In the past, I have presented some Reservistenkrüge of my collection, which belonged to Jungs, who made the mandatory military service for 2 or 3 Years. This time it is going to be different, because this one belonged to a NCO, who made his career in the Bavarian Army.
Georg was born in 1879 nearby Bamberg, in the north of Bavaria and he started his military service in 1900 in the Royal Bavarian 10th Infantry Regiment in Ingolstadt. A year later, he was promoted to Gefreiter.
In September 1902 until September 1904, he served in Royal Bavarian 19th Infantry Regiment in Erlangen, not far away from Nürnberg. He just arrived there and he was promoted to Unteroffizier.
In October 1904 he was transferred to the Royal Bavarian 2nd Infantry Division “Kronprinz” in Munich, moving in 1908 to the “Bezirkommando” in Rosenheim (2nd Infantry Brigade). In 1906 he was also promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In this Münchner Period, he ordered this beautiful Bierkrug. This may explain the lack of List of Reservists from a certain Promotion (normally written in the sides of the Stein) and the years. Just at the bottom of the Krug, we see the word “privat” and “Münchner Kindl”, which may tell us, that he privately purchased this Jar from a catalogue. The “Münchner Kindl” is the figure appearing in the lid of this Stein. So, did he also order it to remember his time in the 10th and 19th Regiment? I hope to find out some day.
By the time the war started, Georg was 35 years old and had already 3 kids. He was called in 1915 to the Royal Bavarian 11th Reserve Infantry Regiment, located in a mountain area between Epinal and Colmar. Just 15 days after his arrival to the Regiment, he was promoted to Feldwebel.
In August 1916, at his 37, he was transferred to the Reserve of the Bavarian Leib Regiment, which in this moment it was in the Alpine Corps, considered by the allies in the book “Histories of the 251 Divisions of the German Army, which participated in the War 1914-1918” as one of the very best of the German Army. He had previous Mountain Training in Epinal.
When Georg arrive to his new destination, the Alpenkorps was still been reorganized after having a very high rate of casualties, as result of the assaults in the battle of Verdun in June. In September 1916, this Division was sent to Romania (the Alpenkorps had, more or less, the size of a division, so do not get confused with the name). The Romanian Army, with the help of the Russian one, made plenty of advances. German and Austro-Hungarian troops had to be sent to that front to contain the offensive. This front shouldn’t be forgotten so easily, it costed the Central Powers, time and blood. Valuable troops were kept busy there instead being used in other more critical fronts.
The Alpenkorps was involved in fierce battles in the north East of Romania until the second part of 1917 (Ninth Army under the command of… Falkenheim). There will be periods, when the Division will be retired for reorganization after suffering big casualties.
In August 1917, the division was sent to Italy, to take part in the 12th Isonzo Battle with the newly form 14th Army. Some young Lieutenant would be famous not far away from Caporetto. The Italian will suffer a devastating defeat. The Corps will be in Italy until the beginning of 1918, when they returned to Lorraine, in France.
In April 1918, the Alpenkorps took part in the battle of Armentières and at the Kemmel.
Those would be the last actions for Georg in the First World War. He will be sent back home, to his old position in Rosenheim, not far away from to mountains.
Georg received the following Decorations:
– 1905 Army Jubilee Medal (Bavaria).
– 1st Class Service Medal for 15 Years in the Army (Bavaria).