The brute squad

[joerookery]

In the iconic American movie “the Princess bride” the brute squad guard the castle gates.

This is somewhat interesting–guarding the gates of the castle at Braunschweig. The unit involved is the a Landsturm unit. X 30. interestingly enough on the back of the card it talks about 10:30 without using an X. for the Army Corps. there are only two helmets in the group and it does not appear that either of them have a specific helmet plate for this state. Interesting in that this is from Braunschweig itself. I would have expected at least the officer to have such a front plate. Shakos through mid-1916. Only some of them have collar dogs.

 

[Gustaf]

Liebe Mutti ich teile ihenen
mit das ich Gott sei Dank noch gesund
und munter bin welches ich von
ihnen noch hofe ?? ??
Karte ?? ?? geleibt Mutti
?? ist hier schones Wetter Ich
wollte ich ?? das zu ??
Es grüßt euch ?? Sohn aus
Braunschweig F. Büscher 5 Landstrm
Inf Ers Batl 10:30 1 Komp
Braunschweig wiedersehen

I am too burned out to get the address tonight, this writer seems to think that punctuation is for sissies, but pretty much the standard postcard text.
Best
Gus

 

[Gustaf]

The address is a little clearer with a bit of reat,
Feldpost
An
Wittwe Büscher
Ascher l Dässer
Kreis T???
Osnabrück
Best


I can not figure out the Kreis, it starts with a T and looks like Tbuz or Tbup or Tbug But none of those are close to anythng that would fit.
Best
Gus

 

[Robert]

I can not figure out the Kreis, it starts with a T and looks like Tbuz or Tbup or Tbug But none of those are close to anything that would fit.

I think it is Kreis Iburg, which was an independent district until it was integrated into the district Osnabrück in the 1930s. From what I understand, neither Osnabrück nor Iburg ever belonged to Braunschweig. A very interesting picture indeed!

 

[Gustaf]

Thanks Robert, that is what it is, I can not figure out why some people have to write their "I" like a "T" but then there are some scripts that use the same symbol for several letters.
Best
Gus

 

[joerookery]

Robert,

You got me looking. These guys official title was 5-Ldst.-I-Ers.-Btl. Braunschweig X30.

Standort---Bentheim!!!!!!!

That must still be in X Army Corps but it is a long long way from Braunschweig. What the heck are these guys doing guarding the castle?? They had nothing to do with that federal state except the name and the duty! Extremely interesting picture–getting better all the time–what are they doing here? Why is Braunschweig in their name? Apparently they used to be II/
Ldst I R 613. But then why the shako? I think this is a communist plot to make my head hurt more after this soccer game!

 

[Robert]

According to Busche there is a connection between the II. battalion of Landst. IR 613 which consisted of 5. Ldst.-I.-Ers.-Btl. Braunschweig (X. 30) and 1. Ers.-Btl./I.R. 92 which was the ersatz unit.

Iburg and the bentheim district are evidently neighbors and were both assigned to X Corps. So it does seem possible from organizational point of view but remains quite unlogical - why not assign an ersatz unit that is positioned nearer? Landst. IR 613 was established quite late (Dezember 1916) so probably they just put together whatever units were available.

If you look at the casualities from Bentheim they were assigned to many different units.
http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/2008/bad_bentheim-gildehaus_wk1_ns.htm

 

[Liongules]

I guess I'm being dense, I know there was a war going on, but I find it hard to understand why a Landsturm unit is guarding the ducal palace. I would have thought whatever regiment had performed that duty in peacetime would be performing it all the way up to the end.

 

[joerookery]

I don't know Mike but I tend to agree with you. especially since theErsatz bn. was there. Just goes to show we have so much to learn.

 

[drakegoodman]

Somehow I logged myself out of the forum :???: and have been missing all the fun.

Awesome pic Joe. Anything with a tschako and the word Schlosswache in it is a hit with me. I have a grainy old picture of a Landsturm auf Schloßwache at Karlsruhe, so I guess it wasn't uncommon for the Landsturm to be assigned these 'prestigious' roles.

That familiar blue pencil mark on the reverse betrays your source, but rest easy, your secret is safe with me... maybe.

 

[joerookery]

These guys are not guarding the castle but far from Baden. you can compare the two different cross backgrounds in black-and-white from the last group.

 

[joerookery]

Another guard at the Braunschweig Castle.

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ps132 by joerookery, on Flickr[/img]

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ps132a by joerookery, on Flickr[/img]