The First World War 1914-1918 – Folwark (Vorwerk)

Two alliances

The first was the Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy; the second the so-called Entente: Great Britain, France, Russia. In the course of the war the following joined the Entente: Serbia, Belgium, Japan, Romania, the USA.

The pretext for the outbreak of war was the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo.

On 8 July 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
On 1 August 1914 Germany declared war on Russia.
On 3 August 1914 Germany declared war on France.
On 6 August 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia.
On 6 August 1914 Great Britain and Serbia declared war on Germany.
On 12 August 1914 Great Britain and France declared war on Austria-Hungary.

Folwark in the first days of August 1914

In the first days of August 1914 this news reaches our quiet, peaceful community (according to the chronicle), and we read on: ... The bell rings in the chapel, a messenger posts notices. One notice by the inn, the others on street corners. [For those born after 1945 I should say that the inn stood on the corner of ul. Lipowa and ul. Krapkowicka, on the site of the present property of the Fikus family.] The news spreads like lightning from house to house. The weeping of the women and the deathly calm of the men, fear.

Called up for the army at once:

1. Pionier, Josef Sadlo
2. Infanterist, Alois Buhl (Stary Sowik)
3. Luftschiffer, Stanislaus Smolin
4. Reserve, Unteroffizier, Josef Buhl (brother of Alois)
5. Reserve, Bernhard Chudalla
6. Reserve, Franz Lakotta
7. Reserve, Johann Kochanek
8. Reserve, Peter Kornek (father of Eryk Kornek)
9. Reserve, Johann Gisa
10. Reserve, Thomas Kurpiers
11. Reserve, Thomas Kornek
12. Reserve, Ignatz Kornek
13. Landwehr, Halbbauer, Stanislaus Smolin
14. Landwehr, Häusler, Josef Zmarsly
15. Landwehr, Häusler, Franz Kornek
16. Landwehr, Josef Broj
17. Landwehr, Jakob Kornek
18. Landsturm, Paul Langosch
19. Landsturm, Johann Kittel
20. Landsturm, Josef Lazik
21. Landsturm, Franz Kornek

During the war the following inhabitants were called up:

22. Häusler, Ignatz Kurpiers I
23. Häusler, Ignatz Kurpiers II
24. Häusler-Sohn, Johann Kurpiers
25. Häusler-Sohn, Karl Wystrach
26. Johann Staffa
27. Halbbauer, Josef Kochanek
28. Tischler, Stanislaus Kochanek
29. Halbbauer-Sohn, Peter Kornek
30. Schumacher, Josef Kornek
31. Johann Murowski
32. Andreas Lakotta
33. Johann Chudalla
34. Peter Kurpiers
35. Bernhard Lakotta
36. Franz Malik
37. Stephan Gisa
38. Johann Lakotta
39. Johann Kiwus
40. Peter Kiwus
41. Stefan Kornek
42. Paul Smolin
43. Peter Gisa
44. Josef Smolin
45. Josef Lakotta
46. Johann Gambiec
47. Johann Kornek
48. Alois Schikora
49. Paul Smolin

Fallen on the fronts of the First World War for the Emperor

1. Unteroffizier Josef Buhl, † 22 August 1914 at Rossignal (France), brother of Alois
2. Landwehrmann Stanislaus Smolin, † 1 September 1914 at Casanow Tarnowska
3. Reservist Bernhard Chudalla, † 30 August 1914 in France
4. Recruit Peter Kurpiers, † 10 July 1915 at the Lorette Heights in France
5. Recruit Johann Chudalla, † 13 December 1914 at Osik in Russia
6. Landwehrmann Josef Broj, † 31 August 1915 at Siwice in Russia
7. Reservist Ignatz Kurpiers II, † 6 March 1916 in France
8. Landsturm Johan Kittel, † 8 October 1916 at Brendorf (Siebenbirgen) in bayonet fighting
9. Stephan Kornek, † 19 December 1916, died after a chest wound
10. Wehrmann Paul Kurpiers, † 31 July 1917, killed at Flaminier in France
11. Tailor's assistant Josef Lakotta, killed in France
12. Franz Kornek, died in Russia of pneumonia

Wounded on the fronts of the First World War

1. Gunner Jakob Kornek, wounded in the head in Russia
2. Johann Gisa, wounded in the hip (Argonne Forest), father of Fox
3. Peter Gisa, wounded in the head at the Lorette Heights, father of Ditmar
4. Franz Lakotta, wounded in the nose and leg at the Lorette Heights, brother of Deutscher
5. Thomas Kurpiers, wounded in the leg at Verdun (Tomek)
6. Karl Wystrach, wounded in the leg in Russia, father of Erna Piechota
7. Josef Kochanek, two shots in the left arm in Russia (Stary Syma)
8. Josef Zmarsly, shot in the right arm near Lublin
9. Franz Kornek, broke his leg in France
10. Johann Murowski, shot in the hip at the Lorette Heights, father of Adam
11. Johann Staffa, wounded by shell fragments in the hip and leg
12. Stanislaus Kochanek, wounded in the head by shell fragments (joiner)
13. Peter Gisa, wounded in the left arm
14. Stanislaus Kornek, wounded in the back by a grenade, in France

Taken prisoner

1. Ignatz Kurpiers
2. Peter Kiwus
3. Peter Kornek
4. Alois Schikora

Decorated: E.K. II (Iron Cross, 2nd class)

1. Peter Kiwus
2. Johann Gisa
3. Josef Zmarsly
4. Alois Buhl (Sowik)
5. Stanislaus Smolin
6. Franz Lakotta
7. Karl Wystrach
8. Franz Kornek
9. Johann Kurpiers

In the records we also read that in 1915 the inhabitants of our community gave the Red Cross the following gifts: two sacks of apples for compote, 21 pairs of woollen socks made by the women of Folwark, 5 pairs of woollen wrist warmers made by the women of Folwark, 19 pillows, partly with bedding, for the military hospital. 40 marks were paid into the Red Cross account. In addition a certain quantity of potatoes, cabbage and fruit was delivered. 1000 marks were pledged for war purposes.

Summary

The war lasted 4 years and ended with the defeat of the Central Powers (the “Triple Alliance”). 33 states took part in the war, 29 of them on the side of the Entente.

About 70 000 000 people were mobilised, 49 of them from Folwark.
About 10 000 000 people were killed, 12 of them from Folwark.
About 20 000 000 people were wounded, 14 of them from Folwark.

Enormous material losses were suffered.

In January 1919 the Paris Peace Conference began its deliberations. It was to resolve all the disputed problems that had caused the war and to secure eternal peace for the world. Many treaties were signed (at Versailles with Germany, with Austria at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, with Bulgaria at Neuilly-sur-Seine, with Hungary at Trianon and with Turkey at Sèvres). A new political structure of Europe was created. New states arose or regained independence: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland. Germany and Austria became republics.

The war was not yet over, the Paris Conference was to secure eternal peace for the world, and in Silesia a new war was being prepared: the “Silesian Uprisings”.