THE GERMANS TO THE FRONT

At the end of the 19th century, most of the world was divided among the European great powers. Their attention turned to the few remaining uncolonized regions, particularly China. The German Empire, which had started its colonial policy relatively late and risked falling behind in the race for overseas territories, like other European powers, the USA, and Japan, leased ports in China to facilitate trade and gradual colonization. The most important German base was the port city of Tsingtau, located in the Kiautschou Bay in the Chinese province of Shandong.

Due to mutual neutralization, no great power could make significant territorial gains in China or establish dominance. Thus, they pursued the policy of the so-called Open Door, promoting trade freedom and cooperation. This led to increased conflicts between China and the colonial powers, who also began to expand their influence through Christian missionary work and cultural transfers.

In response, the Chinese secret society known as the "Boxers" formed. Initially targeting Chinese converts to Christianity, the Boxers developed a growing anti-foreign sentiment as the influence of the colonial powers permeated all aspects of public life. Originating in the northwest, the Boxers rapidly spread across several provinces, aiming to free China from foreign domination.

In the spring of 1900, a severe drought ravaged northern China. According to Boxer propaganda, foreigners were to blame, sparking an uprising that soon reached the capital. Around 25,000 insurgents attempted to breach the Peking legation quarter in June, but were held off by about 3,300 diplomats, foreign soldiers, and Chinese Christians. The Boxers, pro-dynastic in their approach, were supported by parts of the regular Chinese military. The Chinese imperial household and leading officials avoided taking a clear stance against the Boxers, hoping to use them to rid China of colonial powers.

Internationally, the so-called Boxer Rebellion, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 23,000 Chinese Christians and numerous foreign embassy staff, caused shock and outrage. The murder of the German envoy Clemens Freiherr von Ketteler on June 20, 1900, prompted the colonial powers, led by Kaiser Wilhelm II, to take joint action against the rebels. Despite the legation quarter being relieved in August 1900 by a hastily assembled 20,000-strong international "relief force" composed of Germans, British, Americans, Russians, Japanese, French, Italians, and Austrians stationed in the Pacific region, the mobilization of larger allied troop contingents continued to suppress the uprising.

The German contingents, led by Field Marshal Alfred Graf von Waldersee and dispatched with Kaiser Wilhelm II's "Hun Speech," arrived in China only after the relief of Peking. As Germany was considered the most humiliated nation due to the death of its envoy, Waldersee assumed command of the allied forces, planned to number between 60,000 and 90,000 men, of which Germany provided the largest contingent of 20,000 soldiers.

The true power of the painting lies in its symbolic and emotional resonance. "The Germans to the front" captures the spirit of German militarism and nationalism. The soldiers are depicted as heroic figures, marching resolutely towards an unseen enemy, their faces set with determination and resolve. The painting exudes a sense of pride and confidence, reflecting the German people's belief in their country's military might and national destiny.