Hermann Preusker
Encyclopedia
Hans Rudolf Hermann Preusker was a Major
, the commander of the second battalion of 155 infantry regiment in the Imperial German
army. He is notable for the destruction he brought to the Polish
city of Kalisz
during the Great War. He is known in Poland
for his savage acts during this time. He ordered shooting the city with heavy artillery, as an act of revenge for the alleged attack of partisans, which in fact, never took place. Many civilians were rounded up and murdered on his command. Later on, he gave an order to burn the city - in consequence 95% of the town was completely destroyed. Nearly all the houses within the borders of the mediaeval town were burnt to the ground. The only buildings which survived were the churches and public offices. A great number of citizens were shot. Kalisz
, had had a population of 65.400 before the war, but had only 5.000 inhabitants after the August exodus. The city did not recover from these events for years afterwards.
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, the commander of the second battalion of 155 infantry regiment in the Imperial German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army. He is notable for the destruction he brought to the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
city of Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
during the Great War. He is known in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
for his savage acts during this time. He ordered shooting the city with heavy artillery, as an act of revenge for the alleged attack of partisans, which in fact, never took place. Many civilians were rounded up and murdered on his command. Later on, he gave an order to burn the city - in consequence 95% of the town was completely destroyed. Nearly all the houses within the borders of the mediaeval town were burnt to the ground. The only buildings which survived were the churches and public offices. A great number of citizens were shot. Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
, had had a population of 65.400 before the war, but had only 5.000 inhabitants after the August exodus. The city did not recover from these events for years afterwards.
See also
- Destruction of KaliszDestruction of KaliszThe destruction and sacking of the city of Kalisz occurred in August 1914. It was perpetrated by the German Empire troops. From August 2 until August 22, 1914 at the beginning of World War I, one of the oldest towns in Poland , was shelled, bombed and burned down...