Emil Görling Papers

1916-1918
Manuscript Collection #1200
Creator(s)
Görling, Emil
Physical description
0.003 Cubic Feet, 1 box, 18 items
Preferred Citation
Emil Görling Papers (#1200), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
Access to audiovisual and digital media is restricted. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Collection (1916-1918) includes 14 silver gelatin photographs and 4 printed postcards that belonged to Emil Görling, a German soldier in the 3rd Landwehr Division during World War I. The majority of the images document the 1918 German Spring Offensive in Northern France, specifically the Noyon campaign (April-August 1918). Included are images of the devastation in the area, the battlefields between the towns of Noyon and Lassigny in France, and the unit at work, at leisure and in retreat in the Lorraine area. Many of the photographs and postcards have comments written with pencil or ink in German.


Biographical/historical information

This collection was created by Emil Görling, a German solider during World War I.

Emil was a member of the Aufraumungs-Arbeit (literally translated as the "clean-up" crew) in the 3rd Landwehr Division of the Imperial German Army. Görling's division participated in the 1918 German Spring Offensive in France.

Information obtained from Between the Covers: Item 34 in Archives and Manuscripts No. 7 Catalog, which can be found at the following link: Between the Covers, Archives and Manuscripts Catalog


Scope and arrangement

This collection contains photographs and postcards dating from between 1916 and 1918 having belonged to Emil Görling, a German soldier in the 3rd Landwehr Division during World War I. Of the 14 gelatin photographs, 13 contain writing in German using either pencil or ink. Of the 4 printed postcards, 2 contain writing. A majority of the images document the 1918 German Spring Offensive in Northern France, specifically the Noyon campaign (April-August 1918). The images depict the devastation that was caused in the area, showing dead men and horses in the battlefield as well as many destroyed buildings. Many of these battlefields were between the towns of Noyon and Lassigny in France. Also contained in this collection are pictures of the soldiers during their leisure time. In one picture a soldier can be seen playing an accordion and in another a solider is playing a guitar. The photographs also represent how they celebrated holidays with one image showing the soldiers crowded around a Christmas tree (1916). The postcards contained in the collection depict a museum building in Berlin, Germany, a monument to Captain Hermann V. Hermannsdorf in Slovenia, a snow covered winter scene and an aerial view of a town. Of the 18 photographs and postcards in the collection, only two were posted and those were probably going to Emil's family. The recipient of the postcards was Ewald Görling who lived in Hamburg, Germany.


Administrative information
Custodial History

April 25, 2012, 0.003 cubic feet, 18 items; Collection (1916-1918) includes 14 silver gelatin photographs and 4 printed postcards that belonged to Emil Görling, a German soldier in the 3rd Landwehr Division during World War I. The majority of the images document the 1918 German Spring Offensive in Northern France, specifically the Noyon campaign (April-August 1918). Included are images of the devastation in the area, the battlefields between the towns of Noyon and Lassigny in France, and the unit at work, at leisure and in retreat in the Lorraine area. Many of the photographs and postcards have comments written with pencil or ink in German. Purchased with funds from the Special Manuscript Fund from Between The Covers - Rare Books, Inc., of Gloucester City, NJ.

Source of acquisition

Purchased with funds from the Special Manuscript Fund from Between The Covers - Rare Books, Inc., Gloucester City, NJ.

Processing information

Processed by D. Zeltmann, September 2012

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Language of material

German

Key terms
Personal Names
Görling, Emil
Gorling, Ewald--Correspondence
Corporate Names
Germany. Heer--Military life
Topical
Christmas trees--France--Noyon
Noyon, Battle of, Noyon, France, 1917-1918
Soldiers--Germany
World War, 1914-1918--Campaigns--Western Front
World War, 1914-1918--France--Noyon

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