HOW GERMANY SECRETLY STUDIED WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 126, 23 November 1935, Page 31

HOW GERMANY SECRETLY STUDIED WAR

The martial "anniversary" ceremony at the German War Academy which was marked by announcement of the reconstitution of the German General Staff, was also featured by an official admission that the German General Staff had been in existence ever since 1920, although forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles, says, the "New York Times."

The admission was made by no less a person than General Ludwig Beck, the old and new Chief of the General Staff, in' a speech. Only excerpts of the speech were originally issued to the Press, but the Boersen "Zeitung" prints itin full in the mood, "now it "can be told."

"The reason for the downfall of freedom, for the loss of the Great War, was not military failure," said General Beck. "The old German Army returned home after the war crowned with laurr/j and immortality. At the rebirth of the new army, therefore, it was necessary to find contacts with those factors that had constituted the old army's mighty superiority, "In- this sense the highest leaders who survived the end of the old army went to work during the period of transition of the imposed and fettered 100,000----men army. In this sense General Hans yon Seeckt, historic creator of the new Reich Army, conceived his task when on July 6, 1919, he assumed office as Chief of the General Staff for a short time and in that sense he continued as Chief of the General Troop Office and later as Chief of the Army Command.

"He not only created a model army, which the world admired and often feared, and Jaid with it the military foundations for the present reconstruction of the army, but from the very start he devoted his entire care to the

maintenance and furtherance of the general staff and very high-class military leadership.

"As early as November, 1919, he gave initiative to the training of officers in the manner of training given in the former War Academy. It was to take place at the army district commands, which were furnished with special teachers for that purpose. ;

"In the summer of 1920 ah examination was held for the first pupils, who were to act as assistants to the higher troop command. On October 1, 1920, began training fixed at two years. On October 1, 1923, a third year at the Reichswehr Ministry was added.

"From this day the training, restored to a three-year period, was continued for nine years, partly according to new ideas. From October .1, 1932, courses for leadership assistant's were combined in 'officers' courses in Berlin' at the former court building in Lehrter Street, because the * 'former War Academy building had been used for other purposes after the war.

"Since May 1, 1935, these courses again have borne the name 'war academy.' With them, even in externals, the old example has been reincarnated and the new army possessed even in externals that important training ground for military leadership to which the old German Army owed so much."

The existence of the General Staff always has been suspected and was' no longer denied to foreign Military Attaches after May 1. This, however, was the first public reference to it, with the result that all German newspapers today feature the "anniversary celebration" and some introduce the Chief of the General Staff to'the German people. ,