GRUNERT PAUL FERDINAND: (1861-1936) Imperial German cavalry Officer. Grunert served as Quartermaster and top ...

GRUNERT PAUL FERDINAND: (1861-1936) Imperial German cavalry Officer. Grunert served as Quartermaster and top communications officer under General von Hindenburg, a key role during the 1914 remarkable German victory at the battle of Tannenberg. A rare and extremely interesting A.L.S., `Grunert´, four pages, folio, Lenozyca, 28th November 1914, to Erich Ludendorff, in German. A lengthy historical military document, being the report sent by Grunert to Ludendorff, stating in part `Now we just wait for the arrival of the new recruited reinforcements to start the attack again with all our strengths. We plan to put the focus on the left flank which is not blocked by the enemy right now - to move together under extensive protection of Warsaw….. I believe we can hold our previous position against the huge numbers of Russian troops……..we want to do this only in the worst case, no to force our troops to build new fortifications in the now hard ground, and not to induce the Russians to announce quick reports of victory. Tactically it wouldn't be unfavourable to take a step back because we shorten our frontline and won't unprotect the left flank for the advance move displayed, a flank too close to Warsaw.´ Further giving full detail on regiments positions and saying `Hereby it is to be consider that these companies began the invasion in Poland only with 70-80 rifles. The squadrons of the Kav. divisions contain about 70 horses; the II. Army Corps arrived here with 10000 rifles and there they were reinforced with about 4000 reserve troops… The message you received concerning the capturing of two Russian generals is correct..´ and before concluding `Our mood, both in the headquarter and in the companies and divisions, is absolutely confident. We strongly believe in victory. Only one thing worries me, and this is the totally insufficient supply of artillery ammunition. If you could help to get us a considerable supply, that would be very important. Without enough preparation by artillery bombardement, the attack to the strong trenches, partially built on different levels, is merely the murder of our infantry.´ A letter of excellent content. Folded. VG £1000-1500 Erich Ludendorff (1865-1937) German General, the victor of the battles of Liege and Tannenberg. Along with Paul von Hindenburg, the leaders of the German forces during World War I. At the time of the present letter, at the outbreak of World War I, Ludendorff had been appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to the German Second Army. On November 27th 1914, only a day before the present letter was written, German commander Paul von Hindenburg issues a triumphant proclamation from the battlefields of the Eastern Front, celebrating his army's campaign against Russian forces in the Polish city of Warsaw. On November 1st 1914, Hindenburg had been appointed commander in chief of all German troops on the Eastern Front; his chief of staff was Erich Ludendorff.