
A former Russian officer finds his quiet life near Viborg shattered when the Great War erupts. In the early days of August 1914, he receives a sudden mobilization order and is thrust into a frantic scramble to gather uniforms, supplies, and a new command. The town is gripped by panic: banks are emptied, homes abandoned, and military directives clash in a bewildering chorus of confusion.
Amid the chaos, he is assigned to help organize a nascent cavalry brigade. With little experience among the ranks and scarce resources, the task quickly becomes a lesson in improvisation and leadership. He navigates the absurdities of requisitioned boats and contradictory orders while trying to keep his own family and neighbors steady.
The narrative captures the uneasy transition from civilian routine to wartime responsibility, offering vivid snapshots of a community on the brink and the personal resolve required to shape a fledgling unit from the ground up.
Language
sv
Duration
~2 hours (149K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2018-11-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1880–1941
A Finnish general and statesman whose life touched some of the most dramatic moments in early 20th-century Finland, he also left behind memoirs and reflections shaped by war, independence, and public service.
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