Poem ~ Russia And Speculation - Sunday, 25 March 1917 - Saturday, 31 March 1917

Source: File: Vladimir 'Lenin' Ilyich Ulyanov in Exile. Collective Leadership. See an original image at: <http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/11562318> [Accessed 25 March 2017]

16 March 1917 of the Gregorian calendar,

Noted how just over a week of revolution

Within Russia brought out reactions from

Other world countries - America's press

Were positive to respect Russia's people.

The view had arrived from New York,

Unblended by a lengthy Berlin wireless

Message to neutral countries - whose

Influence of assistance had funded

The return of Bolsheviks to Russia.

This included one certain figure intent

To lead the party; Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov

Known by alias Lenin - propaganda from

Germany had sought to suggest how

Russia would then be out of the war.

London opinion had no such thought -

Rebirth of Russian determination

Was suggestion - united Russian, free

Of plots would be better equipped;
Revolts success would defeat Germany,

A Petrograd dispatch told how army

Was on revolutionary side - two years

Of war bled away complete Tsar loyalty

And obedience to the Empire - America

Had welcomed the change of rule.

To say how entrusted Duma leaders

With others were directing the empire -

Maladministration’s had been turned

Upside down to realise ambitions; for
Russian access to unfrozen seas.

News of the Tsar's abdication raised

By press, as in the New York Times,

Noted the passing of an old regime,

Maybe to herald a new free world;

Democratic countries looked to Russia.

Democracy would free Russian

People - that good organization

Would make defeat of revolution

Impossible - what then will those

Autocrats in Germany consider?

The New York Tribune had debated

How changes of Russian rule may

Be decisive act to defeat Germany -

Within New York Times was theory

Of temporary abdication of monarchy.

To see new constitutional Tsar form

That could rule as head of the state;

America eagerly awaited more news.

Yet German reaction was subdued;

Perhaps a more realistic viewpoint.

Overall the view from Germany

Was one of regret and unknown -

How might alliances be affected?

A warning made by press to say

Caution against any change in war.

Deutsche Zeitung; 'personalities are

Central to events,' Vassische Zeitung;

Advised judgment; Berliner Tageblatt

Warned of anti monarchy; Frankfurter

Zeitung stated; can be no prediction.

A calmer reaction purveyed France

Where Press in the 'Temps' saw a shift

To the left in Bureaucracy and peoples

Struggles - a power shift to a bloc held

By assemblies and an army majority.

Yet the 'Temps' reminded the reader by

France's own historical fight for liberty.

Holland held change as victory for war

Parties, to end speculation of separate

Peace between Russia and Germany.

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant added,

Idea of revolution would lend continuation

Of war - Italian military situation would

Not alter due to rapid manner of revolt -

Italy said: 'evil out of which good will come.'

Skepticism dominated - such Russian

Events as a telegram in Austrian capital

Of Vienna - any results of rising were far

Too soon to speculate; the coup d'etate

Would have a world reaching effects.

Analysis of Denmark dwelled on theory

That the old government had tendencies

Of a bond with Germany - in a renewal

Of rule, Russia would lean to envigoured

Route into the war as shared in Britain.

British MP Philip Stanhope, 1st Baron

Weardale's statement in an interview

Told of close acquaintance of many

Members of the new Russian cabinet -

To hope for new freedoms for people.

Stanhope shared belief of resurgence

By military presence on the fighting

Field - how agricultural movements

Would now be restored, to deal with

Food shortages with Moscow at centre.

Seen as important, British opinion held

Thoughts of Henry Mayes Hyndman,

A founder of Britain’s first socialist party;

This had been an ideal revolution

Where limited blood had been spilled.

A 'parasitical class' had been overturned

To claim facts had been issued in 'Justice,'

5 months before - background intrigue

Had led to downfall, while Miliukoff gained

Praise by Hyndman for smooth revolt.

So Kaiser be warned writing is on wall -

A world was watching wheel of revolution

For a smoothed shift of Russian power,

To rise and crush Germany; yet a wary

World should beware of revolutionaries.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. A Worlds View On The Russian Revolt - America Delighted. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 March 1917. P.6. Col.4. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214364/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1917.html> [Accessed: 25 March 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 25 March 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214364/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Peace In A Note - Thursday, 28 December 1916 - Friday, 29 December 1916

Source: File: Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg. See an original image at: <https://macedonia1912-1918.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/ww1-leaders-german-statesmen-and-army.html> [Accessed 28 December 2016]

Possibly prompted and basking in glow

Of success over Roumanian defeat,

Germany purveyed idea of negotiated

Peace - perhaps to believe that with

Advent of Christmas and goodwill to all

Men that this might be taken seriously.

Came an echo of previous attestations,

Where war's conclusion might become

Reality - another chapter for peace

Emerged from words by the German

Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg

12 December 1916, given in a speech.

The act of Roumania's entry to conflict

Began the body of the speech before

The Reichstag podium - in seriousness

Of the situation was noted Field Marshall

Von Hindenburg's strength - who had

Captured Bucharest and Wallachia.

This had been achieved alongside other

Fronts; the Somme, Italy and Russian -

Without any let up Hiddenburg pushed

All operations onwards. A twist existed

In Roumanian foodstuffs stocks,

While German enemies felt a famine.

The speech entwined praise and awe

On emperor's heart, by 1st anniversary

August 1915 - words told how Germany's

Empire was not a besieged fortress, but

An organised nation - having limitless

Resources, alongside a force of allies. 

Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg

Laid out claims to a nation of defence

And freedom - having quite forgotten

Their initial invading aggression -

Ever ready to hold out the German

Hand made claim of a peaceful country.

'God, humanity and nation' - three

Elements evoked the story, how all

Attempts for German declarations

Of peace were always avoided -

A reluctant Kaiser had mobilised,

Prompted by Russian mobilisation.

To claim throughout months of war,

The emperor wanted only peace -

His morals and religion nature finally

Prompted him to make official

Request for war's end, for harmony

With hostile countries in mutual peace.

Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg

Advised he had sent a transmission

Of a note for peace to major neutral

States; Switzerland, America and

Spain - ensuring all hostile powers

Received this, as well as neutrals.

To include the Pope who had always

Been an agent for a peaceful end

To conflict - the peace note circulated

To Constantinople, Vienna and Sofia.

The Chancellor edged towards reading

Circulated note in challenging enemy.

Greatest of all claims was the real

Existence of German world power,

And their clear conscience to act

In choosing peace over slaughter -

If declined than those that fought

Against them are wars perpetuators.

By suggestion that their enemies

Seek only to conquer how they,

With such words, spin doctor this

Situation - 'God will be the judge'

As Germany carrys on their way;

A burden of horror will be enemies.

To state the obvious catastrophe

Of conflict over much of the world,

Germany was not out to annihilate

Their adversaries, in a war forced

On them - yet a strong economy

Would enable them to continue.

A bitter end would be no problem,

Though civilization might dissolve

Into ruin - victories in Balkan arena

Only showed German power - how

That situation justifies their nations

Claim to unrelenting successes.

'Germany then carries on a war

Of defence' - she fights to assure

Integrity of frontiers and liberty

Of her nation' - for free intellect

And to develop peaceful energy

Alongside neighboring nations.

A pontification address to pope's

Intentions was to set out Germany

As subject of victimisation - only

Germany was ready for peace -

Setting forth an understanding for

The Holy See to channel outcome.

Making out his congratulations for

Imperial chancellors speech came

Reports via neutrals, quoting words

Of Marshal von Hindenburg - whose

Emotion was a soldier’s response;

'To live and die for the fatherland.'

Words from a Berlin telegram added

More prophetic rhetoric; Hiddenburg

Declared the highest holy duty by

Prosecuting victory another, Dr von

Bethmann-Hollweg, stated the words

As being both the army and peoples.

To reinforce that if German enemies

Did not terminate the war, guarantee

Of Germany is to fight and secure

Fatherland a strong, lasting peace -

Meanwhile neutral reactions came

In with importance of United States.

Missouri politician and chairman

Of Senate Committee for Foreign

Relations, William Stone, addressed

The 'League to Enforce Peace' - as

An advocate of American neutrality,

With right to open up negotiations.

William Stone refused all warnings

From any foreign statesmen opinions,

That United states peace movements

Would be seen as futile and offensive.

He pointed out that USA had lost lives

And property due to European events.

Despite this that the USA movements

Should not be considered as meddlers,

But as a friend who had been affected

By wars ruthless acts - what might then

Happen from the latest initiatives from
Germany; might peace come in 1917?

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Hindenburg And Peace - Significant Telegrams. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 December 1916. P.10. Col.3. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll> [Accessed: 28 December 2016].

Anon.,1916. The Peace Proposal - An American View. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 15 December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll> [Accessed: 28 December 2016].

Source: File: Extract from the Speech of Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in the German Reichstag, December 12, 1916. Available at: <https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Extract_from_the_Speech_of_Chancellor_von_Bethmann-Hollweg_in_the_German_Reichstag,_December_12,_1916> [Accessed 25 December 2016]

Source: File: Official Communications and Speeches Relating to Peace Proposals 1916-1917. Available at: <https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Official_Communications_and_Speeches_Relating_to_Peace_Proposals_1916-1917> [Accessed 25 December 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 28 December 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Captivity At Ruhleben - Sunday, 9 January 1916

Source: File: Ruhleben Postal Stamp.jpg. [online] An original image is Available at: <http://www.rdpypres.com/uploads/The%20Ruhleben%20Civil%20Internee%20Camp%20of%20WW1.pdf> [Accessed: 9 January 2016]

In the tale of repatriated prisoners,

Of British swapped for German

Detainee’s - numbers came from

The German camp of Ruhleben.

With relief to be home once again,

Their news was of conditions

Having been improved, where

Others were still held at Ruhleben.

While many Britons had departed

From Germany at the outset

Of the war, others were too late -

Finding borders closed to them.

In act of being alienated overnight,

German military police set out

To round up all their enemy

Nationals, for duration’s detainment.

A decision in Berlin was Ruhleben

Racecourse - which had been

Used as a harness racing track,

In Berlin's prosperous 1900's.

The venue had three grandstands,

A club house, casino, officers

Quarters, including a restaurant -

Re-assigned as an internment camp.

6 November 1914, and prisoners

Arrived - a lack of bedding

Leading to crammed situations,

Due to underestimated numbers.

Used as accommodation, stables

Had horseboxes to hold beds

Of straw sacks - for any that

Did not get a bed, slept in haylofts.

Initially having to spend each day

Solely in the barracks, hygiene

Was issue, with overcrowding

And rats; facilities had to be made.

Large numbers meant that usage

Of wash houses were limited -

Daily exercise became a walk

To the field kitchen and back.

Amid the British held at Ruhleben

Included passengers of ships,

Trawler fishermen and people

Having worked in German industries.

From those returned home, reports

Were of improvements made

At Ruhleben camp - while food

Improved a society had also evolved.

From interned talent, both musical

And drama groups formed -

To hold productions, while

Sportsmen formed a Ruhleben Club.

Alongside playing cricket, tennis

Rugby and golf - the Germans

Kept to the Geneva Convention,

As detainees controlled their affairs.

A printing press brought to camp,

Led to a magazine - with a police

Force, library and postal services

Emerged amid camp businesses.

Called Ruhleben Express Delivery

The post service began July 1915,

To have at least16 varied stamps -

Posting 6000 letters every month.

An organisation had emerged,

Inevitably from 5,500 people -

From initial days they had elected

Captains across 11 barracks.

The resulting negotiations had

Tackled many of their problems,

To give relief for the poorest

People; along with supplies.

Food was brought in from outside,

While a compulsory barrack fee

Among those able to pay, led

To funding cleaning volunteers.

While imprisoned a society had
Developed, that led to operations
Of a civilian township at Berlin's
Racing Track called Ruhleben.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. Released Prisoners - Arrival at Tilbury - Red Cross Men's Experiences. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 January 1916. P.7. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html [Accessed: 9 January 2016].

Source: File: Ruhleben internment camp. Online. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhleben_internment_camp

Ruhleben internment camp> Accessed 9 January 2016

Source: File: 'Cabbage soup again' - the hardships & resilience of men held in Germany's Ruhleben prison camp. Online. Available at: <http://www.centenarynews.com/article?id=1446> Accessed 9 January 2016

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 9 January 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12083269/Daily-Telegraph-January-8-1916.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Another End to War - Tuesday, 6 July 1915

William Senior. "There will be no winter campaign. The war will be over in October." 

William Junior."Poor old father! He says that every year."

[In 1914 the Kaiser promised his troops that they should be "back in dear old Fatherland before the fall of the leaves."]

Impression sketch of Punch Cartoon - by Jamie. See original at: http://punch.photoshelter.com/image/I000084MODxzD4tM

By quotations of Capus,

Diplomat of Nuetral staus -

Came another intonation

Of war's end - in months.

Travelling back from Berlin,

The diplomat arrived Paris,

5 July, to report the Kaiser's

Belief - conveyed by speech -

The words voiced in event,

Of a military ceremony.

End of war would be made

In October 1915 - this claim

Having stirred up a great

Excitement in the German

Capital - the thought that

Having no winter campaign

Might relieve their anguish.

Yet still preparation went on

For a campaign in darkest

Months of the year - yet were

moves to avoid that kind

of dire situation - as efforts

of Germany would increase.

So that autumn would see

Furious final front, for gains

Of all that Germany sought-

While Capus' prediction that

Solid allied resistance, may

be straw to break Germany.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. War to End in October - No Winter Campaign - Kaiser's Latest Speech. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 6 July. P.9. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11720702/Daily-Telegraph-July-6-1915.html [Accessed: 6 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 6 July 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11720702/Daily-Telegraph-July-6-1915.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Berlin Food Shortage - Friday, 12 February 1915

Source: File: Queue for food.jpg, 2015.  Germans had to queue for food, but the blockade was not the main factor in shortages. Ars Electronica, CC BY-NC-ND Four. Things We Get Wrong About World War I By Mark Harrison. [online] Available at:<http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2014/04/05/four_things_we_get_wrong_about_world_war_i_110415.html> [Accessed: 12 February 2015].

On the German home front, a crisis

Had been rising, to result in minor riots -

Where shopkeepers of food stores,

Faced a barrage of angry women -

People out on the streets, to number

Hundreds, were seen in Germany’s

Capital - gathered outside grocer's shops -

They asked, ‘Where can we get potatoes?’

11 February was a bleak day as Berlin

Shops closed their doors by eleven a.m. 

The sellers found themselves under siege

As the people raged for want of foodstuff,

The police struggled to keep public order.

From the date of 15 February, Denmark

Was to prohibit all potatoe exportation -

While in Berlin, as across the country,

Bakeries up to 40 percent were on verge

Of ruin - with 310 closed within the capital,

As breweries are ordered to reduce output.

Local governing bodies had, by then,

Began the process to arrange provision

For the most needy - but a great worry

And anxiety filled the German population.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. German Food Shortage – No Potatoes in Berlin – Fighting in Shops. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 12 Feb. P.9. Col.3. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11406379/Daily-Telegraph-February-12-1915.html [Accessed: 12 February 2015].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication,12 February 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11406379/Daily-Telegraph-February-12-1915.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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