Correus
New member
The thread titled: 'Again: Germany's Oldest War Volunteer, Prof. Dr. Gregory' has sparked my interest in finding more information about Americans who volunteered to fight for the Kaiser.
My mother's father's side of the family is German, there was even a suspected German spy in the family tree (he came up 'missing' soon after America entered the war). From what I have learned they were patriotic Germans and participated in the fund raising efforts here in the US for German war relief. I even have a ring, made here in the US, that could be purchased with the money going to the war effort.
I have often wondered about patriotic Germans living here in the US and wondered how many went to Germany to enlist. I know there were a lot of Americans who enlisted in the British military and French military so I figure some had to go fight for Germany.
While reading Ernst Jünger's 'The Storm of Steel' and in it is mention an American by the name of R. Brecht who was a Lieutenant. It is stated that "...he had hurried across from America at the outbreak of the war..." and "...led a planter's life in America before the war...". In October of 1917 (I think that's correct); "he had met his heroic death in the shell-hole area to the right of the Nordhof, while acting as a divisional observation officer".
Do any of you know anything else about Lieutenant R. Brecht?
Do any of you know of other Americans who answered the call of the Kaiser?
I would also like to know what happened to them, and their families, once the US entered the war. Were they considered 'traitors'? Were they, and their families, ostracized? For those who survived, were they they even allowed to return to the US and what was their lives like when they did?
Thoughts?
Suggestions where to start researching? I'm getting ready to do a general Google search tonight.
My mother's father's side of the family is German, there was even a suspected German spy in the family tree (he came up 'missing' soon after America entered the war). From what I have learned they were patriotic Germans and participated in the fund raising efforts here in the US for German war relief. I even have a ring, made here in the US, that could be purchased with the money going to the war effort.
I have often wondered about patriotic Germans living here in the US and wondered how many went to Germany to enlist. I know there were a lot of Americans who enlisted in the British military and French military so I figure some had to go fight for Germany.
While reading Ernst Jünger's 'The Storm of Steel' and in it is mention an American by the name of R. Brecht who was a Lieutenant. It is stated that "...he had hurried across from America at the outbreak of the war..." and "...led a planter's life in America before the war...". In October of 1917 (I think that's correct); "he had met his heroic death in the shell-hole area to the right of the Nordhof, while acting as a divisional observation officer".
Do any of you know anything else about Lieutenant R. Brecht?
Do any of you know of other Americans who answered the call of the Kaiser?
I would also like to know what happened to them, and their families, once the US entered the war. Were they considered 'traitors'? Were they, and their families, ostracized? For those who survived, were they they even allowed to return to the US and what was their lives like when they did?
Thoughts?
Suggestions where to start researching? I'm getting ready to do a general Google search tonight.