Fort Douamont German Capture 1916

First World War 1914-1918 from the German perspective.

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grenate49th
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Fort Douamont German Capture 1916

Post by grenate49th »

When Fort Douamont was captured by the 24th Brandenburg Regiment in 1916 the first soldier into the fort was Pioneer Sergeant Kunze leading a few men and then from another direction Lieutenant Radtke with another group. Neither received credit at the time apparently. The credit went to another officer who was the third one to enter the fort again separately from the first two. Sometime in the late 1930s Kunze and separately Radtke apparently wrote about their experiences and what really happened as they penetrated the fort. Can anyone direct me to their books or the texts if they have survived?
Viele Danke. grenate49th
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Simon H
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Re: Fort Douamont German Capture 1916

Post by Simon H »

I'm assuming you have read this account already?

http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-39867416.html

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Simon.
Simon Harrold

WW2 Battlefield Relics: German Erkennungsmarken decoded.
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Liam
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Re: Fort Douamont German Capture 1916

Post by Liam »

Alastair Horne's book 'The Price of Glory: Verdun' has a whole chapter devoted to this subject. He talks about the fact that the German High Command considered that the other German officer, who was a 'von', should get all the glory including the Pour le Merite.
Hitler...there was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in ONE afternoon! TWO coats!! Mel Brooks, The Producers
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