Re: Reinhard married?

Reinhard-Siegfried (h9407313@hkusua.hku.hk)
Thu, 30 Jan 1997 16:14:59 +0800 

Hello,

It's still a little bit off-topic spoiler, as I want to clarify the
title "Chief Adjutant-de-Camp" I referred to Hilda's job in my previous
message; otherwise someone may say "Then how about the ADCs Streit and
Lugen et al? Were they under the direct command of Hilda? Certainly
not!"

I think any term involving the words "personal" does not give the
correct title of this job. Marshal Steinmetz and Colonel-general
Mecklinger, who were Hilda's preceder and successor in this job
respectively, were not treating the personal affairs of Reinhard. This
job is a "military thing".

I should have chosen a better term describing Hilda's "official" role
before she quited to become Empress, IF such a term is available. (Maybe
someone should ask the author Mr. Tanaka for it.) So far from the books
concerning military history I've read, I found only two (or perhaps
three) suitable terms for Hilda's official title:
1. Chief-of-Staff
2. Adjutant-de-Camp (ADC)
3. Quartermaster-General

It is obvious that after Reuental's relieved from the post
"Chief-of-Staff of the Imperial Army", the Kaiser became his own
Chief-of-Staff. This job includes making battle-plans, coodinating
troops on manoeuvre, etc, which was not Hilda's duty. So I shunned this
term. 

As for the second, I've already said it's not very good here when we
take account of Streit. Also an ADC's job is to transmit command, not
giving advice.

(I think the situation here is remarkably resembling Napoleon's:
All the emperor needs is not a clever Chief-of-Staff, but a careful
"Chief-Clark on War". Marshal Berthier played this role for Napoleon,
although he was the Chief-of-Staff in name. Hilda was better: Apart from
doing the clark's job, she gave advice as well to Reinhard.)
 
I am not quite sure about the exact meaning of the third one, but it
seems that planning supplies is a part of this job. So again it's not
Hilda's job.

The fourth term was deliberately omitted. Firstly I forgot it. Secondly
it seems that it was Hitler who invented this title. So it's no good
having it here.

I hope my interpretaion may help those who want to understand the role
played by Hilda (before her coronation); especially Sue, who is working
on the translation of the Logh novel. I sincerely wish her success.

Reinhard-Siegfried