William Balck

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William Balck
William Balck.jpg
Born 19 October 1858
Osnabrück, Kingdom of Hanover
Died 15 July 1924
Aurich, Province of Hanover, Free State of Prussia, Weimar Republic
Allegiance  German Empire
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1876–1919
Rank Generalleutnant
Commands held 51. Reserve-Division
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Pour le Mérite
Relations Hermann Balck (son)

William Balck (19 October 1858 in Osnabrück – 15 July 1924 in Aurich) was a Prussian officer military officer who attained the rank of major general (Generalleutnant) during the First World War. A prolific author, Balck wrote extensively on matters of military organization, tactics, technology, and training. His most famous work was a six-volume textbook on tactics. Known simply as "Tactics" (Taktik), this work went through four major revisions, and was translated into English, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Italian, Greek, and Turkish. [1]

Early Life

William Balck was the son of Lieutenant Colonel George Philipp Balck, an officer of the British Army, and his wife, Sophie Charlotte Elise Balck. Balck's mother was the daughter of Brigadier General Conrad Friedrich Lütgen (1790–1854), an officer of the army of the Kingdom of Hannover, and his wife, Dorothee Charlotte Lackemann. [2]

Military Service

After attending cadet schools at Plön and Berlin, Balck was commissioned into the 78th (East Frisian) Infantry Regiment of the Prussian Army, which was stationed in his home town of Osnabrück. Between 1889 and 1892, he attended the Kriegsakademie in Berlin. After graduation and a period of probationary service, he joined the General Staff Corps. [3]

In 1898 and 1899, Balck commanded a company in Infanterie Regiment von Falkenstein (7th Westphalian) Nr. 56 [4][5] In 1900, Balck was promoted to the rank of major and transferred to the Great General Staff, where he taught at the Kriegsakademie (1901 through 1903) . [6][7] and served as a staff officer (1904).[8]

In 1906 and 1907, Balck served as a battalion commander in Infanterie Regiment von Courbière (2nd Posen) Nr. 19 [9][10] In 1908, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and transferred to Infanterie Regiment Graf Kirchbach (1st Lower Silesian) Nr. 46 [11][12] In 1910, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and given command of Infantry Regiment von der Marwitz (8th Pomeranian) Nr. 61. [13] [14]

In the spring of 1913, Balck became a brigadier general (Generalmajor) and was appointed to the command of the 82nd Infantry Brigade. [15] In the summer of 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, he became the Inspector of Field Telegraphy. [16] [17]

During the First World War, Balck served as the commanding general of an infantry division. In 1918, he served as governor of the islands of Ösel, Moon, and Dagö. [18]

Personal Life

On 21 March 1893, Balck married Mathilde Jensen. They had two children, Frieda and Georg Otto Hermann. He died, on 15 July 1924, after a long illness. [19]


Awards

Writings

  • Taktik, (Tactics), first edition, (Berlin : Eisenschmidt, 1897-1904)
  • Taktik, (Tactics), second edition, (Berlin : Eisenschmidt, 1899-1904)
  • Taktik, (Tactics), third edition, (Berlin : Eisenschmidt, 1903-1907)
  • Taktik, (Tactics), fourth edition, (Berlin : Eisenschmidt, 1908-1910)
  • Die französische Infanterie-Taktik, in ihrer Entwickelung seit dem Kriege 1870/71 (French Infantry Tactics: Their Development since the War of 1870/71) (Berlin: E.S. Mittler, 1902)
  • Prinz Friedrich Carl, (Prince Frederick Charles) (Berlin : B. Behr, 1906)
  • Nachtgefechte und Nachtübungen, (Night Engagements and Night Exercises), (Berlin : Eisenschmidt, 1910)
  • Neufranzösische Taktik, (New French Tactics)(Berlin : Bath, 1909)
  • Studien zur Schlachtentaktik, (Studies in Battle Tactics), (Berlin : Bath, 1912)
  • Kriegsspiel und Übungsritt als Vorschule für die Truppenführung, (War Games and Exercise Rides as Preschool for the Leading of Combined Arms Formations) (Berlin: Eisenschmitt, 1913)
  • Die englische Armee im Felde, (The English Army in the Field), (Berlin : Bath, 1913)
  • Neufranzösische Taktik, (New French Tactics)(Berlin : Bath, 1914)
  • v. Wedels Offizier-Taschenbuch für Manöver, Übungsritte, Feldgebrauch, Kriegsspiel, taktische Arbeiten, (Von Wedels Officer's Pocketbook for Maneuvers, Training Rides, Field Service, War Games, and Tactical Exercises), fortieth edition (Berlin: Eisenschmitt, 1913)
  • v. Wedels Offizier-Taschenbuch für Manöver, Übungsritte, Feldgebrauch, Kriegsspiel, taktische Arbeiten, (Von Wedels Officer's Pocketbook for Maneuvers, Training Rides, Field Service, War Games, and Tactical Exercises), forty-second edition (Berlin: Eisenschmitt, 1915)
  • v. Wedels Offizier-Taschenbuch für Kriegs- und Friedensgebrauch, (Von Wedels Officer's Pocketbook for Von Wedels Officer's Pocketbook for Use in Peace and War), forty-fifth edition (Berlin: Eisenschmitt, 1916)
  • v. Wedels Offizier-Taschenbuch für Kriegs- und Friedensgebrauch, (Von Wedels Officer's Pocketbook for Use in Peace and War), forty-sixth edition (Berlin: Eisenschmitt, 1916)
  • v. Wedels Offizier-Taschenbuch für Kriegs- und Friedensgebrauch, (Von Wedels Officer's Pocketbook for Use in Peace and War), forty-seventh edition (Berlin: Eisenschmitt, 1917)
  • Entwickelung der Taktik im Weltkriege, (Development of Tactics in the World War), first edition (Berlin : Eisenschmidt, 1920)
  • Kriegserfahrungen, (Lessons of the War) (Berlin: Georg Bath, 1921)
  • Entwickelung der Taktik im Weltkriege, (Development of Tactics in the World War), expanded edition (Berlin : R. Eisenschmidt, 1922)

The revision of Taktik was a continuous project. Thus, later volumes of earlier editions often appeared in print after the publication of earlier volumes of later editions.

Literature

  • Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand and Christian Zweng, Die Ritter des Ordens Pour le Mérite des I. Weltkriegs, Band 1: A-G. (Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. 1999) ISBN 3-7648-2505-7.
  • Hermann Balck, "Balck, Konrad Friedrich August Henry William," in Otto zu Stolberg-Wernigerode, Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB). Band 1, (Berlin: Duncker & Humbolt, 1953), ISBN 3-428-00182-6, p. 547
  • Kurt von Priesdorff, Soldatisches Führertum, (Hamburg: Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, no date), pp. 87–89

External links

The German National Library (Deutsche National Bibliothek) mistakenly attributes to William Balck several books that were, in fact, written by his son Hermann Balck.

References

  1. ↑ Hermann Balck, "Balck, Konrad Friedrich August Henry William," p. 547
  2. ↑ Hermann Balck, "Balck, Konrad Friedrich August Henry William," p. 547
  3. ↑ Hermann Balck, "Balck, Konrad Friedrich August Henry William," p. 547
  4. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (first edition, part II, 1898), frontmatter
  5. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (second edition, part I, 1899), frontmatter
  6. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (second edition, volume 3, 1901), frontmatter
  7. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (second edition, volume 3, 1901), frontmatter
  8. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (second edition, volume 3, 1901), frontmatter
  9. ↑ William Balck, Prinz Friedrich Carl, frontmatter
  10. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (third edition, volume 5, 1907), frontmatter
  11. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (fourth edition, volume 1, 1908), frontmatter
  12. ↑ William Balck, Taktik (fourth edition, volume 3, 1909), frontmatter
  13. ↑ William Balck, Taktik, (fourth edition, volume 2, 1910), frontmatter
  14. ↑ Balck, “Waldgefechte und Waldübungen”, Jahrbücher für die deutsche Armee und Marine, September 1910 (No. 469), p. 307
  15. ↑ Black, “Kampfweise der russischen Infanterie in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart”, Jahrbücher für die deutsche Armee und Marine, April 1913 (No. 500) p. 463
  16. ↑ Hermann Balck, "Balck, Konrad Friedrich August Henry William," p. 547
  17. ↑ William Balck, von Wedels Taschenbuch (1915), frontmatter
  18. ↑ Hermann Balck, "Balck, Konrad Friedrich August Henry William," p. 547
  19. ↑ Notice, Militär-Wochenblatt, 1924, page 734
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