Reports from the Theatre of War. Major Viktor von Lignitz and the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78

Abstract

Abstract There continues to be a dearth of detailed studies of the reports filed by military attachés. This gap is especially evident in the recent historiography of the Prussian army because the majority of these documents were destroyed along with the Heeresarchiv in 1945. However, through a series of fortunate circumstances virtually all of the original reports filed by Major Viktor von Lignitz (military attaché in St. Petersburg 1876–1885) while acting as an observer with the Russian army during the war against Turkey were retained in the archives of the Auswärtiges Amt and were thereby spared the flames. The preservation of over eighty official despatches filed during Lignitz′s military mission not only provides researchers with the critical perspective of an experienced combat officer on the Balkan campaign of 1877/78, but also sheds important new light on a critical period in international affairs. In particular, the picture of Lignitz′s mission that emerges from the files of the Foreign Office archives adds another chapter to the history of the problematic relationship between the civilian and military leadership during the imperial era.