Pls see Louis Begley's "why the dreyfus affair matters" Yale Univ Press, 2009. I answered my own puzzlement but the historical truth is important for Austria's honor - pls excuse my sentimentality.
from pages 48-50
"Along with other European powers, France had been surprised by Prussia's decisive victory on July 3, 1866, over the Austrian army at the battle of Königgrätz... which had forced Austria to sue for peace. The two countries had been at war over Austria's refusal to give up the controlling influence it exercised in Germany through the German Confederation, a political system established in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna. . . the peace treaty of Prague... abolished the confederation.... Prussia absorbed some of the confederation's north German member states and forced others to enter into a north German confederation, which put Prussia in full charge... Overnight... Prussia had vaulted from second-tier power status into the first rank.... The industrial potential of the new Prussia likewise threatened France's dominance on the continent"
Ironically the treaty that ended the Franco-Prussian War with Germany victorious, was signed at Versailles.
Begley describes corruption in the French army, Catholic Church/State ties of the post Franco-Prussian War generation that defies the imagination. Begley presents this as background to the false accusations and framing of the French patriot, Captain Alfred Dreyfus.
The Franco-Prussian War matters in viewing the rise of Prussian Germany, the demise of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Austria having had no option but to succumb to the brutal Anschluss. The Dreyfus Affair matters more today than ever, however as a focal point of anti-Semitic hatred that rises up like an influenza, a pandemic whenever it can break passes normalcy and sanity to a narrow-minded, fear-driven ignorant public.
Interesting passages. Next to Gettysburgh, the battle(field) near Hradec Kralové is one of the best-known and most-researched 19th-century locations; it is also much less-known about relative to the former.
I'll have to read the book before making any other statements, but thank you in any case for mentioning it. I'll get back to you.
I think many men who served in World War Two (& other wars) came back permanently scarred from what we would nowadays term PTSD. Of course back then, it was never spoken about and the men themselves just quietly got on with their lives as best they could. I observed this in my father-in-law who had his foot blown off in Monte Cassino, then sewn back on again. Before the war he was apparently a lively young man & a tennis champion in his local area. After the war he became more like a quiet ghost; melting into the background. Never spoke about the horrors he must have witnessed. He was a lovely, gentle man. RIP.
>From autumn 1942 through the end of 1944, I was deployed in Russia
This made me literally gasp out loud. Good God how the hell did he survive that, and for two years. The daily stress and terror would have been incredible.
Oh, well, I suppose with loads of luck and the determination, in Gen. Patton's formulation, of make the other man die for his country rather than die for one's own.
I have in my possession a map (of "Greater Germany") that he allegedly had with him; it has two burn holes. His discharge papers from the US POW camp notes "minor scars" here and there.
On top of it, I do have a few photographs from the Eastern Front, and some of them are…chilling, to say the least.
I think it’s wonderful that you’re getting to know your grandfather in this way
Oh, well, I'm going for--I'm learning quite a bit, about him, 20th-century history, and 'doing' research on these topics.
In addition, which is perhaps the best part about it, I'm also getting to know many new colleagues.
Pls see Louis Begley's "why the dreyfus affair matters" Yale Univ Press, 2009. I answered my own puzzlement but the historical truth is important for Austria's honor - pls excuse my sentimentality.
from pages 48-50
"Along with other European powers, France had been surprised by Prussia's decisive victory on July 3, 1866, over the Austrian army at the battle of Königgrätz... which had forced Austria to sue for peace. The two countries had been at war over Austria's refusal to give up the controlling influence it exercised in Germany through the German Confederation, a political system established in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna. . . the peace treaty of Prague... abolished the confederation.... Prussia absorbed some of the confederation's north German member states and forced others to enter into a north German confederation, which put Prussia in full charge... Overnight... Prussia had vaulted from second-tier power status into the first rank.... The industrial potential of the new Prussia likewise threatened France's dominance on the continent"
Ironically the treaty that ended the Franco-Prussian War with Germany victorious, was signed at Versailles.
Begley describes corruption in the French army, Catholic Church/State ties of the post Franco-Prussian War generation that defies the imagination. Begley presents this as background to the false accusations and framing of the French patriot, Captain Alfred Dreyfus.
The Franco-Prussian War matters in viewing the rise of Prussian Germany, the demise of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Austria having had no option but to succumb to the brutal Anschluss. The Dreyfus Affair matters more today than ever, however as a focal point of anti-Semitic hatred that rises up like an influenza, a pandemic whenever it can break passes normalcy and sanity to a narrow-minded, fear-driven ignorant public.
Interesting passages. Next to Gettysburgh, the battle(field) near Hradec Kralové is one of the best-known and most-researched 19th-century locations; it is also much less-known about relative to the former.
I'll have to read the book before making any other statements, but thank you in any case for mentioning it. I'll get back to you.
I think many men who served in World War Two (& other wars) came back permanently scarred from what we would nowadays term PTSD. Of course back then, it was never spoken about and the men themselves just quietly got on with their lives as best they could. I observed this in my father-in-law who had his foot blown off in Monte Cassino, then sewn back on again. Before the war he was apparently a lively young man & a tennis champion in his local area. After the war he became more like a quiet ghost; melting into the background. Never spoke about the horrors he must have witnessed. He was a lovely, gentle man. RIP.
I'm 112% in agreement. From what I have been told, my grandfather likewise never spoke about 'the war'.
I'm sorry to read about your father-in-law, and I hope he and all soldiers may now finally rest in peace.
>From autumn 1942 through the end of 1944, I was deployed in Russia
This made me literally gasp out loud. Good God how the hell did he survive that, and for two years. The daily stress and terror would have been incredible.
Oh, well, I suppose with loads of luck and the determination, in Gen. Patton's formulation, of make the other man die for his country rather than die for one's own.
I have in my possession a map (of "Greater Germany") that he allegedly had with him; it has two burn holes. His discharge papers from the US POW camp notes "minor scars" here and there.
On top of it, I do have a few photographs from the Eastern Front, and some of them are…chilling, to say the least.