Tannenberg battlefield today
![tannenberg battlefield today tannenberg battlefield today](https://i.imgur.com/t4iDA4l.jpg)
Our walk followed the line of the Russian attack through to the point which marked the line of withdrawal for the German defenders. Behind the tree line is a river crossing and old mill where the fighting on the 24th was particularly intense. This marks the military cemetery which contains 329 German and 1000 Russian graves. On the extreme left you will see a small cross at the front of the trees. In the picture on the right, my friends are standing on what was the Russian front line.
![tannenberg battlefield today tannenberg battlefield today](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/13/1c/3e131cddcefe81b8569a733676c32912.jpg)
We chose to walk the Russian front line position on a forward slope 100 yards in front of the German trenches which still exist in the environs of Orlau Military Cemetery. Cultivated fields, small woods & copses and a smattering of villages and farmsteads. The topography around Orlau is not what I had imagined - it is rather like the Somme area of Northern France. The first substantive contact on the North / South axis came at Orlau (Orlawa) on the 24th August where the German XX Corps were heavily entrenched. the Arrival of Rennenkampf's 1st Army and Samsonov's 2nd Army in East Prussia presented a major challenge. The Russians had mobilised much more quickly than anticipated. The area in question is in the vicinity of Allenstein (now Olsztyn). However with some help we covered some of the central ground covered by the Russian 2nd Army and the German 8th Army during the fighting of the 26th to 29th August 1914. It covers a vast area and most of the monuments, markers and cemeteries have been lost in the years that have intervened. Today the Polish people celebrate the Battle of Tannenberg - a rare victory in a history dominated by conflicts that left their people divided and conquered.The Tannenberg battlefield is not easy to interpret.
![tannenberg battlefield today tannenberg battlefield today](https://assets.rockpapershotgun.com/images/2019/02/ss_c5186fbc99f598a6f132fabdd8ed0fc15408569b.1920x1080.jpg)
Hitler's objective, Danzig (Gdansk), in the opening salvo of WW II repeats the goal of the Teutonic Order more than 600 years earlier. Prussia, under Kaiser Wilhelm I, took inspiration from the militaristic Teutonic Order, as did the Third Reich under Adolph Hitler. However, German nationalists continue to be inspired by the Order for centuries. The Battle of Tannenberg set in motion the Teutonic Order's demise. Teutonic Order Decline and Legacy (02:20) Polish reserves enter the fray, saving the day. Poles Retreat, Regroup and Prevail (02:34)Īfter an hour of fighting, the Poles and Lithuanians retreat, then flee. The Poles hold mass - a delay to marshall troops. On Jul 15, 1410, Poles and Lithuanians (including Russians, Ukrainians, and Tartars) face off against the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Tannenberg (a.k.a. Forces Stage for the Battle of Tannenberg (02:25) Parties postpone a decisive battle to summer 1410. The Grand Duke of Lithuania marries the heir to the Polish throne in 1385. Poland and Lithuania Allied Battle with Prussia Set (01:44) Drinking and hunting fill knight's idle time. Teutonic knights from all over Europe come to Marienburg to join semiannual raids on Prussia's neighbors. The Teutonic Order in Prussia exploits and dominates a vast array of commerce. The Teutonic Order strengthens its grip on Prussia. Once again unified in 1333 under King Casimir, Poland purges German language and fosters development. German Colony on the Baltic (02:22)ĭefeated by the Russians at the Gulf of Finland, the Teutonic Knights return to securing and colonizing Prussia with an iron fist. Turning to Russia, the Knights meet more effective resistance. Ordered to forcibly convert non-Catholics, the Teutonic Knights invade and brutalize Lithuania. Knights Invade Lithuania and Russia (03:05) Poland Asks for Teutonic Knights' Help (02:38)įailed attempts to convert their neighbors to Christianity prompt the Poles to invite, with papal blessing, the Teutonic Knights into Poland and adjacent territory. Monuments on the battlefield, origins of the Teutonic Knights, and a brief historical context of Poland introduce the story of the Battle of Tannenberg.
![tannenberg battlefield today tannenberg battlefield today](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8d/83/ac/8d83aceb5e013792fa3a0bc5f2874ae3.jpg)
Tannenberg battlefield today series#
Henri de Turenne and Daniel Costelle present the series "Turning Points in History." This segment describes the Battle of Tannenberg between German and Polish/Lithuanian forces.
Tannenberg battlefield today free#
Opening Credits: The Battle of Tannenberg (01:15) FREE PREVIEW