Hans Georg von der Marwitz

baldeagle · 28 March 2003, 03:15 PM

Have been researching the tank battle at Cambrai, in preparation for visiting there in June, and find that the German commander at that battle was named Georg von der Marwitz. That beautiful Pfalz D.IIIa of Jasta 30 with the orange tail is said to have been flown by Hans Georg von der Marwitz. Anybody know what the connection was? Father and son?

Gregvan · 28 March 2003, 04:14 PM

Hi Baldeagle,
Yes, in a happy coincidence, they WERE father and son. In Neal O'Connor's last book, he relates a tale from the book "Malaula" by the Jasta 17 ace

Julius Buckler. On November 29 , 1917, flying over the Cambrai Battle, Buckler was shot down by a British fighter and seriously wounded in the back and arms. He lay beneath his crashed a/c in terrible pain until the German counterattack of the next day saved him, as German troops found him.On December 3, as he lay in the hospital still in serious condition, the nurses fussed over him to make him presentable for an important visitor. In walked General der Kavallerie Georg von der Marwitz , CO of the German 2nd Army, himself a holder of the Pour le Merite. He seated himself next to Buckler's bed and spoke to the astonished young man as a father would; how he had been a soldier his entire life and had accepted his own "Blue Max" not for himself, but for his troops. The General then said, "How wonderful it must be for the young ones to receive it for a real deed". He then took out a brand new Pour le Merite out of its case and hung it on the astonished Buckler's neck with his own hands. Buckler was still sedated, and he then drifted off to sleep with the old General holding one of his hands. Of course, the General had reason to adopt a fatherly attitude, as his own son was the Jasta 30 ace.

Great story, huh ?

Greg