Die Grenzwacht Hielt im Osten Origins
Some months ago I wrote an article about the poem popularly known as Die Grenzwacht Hielt im Osten. It’s a beautiful poem lamenting the loss of one’s homeland. It is a tragic monument to the eternal struggle between those who create and those who destroy.
Die Grenzwacht Hielt im Osten, originally titled Die Baltenfahne was written by Karl Freiherr von Manteuffel-Katzdangen. In the spirit of preservation it was published in Das Buch vom Deutschen Freikorpskämpfer (The Book of The German Freikorps Fighters) by Ernst von Salomon in 1938.
Baron Karl von Manteuffel-Katzdangen (July 20 1872 - † April 3 1948) was a native of Kurland and part of the German nobility in the region known as the Baltic Barons. The labor of his ancestors had been to build up and develop the baltic plains into a proper civilization. Unfortunately, throughout his lifetime the relationship between Germans and Latvians had always been tense and unstable. The growing popularity of Latvian independence movements not only threatened the Russian empire but also the estates of the Baltic Barons. During the 1905 Russian Revolution the Manteuffel estate would experience the destructivity of early bolshevism first hand when revolutionaries set fire to the Katzdangen Palace. In an instance the world of a man who once devoted himself to progressive social reforms and the patronage of Latvian artists had completely changed. Karl von Manteuffel-Katzdangen now believed that the only way to preserve his estate and civilization in the Baltics was to face bolshevism head on.
It was precisely this incident that inspired von Manteuffel to write Die Grenzwacht Hielt im Osten. One month after its destruction von Manteuffel began the reconstruction of the palace respecting the original design. In the reconstruction he found joy and hope which likely inspired him to write his poem. About his first poem von Manteuffel wrote: “Also at that time [of reconstruction] my first poem ‘Die Wacht im Ost’ was printed and sung at German events. During my father’s time a ‘poet’ as a representative of the land would have been hardly acceptable: the times had changed.”
In 1906 von Manteuffel started the Association of Germans in Kurland (Deutschen Verein in Kurland) and later became the leader of the Kurland Soldiers’ Settlement association. Many of the Baltic Barons of the time had promised Freikorps soldiers land from their own estates for settlement as compensation.
After The Great War and the abdication of the Tsar, Bolsheviks began their march towards the east. The creep of bolshevism westwards became of great concern to all of Europe. Knowing that the Baltics were unable to defend themselves, on December 29th 1918 Minister Plenipotentiary to the Baltics August Winning negotiated a deal with the Latvian government which would allow German forces to fight in the Baltics. Days later on January 4th 1919 Defense Minister Gustav Noske, knowing that the governmental forces could not defend the region alone, approved the use of these volunteer forces. These forces were known as Freikorps. Having no other option in stopping bolshevism the Entente tacitly consented.
While these agreements were being signed Bolshevik forces were underway destroying Riga. Among the many victims of the Bolshevik campaign was the German theatre which was burned down on January 2, 1919. One day later on January 3, 1919 the Bolshevik forces successfully waged their putsch in Riga.
Eventually Baron Karl von Manteuffel-Katzdangen and most of the Manteuffel family were forced to leave their ancestral home. Most never returned.
All that remains of the Manteuffel estate is an uninhabited palace the poems left behind.
You can read more about the Baltic Freikorps here in my previously published articles.
