Alfred Cramer (officer)

Alfred Friedrich Wilhelm Cramer (born April 24, 1863 in Stettin ; † November 8, 1915 in Minden ) was a Prussian lieutenant colonel and military writer .

Life

origin

Cramer's father was Colonel z. D. and finally in command of Saarlouis . His mother was born Freiin von Nolting.

Military career

From the cadet corps , Cramer was transferred to the infantry regiment "Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands" (2nd Westphalian) No. 15 in Minden on April 15, 1882 as a characterized portepee - ensign and was to hold this rank regularly from November 16. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant on September 11, 1883. From November 21st to December 17th, 1887 he was posted to the rifle factory in Spandau . He was adjutant of the 1st Battalion since February 10, 1888 and then he was assigned to the Central Gymnasium in Berlin from March 1 to August 26, 1891 . He was promoted to Prime Lieutenant on March 29, 1892. As such, he first worked literarily for his regiment by editing the officer history of his regiment . For Captain transported and chief of the 10th Company was appointed Cramer on January 27, 1898. Both of 20 July to 23 August 1899 as well as from 17 July to 20 August 1907, he was a teaching course the infantry - Shooting school in Wünsdorf .

His regimental commander , Curt von Morgen , commissioned Cramer to write a comprehensive regimental history, including all publications that already existed.

With the promotion to the superfluous major , Cramer was transferred to the regimental staff. His new commander, August zur Nedden , instructs Cramer to draw up a master list of all officers serving in the regiment for the 100th anniversary. When it was published, however, someone else, Colonel Hermann von Haldenwang from Württemberg, was in command of the regiment. By the highest cabinet order of January 27, 1912, Cramer received his fees as a staff officer retroactively to March 1 . To the commander of the III. He was appointed battalion on April 22, 1912.

After the mobilization , the 13th Division gathered in Eupen near the border . Cramer's regiment was initially designated as part of the 26th Infantry Brigade as a corps reserve and entered the First World War on August 12, 1914 when crossing the Belgian border . He marched with the regiment via Liège through neutral Belgium and on August 21st crossed the former battlefield of Belle Alliance, which he was familiar with from researching the regimental history he had written in connection with the summer campaign of 1815 and the battle of Waterloo . The regiment received its baptism of fire against parts of the 5th French Army on August 23 in the battle near Lobbes as part of the Battle of Namur . Thereafter his brigade was assigned to the siege of Maubeuge . In the Battle of the Aisne his battalion fought at Berméricourt and Loivre . While his battalion was exploring a canal flanked by poplars near Berméricourt , Cramer was wounded in the shoulder by a rifle shot on September 13, 1914, shortly before the regimental order to vacate the canal. Since he could no longer be recovered, Cramer was taken prisoner by the French .

During his imprisonment, he became seriously ill and returned to Minden on September 2, 1915 to exchange prisoners of war. But he did not recover in Minden either and died there with the rank of lieutenant colonel on November 8, 1915 and was buried five days later.

family

His wife was a born boy. Hans Cramer was his son.

Publications

• Officer history of the infantry regiment "Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands" (2nd Westphalian) No. 15. 1897.
• History of the infantry regiment "Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands" 2. Westphalian No. 15. 1910.
• List of officers of the "Prince Friedrich Infantry Regiment of the Netherlands" (2nd Westphalian). 1913.

literature

• Alfred Cramer: Officer master list of the infantry regiment "Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands" (2nd Westphalian) No. 15. Eisenschmidt 1913. P. 333–334.
• Gustav Riebensahm: Infantry Regiment “Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands” (2nd Westphalian) No. 15 in World War 1914–1918. Minden 1931.