Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0113Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is of a large army parading through a wide street, all men are wearing dress uniforms - half are riding horses while half are marching. Above the image "W2 (Star)" is printed, below the image "10331 Parade of Cuirassier Guards Marching to the Parade Grounds. Berlin, Germany." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company Copyrighted Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
10331
GUARDS MARCHING TO THE PARADE GROUND, BERLIN, GERMANY
The Prussian system of military training required that every able-bodied male citizen serve in the army for a number of years.
The army was made up of three ranks : the First Line, the Second Line (Landwehr), and the Third Line (Landsturm). In the First Line, each man served 2 years in the ranks, and 5 years in reserve; that is, between the ages of 20 and 22 years each young man spent 2 years of acutal service. During the succeeding 5 years he was called out at least twice to train from a month to two months. Men from the ages of 27 to 32 made up the Landwehr army. The Landsturm was made up of all soldiers from 17 to 45 years of age, whether trained or untrained, and not included in the First Line and Landwehr. The Landsturm was designed for the use only as a home defense reserve.
By this system of training the Emprie had constantly at its call about 2 million soldiers, with partically trained reserves amounting to nearly 2 million more. As a matter of fact under the strain fo the World War, Germany actually put under about 11 million men. Plainly, the Emprie had in its hands the most tremendous weapon ever created for either defense, or conquest and oppression. The German army represented the power of Naitonal militarism carried to the extreme.
When Germany suddenly declared war in 19414, the Prussian war machien moved foward with precision. Every detail had been carefully worked out. Germany had been preparing for this war for many years. It is small wonder that this great machine crushed the defenses of sturdy little Belgium.
Copyright by The Keys --- View CompanyCollection
Photograph Collection