On November 14, 1897, the German Reich occupied the Chinese port of Tsingtau and, in a contract with the Chinese Empire dated March 6, 1898, leased an area of 550 km² with Tsingtau as its center for 99 years - the Kiautschou protectorate. The province of Schantung, to which the leased area actually belonged, was declared a German area of interest and a neutral zone. In this area the empire received concessions for the construction and maintenance of railway lines and mines. However, as early as 30 October 1895, the German Reich had the right to establish branches in the international contracted ports of Tientsin and Hankou, which had existed since 1859/60. And of course the empire, like the other great powers and other states involved in China trade, also maintained a legation in Beijing. German missions were also active in the interior of China, as were German merchants, especially in Shanghai. The German Reich was therefore indeed heavily involved in China and saw itself as such. Against this background, the xenophobic riots in China in Germany that began at the end of 1899 and quickly became more serious were perceived as a threat. The regent, Empress Cixi, remained ambiguous at first in her measures against the "fist fighters united in righteousness", referred to by the colonial powers as "boxers" for short, units of the imperial Chinese army partly allied themselves with them. The uprising continued to increase from January 1900 onwards, with excessive acts of violence against Chinese Christians and foreigners. From May 1900 the foreign landscapes in Beijing were threatened by insurgents, the railway lines from Beijing to the coast were attacked. The Gesandschaften therefore requested military support. In May 1900, the German Reich sent a contingent of the III Sea Battalion stationed in Tsingtau to Beijing, two further companies were ordered to Tientsin, and the cruiser squadron moved to the roadstead before the Taku forts at the mouth of the river Peiho. Meanwhile, the situation in Beijing continued to deteriorate and further troops were needed. In June 1900, the troops of the colonial powers in China formed an expeditionary corps led by the British admiral Seymour (2066 men). However, this was stopped in mid-June by Chinese troops (boxers and regular army) and had to turn back. The foreigners and Chinese Christians in Beijing had meanwhile barricaded themselves in the Gesandschaftsviertel and were cut off from the outside world. The allied colonial powers (USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Japan) stormed the Taku-Forts on June 17, the Chinese government ultimatively called on all foreigners to leave China on June 19. On 20 June the German envoy, Baron Clemens von Ketteler, was murdered in Beijing. By edict of 21 June, China effectively declared war on the Allies, but this was not reciprocated by them. The Allied troops withdrew to Tientsin at the end of June 1900. In Germany, on 25 June, a naval expedition corps of 2528 men (under Major General von Höpfner) was formed from the members of the naval infantry. In addition, on 3 July the order was given to set up an expedition corps of volunteers from the army (under Lieutenant General von Lessel). The Allies had agreed to form an international expeditionary corps, with Germany as commander-in-chief. On 12 August 1900, the former chief of the Great General Staff, Field Marshal Alfred Graf von Waldersee, was appointed commander-in-chief of the international armed force, which finally comprised 64,000 troops. Waldersee used the "Army Command East Asia" as a staff. The East Asian Expeditionary Corps set sail with its first parts on 27 July in Bremerhaven, when Emperor Wilhelm II gave the famous "Hun speech" at their farewell. With the 19,093 men of its East Asian Expeditionary Corps under Lieutenant General von Lessel, the German Reich provided almost a third of the international armed forces. Description of the holdings The documents of the Army High Command in East Asia must be regarded as lost. The tradition in the Heeresarchiv at the time was lost with it during the air raid on Potsdam in April 1945. The holdings of RW 63 therefore only contain fragments of written documents that have been preserved elsewhere by chance. Characterization of content The collection essentially comprises reports by the physician of the colonel Dr. Müller, plus a few letters. Citation method BArch RW 63/...

Contains among other things: Export ban on weapons and war material to China; General Field Marshal Graf von Waldersee sent to China as commander-in-chief of the international protection force; Schutztruppe moved into Beijing; East Asian expeditionary corps supports needy families and crews Darin: List of members of the German Navy who received an award for special services in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion

On November 14, 1897, the German Reich occupied the Chinese port of Tsingtau and, in a contract with the Chinese Empire dated March 6, 1898, leased an area of 550 km² with Tsingtau as its center for 99 years - the Kiautschou protectorate. The province of Schantung, to which the leased area actually belonged, was declared a German area of interest and a neutral zone. In this area the empire received concessions for the construction and maintenance of railway lines and mines. However, as early as 30 October 1895, the German Reich had the right to establish branches in the international contracted ports of Tientsin and Hankou, which had existed since 1859/60. And of course the empire, like the other great powers and other states involved in China trade, also maintained a legation in Beijing. German missions were also active in the interior of China, as were German merchants, especially in Shanghai. The German Reich was therefore indeed heavily involved in China and saw itself as such. Against this background, the xenophobic riots in China in Germany that began at the end of 1899 and quickly became more serious were perceived as a threat. The regent, Empress Cixi, remained ambiguous at first in her measures against the "fist fighters united in righteousness", referred to by the colonial powers as "boxers" for short, units of the imperial Chinese army partly allied themselves with them. The uprising continued to increase from January 1900 onwards, with excessive acts of violence against Chinese Christians and foreigners. From May 1900 the foreign landscapes in Beijing were threatened by insurgents, the railway lines from Beijing to the coast were attacked. The Gesandschaften therefore requested military support. In May 1900, the German Reich sent a contingent of the III Sea Battalion stationed in Tsingtau to Beijing, two further companies were ordered to Tientsin, and the cruiser squadron moved to the roadstead before the Taku forts at the mouth of the river Peiho. Meanwhile, the situation in Beijing continued to deteriorate and further troops were needed. In June 1900, the troops of the colonial powers in China formed an expeditionary corps led by the British admiral Seymour (2066 men). However, this was stopped in mid-June by Chinese troops (boxers and regular army) and had to turn back. The foreigners and Chinese Christians in Beijing had meanwhile barricaded themselves in the Gesandschaftsviertel and were cut off from the outside world. The allied colonial powers (USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Japan) stormed the Taku-Forts on June 17, the Chinese government ultimatively called on all foreigners to leave China on June 19. On 20 June the German envoy, Baron Clemens von Ketteler, was murdered in Beijing. By edict of 21 June, China effectively declared war on the Allies, but this was not reciprocated by them. The Allied troops withdrew to Tientsin at the end of June 1900. In Germany, on 25 June, a naval expedition corps of 2528 men (under Major General von Hoepfner) was formed from members of the naval infantry. In addition, on 3 July the order was given to set up an expedition corps of volunteers from the army (under Lieutenant General von Lessel). On arrival in China, Lessel also assumed supreme command of the Naval Expeditionary Corps and all other naval units deployed on land in accordance with the corresponding order of 27 July. In the meantime, the Allies had agreed to form an international expeditionary corps, with Germany as commander-in-chief. On 12 August 1900, the former chief of the Great General Staff, Field Marshal Alfred Graf von Waldersee, was appointed commander-in-chief of the international armed force, which finally comprised 64,000 troops. Waldersee used the "Army Command East Asia" as a staff. The East Asian Expeditionary Corps set sail with its first parts on 27 July in Bremerhaven, when Emperor Wilhelm II gave the famous "Hun speech" at their farewell. With the 19,093 men of its East Asian Expeditionary Corps under Lieutenant General von Lessel, the German Reich provided almost a third of the international armed forces. Structure of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps: 3 infantry brigades to 2 infantry regiments with 9 companies each 1 fighter company 1 cavalry regiment to 4 escadrons 1 field artillery regiment to 3 divisions with a total of 8 batteries 2 light ammunition columns 1 battalion heavy field howitzers with 2 batteries 1 pioneer regiment with 9 companies each 1 hunter company 1 cavalry regiment to 4 escadrons 1 field artillery regiment to 3 divisions with a total of 8 batteries 2 light ammunition columns 1 battalion heavy field howitzers with 2 batteries 1 pioneerBattalion of 3 Companies 1 Railway Battalion of 3 Companies 1 Corps Telegraph Department 1 Medical Company 1 Munitions Column Department with 7 Munitions Columns 1 Train Command with 3 Supply Columns, 1 field bakery company, 6 field hospitals 1 stage command with 1 horse depot, 1 military hospital depot, 1 stage ammunition column, personnel for 3 war hospitals and one hospital ship, several supply stations Already on the 4th day of operations, the first day of operations was at the hospital. On August 1, the Allied troops (about 20,000 men) gathered in Tientsin had once again set out and this time were able to fight their way through to Beijing. On August 14, Beijing was taken and then plundered for three days. The Chinese government fled to the south. When the international troops under Waldersee arrived in China, the situation was essentially settled, Beijing and Tientsin were horrified. Numerous "punitive expeditions" for the final destruction of the Boxers followed, in which the East Asian Expeditionary Corps was also intensively involved. The Allied approach was characterized by excessive brutality and numerous riots against the civilian population. On January 10, 1901, the Regent accepted the conditions of the Allies as laid down in the "Boxer Protocol" signed on September 7, 1901. The East Asian Expeditionary Corps was disbanded on 17 May 1901 and transformed into the East Asian Occupation Brigade stationed at Beijing, Tientsin, Langfang, Yangtsun, Tangku and Shanghaikwan. Structure of the East Asian Occupation Brigade: 1 command staff with administrative authorities 2 infantry regiments with 6 companies each, of which 1 company mounted 1 escadron hunter on horseback 1 field battery 1 pioneer company with telegraph detachment 1 field hospital The East Asian Occupation Brigade was further reduced in size and restructured on 1 May and 11 December 1902. On 6 March 1906, the East Asian Occupation Brigade was also dissolved and replaced by a battalion-strength detachment. This was replaced on 5 April 1909 by a naval infantry unit, which was wound up in 1910. The East Asian Department in the Prussian Ministry of War (inventory PH 2) was organizationally responsible. The holdings initially comprised only three AE, which together with the few files of the Schutztruppen formed the holdings RW 51 Kaiserliche Schutztruppen and other armed forces overseas. In 2008, nine further AE of different origins were added and a separate portfolio RW 61 was now formed. The inventory was developed in February 2010. Description of the holdings The holdings contain the documents of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps and the East Asian Occupation Brigade, as far as they are available in the military archives. Characterisation of content The inventory contains hardly any real material files. It consists mainly of several German-Chinese place name glossaries. Worth mentioning is a publication about the locations Langfang, Yangtsun, Tangku and Schanghaikwan with numerous illustrations. State of development The inventory initially comprised only three AE, which together with the few files of the Schutztruppen formed the inventory RW 51 Kaiserliche Schutztruppen and other armed forces overseas. In 2008, nine further AE of different origins were added and a separate portfolio RW 61 was now formed. The inventory was developed in February 2010. The documents of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps and the East Asian Occupation Brigade must essentially be regarded as lost in the fire of the Army Archives in 1945. Only pieces that have survived by chance have been preserved. These were supplemented by documents from the environment of the two associations, the branches in Tientsin, Hankou and Beijing. Citation BArch RW 61/...

Contains among other things: Agreements with von Heyking on the procedure for acquiring the base, Aug. 6, 1896 Sketch of the Bay of Kiautschou German Consul General, Oskar Stubel, in Shanghai, etc. concerning "Polecat" memorial, July 2, 1897

Contains among other things: Reports about visits and travel reports to Beijing and Tientsin Photographs about the arrival of Prince Leopold of Prussia in Tsingtau and a parade on the occasion of the visit of the governor of Schantung

Contains among other things: Report about the victory celebration of the Japanese on the occasion of the taking of Tsingtau Copies from newspapers about the fight for Tsingtau Lists of the members of the Reich who had travelled from Tsingtau to Beijing and other places Report about consequences and accompanying phenomena of the war for the private, public and economic life of the Germans in China Letters from China to relatives about processes and events there

Contains: Beijing Room - Korea Bay - Tsingtau - Shanghai - Hong Kong - South China Sea Entries: Railway lines (in operation, under construction, planned), supplements from 29.5.1914 in red

Contains: - Letter from Paula Siehr about her experiences during the Russian invasion of East Prussia, handscra.., 21.11.1914 and 3.12.1914 - Letter (masch.) by Walter Simons to a protocol supplement by Haussmann on Hahn and Prince Max von Baden, 10.12.1918; on Stresemann, Haguenin, Brockdorff and Rantzau, 22.3.1919; on the signing of the peace treaty, 14.6.1919; on foreign policy issues, 5.1.1921; on the publication of his letter by Haussmann and the Upper Silesian vote, masch.., 21.3.1921; on the foreign policy situation, 30.3.1921; against joining the committee for the 60th birthday of Tagore, 13.4.1921; on a non-political meeting with Rudolf Steiner, 20.4.1921; - letter (especially masch.) Haussmanns to Walter Simons on the foreign policy situation, 8.3.1919 (handschr.); congratulations Haussmanns on his appointment as Foreign Minister, 24.6.1920; on foreign policy, 15.10.1920; on foreign policy issues and the attitude of the parties, Febr. 1921 (handschr.); with foreign policy proposals, 23.2.1921; on numerous foreign policy questions, 21.3.1921; on the foreign policy situation and reparations, 30.3.1921 (handschr.); with a recommendation of the China connoisseur Dr. Richard Wilhelm, 30.3.1921; on the mood in the economy of the Entente and on Stresemann, 14.4.1921 - letter of Dr. Krukenberg about the publication of the letter of Simons, masch.., 28.2.1921 - Letter (mach.) from State Secretary Solf about his Kiderlen obituaries, 11.2.1913; about colonial officials and colonial possession, 2.12.1914 - Letter from Haussmann to Scheidemann about his secondment to Kiel and his speech, 8.10.1919 (handschr.) - Letter (mach.) from Haussmann to Eugen Schiffer about the Erzberger case and the right-wing press, 20.1.1920; on the abatement of the strike and others, 3.9.1920 - Letter (handschr.) by Reinhart Schmidt-Elberfeld on a draft programme and on the treatment of worker protection issues therein, 19.5.1894; on the draft party programme, 21.5.1894; on a Junker brochure and the Interparliamentary Peace Conference, 29.7.1894; because of a vacation appointment, 8.8.1894; because of the program draft Quiddes, 12.9.1894; because of the uniform elementary school, 27.12.1895; because of judge's 60th birthday and a memorial article, 21.7.1898; because of a common explanation of their both parliamentary groups and a future co-operation, 13.12.1903; - letter (handschr.) Haussmanns to Reinhart Schmidt-Elberfeld on the draft of the party program, 24.5.1894; on desired changes to Quiddes program draft, 15.9.1894; Haussmanns' concept for a refusal to Schmidt because of a court invitation, (ca. 1.4.) 1895 - Writing (handschr.) by Siegmund Schott to a letter by Pfaus, 1.1.1892; on imperial messages to the Reichstag, 13.5.1893; on a speech by Haussmann, 5.6.1894; on the development of the Volkspartei, 12.1.1895 - letter (handschr.) by K. Schrader on merger negotiations and retention of separate party organizations, 26.8.1909 - letter (mainly handschr.) by Walther Schücking on the Verband für internationale Verständigung, 16.3.1912; on Haussmann's memorandum on a question of private prince law and on a meeting of an International Committee in The Hague, 19.8.1915; to the Royal General Command in Kassel on the prohibition of his publications, 10.11.1916 (mechanical); on his own publication plans and their prevention by censorship, 2.12.1916; with recommendation for a Kiel private lecturer for a trip to Russia, 10.2.1920 (mach.) - letter (mach.) of Haussmann to Walther Schücking on the Belgian question, 28.12.1915; on the war objective discussion, 6.12.1916 - letter (mach.) of Mrs. v. Stauffenberg on national taxes and other, 31.3.1891; about his own position in the Bavarian election reform debate and about the situation with the liberal parties, 22.10.1893 - Letter (masch.) Haussmanns about the commemoration for Friedrich Stoltze, 1.12.1916 - Letter Haussmanns to Gustav Stresemann about a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee, handschr.., 16.1.1922 - letter (handschr.) by August Stein to the resignation of Bülow, 9.8.1909; to the potential resignation of Bethmann, 20.2.1914 (masch.); against public discussions of war aims, 22.2.1915 (masch.) - card (handschr.) by A. Traeger with a poem, 16.8.1909; letter (handschr.) with the request for a speech in his constituency, 26.10.1911 - letter (handschr.) (handschr.) by August Stein, 26.10.1911 - letter (handschr.) (handschr.) with the request for a speech in his constituency, 26.10.1911 - letter (handschr.) (handschr.) by Bethmann, 20.2.1914 (masch.); against public discussions of war aims, 22.2.1915 (masch.) - card (handschr.) from Rudolf Virchow to Paul Langerhans with an invitation, 21.8.1875 - letter (handschr.) from Paul Langerhans with this Virchow letter, 22.10.1902 - letter (handschr.) from Haussmann to M. Venedey because of potential party resignations, 15.1.1894 - letter (handschr.) from M. Venedey about the circumstances in the party in the lake and Black Forest district, 18.1.1894; with thanks for an election speech to the Baden elections, 10.12.1909 - letter (handschr.) from Prof. Wach about a pending case Münch, 19.2.1901; about a psychiatric examination of the case Münch in Winnenthal, 24.10.1910 - letter Haussmann sent to Arnold Wahnschaffe because of a meeting with Stegemann in Bern, 16.6.1917 (handschr.) - letter from Prof. Wach about a pending case Münch, 24.10.1910 - letter from Haussmann to Arnold Wahnschaffe because of a meeting with Stegemann in Bern, 16.6.1917 (handschr.)); about the events from 7. to 12. July 1917, 25.10.1920 (masch.) - letter by Arnold Wahnschaffe to details of the July crisis 1917, 20.10.1920 (handschr.); about Bethmann's politics in summer 1917 and possibilities for peace, 4.11.1920 (masch.) - letter (handschr.) by Paul Wallot about the petition for clemency for Maximilian Harden, 2.5.1901 - letter (masch.)) Haussmanns to Max Warburg with the request for contributions for the brochure series "Der Aufbau", 16.11.1918 - letter (masch.) by Max Warburg with proposals on minister occupations, 29.3.1920; on the position of Minister Simon, 13.2.1921; on the occupation of a post in China, 14.2.1921 - letter (handschr.) by Frhr. v. Weizsäcker on railway questions, 11.2.1914; on Kiderlen, 26.9.1914; because of the news from Bordeaux and about the probable duration of the fights in the West, 28.9.1914; because of an essay and about hatred against Western opponents, 31.10.1914; about war aims and a work Hanotaux, 14.12.1914; about news from Switzerland, 1.1.1915; Weiszäcker's business card for the return of the letter Stoskopf (Strassburg) to Haussmann about Bavarian efforts towards Alsace, 4.4.1915; because of a factory in Mühlacker, 9.11.1915; two business cards with thanks for reports about stays in Switzerland, o.D. - writing (mechanical) Haussmann to Weizsäcker with news from Antwerp, 30.9.1914; with a report from Switzerland, 26.10.1914; about waterways, Alsace and Stegemann's visit to Berlin, 10.2.1915; about Stegemann's stay in Berlin, 12.2.1915; about Swiss news concerning the Italian army, 21.6.1915; about the Alsace-Lorraine question, 9.10.1915; about Bavaria and Alsace-Lorraine, 1.11.1915; about Alsace-Lorraine, 19.11.1915; about Greetings Bethmanns, 22.7.1917 - letter (mach.) of the assessor Bilfinger with a record about the conversation Moy-Haussmann, mach.., 5.11.1915 - Letter (handschr.) from Wendorff about personnel matters of an official in Sigmaringen, 29.11.1921 - Letter (masch.) from Philipp Wieland with a recommendation for the journalist Stobitzer, 29.11.1918; about the occupation of party secretary positions and the cooperation of national liberals and Freisinniger Volkspartei, 29.11.1918 - Letter (handschr.) from Richard Wilhelm for the occupation of the envoy post in Beijing, 19.4.1921; about own and Haussmann's translations of Chinese poems, 7.6.1921 - letter (handschr.) by Wiemer about the forthcoming Morocco debate in the Reichstag and its preparation, 3.11.1911 - letter (mainly handschr.) by Theodor Wolff with the request for regular cooperation in the Berliner Tageblatt, 26.12.1908; because of some articles and about the Africa-Agreement with England, 4.3.1914; because of a regular cooperation of Haussmann, 10.4.1917 (mechanical); about an article of Haussmann, 19.5.1917, 16.9.1917; because of a discussion with English diplomats about Ruhrgebiet issues, 29.3.1920; about Simons as potential president of the Reich, 13.4.1921; with an invitation, 15.12.1921; with thanks for an article and for the occupation of the cabinet, 30.12.1921 (masch.) - letter (especially masch.)) Haussmann's to Theodor Wolff on the situation after the Easter message, on future politics and on difficulties of the parliamentary system, 14.4.1917; on his cooperation in the Berliner Tageblatt, spring 1917 (handschr.); on America and the U-boat War, 6.2.1917; on the Weimar Constitution, 2.9.1919 - letter (masch.) of Count Zeppelin because of an essay in the magazine "März", 16.3.1910

Contains: Map of the further surroundings of Beijing and Tientsin (Boxer Rebellion), 1900; travel experiences Arnold Lequis from China and Japan

Contains also: Map Railway in China (scale 1 : 4 000 000), May 29, 1914

Contains among other things: Statutes of the German Volunteer Troupe Tientsin and the German Volunteer Troupe Beijing