Kurt Rackow

Early on the morning of Friday 2 June 1916, Lieutenant Rackow, together with twenty men, made it onto the top of Fort Vaux. The Germans had been on the slopes of the fort for several months. And Rackow was first to the top of the “mountain”.

He had set out to attack a few hours previously, surrounded by his comrades from the 158th Regiment. As they approached the fort, they had to move forward under the fire of the defenders. They reached the edge of the moat, but it was impossible to go any further. The French were firing all the weapons they had from a blockhouse to keep them out. But thanks to the sappers who had smoked out the French, Rackow had managed to get to the other side of the obstacle. He had reached his objective, but only a handful of men had managed to follow him.

And now he was all alone. The others had been stopped by the French defenders. But Rackow would not consider retreating. The Germans had never been so close to their goal.

For hours, Rackow communicated in morse code with the soldiers stuck around the fort, to let them know that he intended to hold his position. Relief came at last in late afternoon. Reinforcements forced the French to hole up inside the fort.

In the evening, 150 men under Rackow’s command staged a blockade. And yet, it took another five days for Vaux to fall. Rackow was not present to witness the surrender. He was relieved on the evening of 3 June, and became a national hero, receiving Germany’s highest honour: the Merit Cross.