Defensive, Minimalist Reichswehr

["Bertil Häggman" <bertil.haggman@helsingborg.se>]

>OK, but even if I am wrong, would you really think it was a defense army by
>heart or only by the treaty of Versailles?


Reichswehr was formed in 1919 and allowed
seven infantry divisions and three cavalry divisions.
The fleet was allowed six battleships of max.
10,000 tons, 6 light cruisers, 12 destroyers (cruisers
and destroyers also of limited tonnage) and 12
torpedoboats. Personnel: 15,000. No heavy artillery,
tanks, submarines or fighter aircraft was permitted.
The Great General Staff was dissolved. Reichswehr
was abolished in 1935.

In 1919 EJ served as Zugfuehrer in the newly
created Reichswehr (Reichswehr-Infanterie.
regiment 16 in Hannover).

In March 1920 he participated in Hannover
in the putting down of the Kapp Coup. He worked
on Infantry Regulations.

Later EJ served in the Ministry of the Reichswehr.
EJ left Reichswehr service on 31 August 1923.

During this period Reichswehr was nothing
more than stipulated in the Versailles Treaty,
a defensive organisation to protect the
Republic. What was made of it later has nothing to
do with the early period.

Greetings

Bertil Haggman