtnned.
Yes" he remarked dryly, Il know
that all these gentlemen won the
Battle of Tannenberg; but. If the bat
tie had been lost, the only guilty one
would have been old Hindenburgl"
To Hugo Vogel, the distinguished
artist who did the historical Tannen-
berg painting, Hindenburg carefully
detailed the concluding moments OF
the battle.
Your picture" he said, must
show late afternoon. I stood on a
hill near Frogenau surrounded by my
staff. The map was on table. be-
side which a telephonist was kneel-
ing. We had only one telephone and
it would have been a very serious
matter If it had broken down. The
scene was enlivened by troops NOV
ing eastward. by traffic of all sorts
and supply trains Near US was
company Of territorials for our pro-
lection.
Consults Ludendof.
"I consulted frequently with Luden-
dorff. We stepped up to the table
from time to time TO check con-
stantly incoming reports and to de-
eide on the necessary orders. You
must study the landscape carefully.
Alongside US was a road by which
countless prisoners were beln g
marched. All hardy, young, very well
clothed lads; magnificent material.
To the right a farm was burning. In
the sky, one saw the smoke OF burst
ing shells and Shrapnel. The district
was rather monotonous-but, to me,
as my home, very dear. Suddenly,
German plane appeared from over the
Russian front it was an officer of
the general staff. who brought me the
news that the encircling movement
had succeeded. This valuable mes
sage meant that the victory was ours,
and shortly afterward we went to
Ostrode for the night"
"And then?" Prof. Vogel asked,
breathlessly.
And then" replied the general, 1--WE
drank a victory punch cup"
Fame Achieved.
But Germany was aflame overnight,
and the news fixed the name and
glory of "Old Hindenburg" in the
hearts of the fatherland. Hanover
marveled and was surprised. He
lives herel" His name could not be
found in the directory. Yet it was
true. For three years the general, who
had achieved fame overnight, had
lived in Hanover.
After Tannenberg, many artists
sought him and made awed, soto
voce references to his monumental
head" odd" commented Hinden-
burg, that no one should have no
ticed this before Tannenberg. He
had worn it for 81 years.
This old Hindenburg resuscitated
from his couch with the crocheted
antimacaSsar, who had saved East
Prussia, was instantly the living spirit
of German hopes At once he became
the target of every imaginable form of
flattery, applause and attention. Ia
brze, in Upper SileSia deliriously
changed its name to Hindenburg. The
victorious commanders mail became
prodigious, so that poor Capt. Caem-
merer, who had to sift it, missed much
sleep as he waded through the con-
gratulations and prayers of half Ger
many. Only the important ones did
he show to Hindenburg. otherwise"
explained the hero, II would have had
to neglect the war to answer my
letters"
Delights in Pupils Letters.
BY Christmas, 1914, the whole ma
ton was pouring its gratitude in an
embarrassing tide toward Hindenburg.
From the children came his greatest
happiness. BY classes, by schools, by
towns, they sat stiff1y down and, in
best flowing script. addressed the idol
of their hearts. One small girl de-
manded more frequent victories so
that there would be more school holi-
days in which to celebrate them
Hindenburg gravely replied with the
suggestion that, since there were hell
days anyway at Christmas, it might
be good strategy to leave the Russians,
for the moment, in peace.
1t would be man of colder nature
than Hindenburg who could remain
untouched by this innocent and chal-
lenging faith in him. Little did he
realize, however, that it was the foun-
dation of the most extraordinary ira
dition of the war. Certainly he be-
came thoughtful and Wistful as he