German Losses On All Fronts
One Estimate Reaches 5,600,000
Karl Bleibtreu, the German military statistician, writing in Das Neue Europa of April 22, gives the German losses from Aug. 2, 1914, to Jan. 31, 1918, as 4,456,961 men. His figures deal exclusively with those killed in action or taken prisoner. They are official from Aug. 2, 1914, till July 31, 1917, and are then estimated to Jan. 31, 1918. His figures and comment read:
WESTERN FRONT
| 1914 | |
|---|---|
| August | 172,500 |
| September | 214,500 |
| October | 139,600 |
| November | 93,000 |
| December | 50,200 |
| ———— | |
| Total | 669,800 |
| 1915 | |
| Jan. and Feb | 66,000 |
| March | (?)61 |
| April | 42,500 |
| May | 112,500 |
| June and July | 152,300 |
| August | 105,400 |
| Sept. and Oct | 119,450 |
| November | 57,500 |
| December | 57,750 |
| ———— | |
| Total | 713,461 |
| 1916 | |
| January | 18,100 |
| February | 17,800 |
| March | 51,300 |
| April | 72,650 |
| May | 64,000 |
| June | 54,850 |
| July | 86,650 |
| August | 148,000 |
| September | 119,800 |
| October | 125,000 |
| November | 87,100 |
| December | 56,000 |
| ———— | |
| Total | 901,250 |
| 1917 | |
| January | 48,000 |
| February | 39,000 |
| March | 39,600 |
| April | 59,000 |
| May, June and July | 134,850 |
| ———— | |
| Total, (7 months) | 320,450 |
These figures give, on the western front, from Aug. 2, 1914, to July 31, 1917, an aggregate of 2,604,961 casualties.
| EASTERN FRONT | |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 163,900 |
| 1915 | 699,600 |
| 1916 | 359,800 |
| 1917 | 261,200 |
This gives a total from Aug. 2, 1914, to July 31, 1917, of 1,484,550, and for the two fronts combined of 4,089,511.
From Aug. 1, 1917, to Jan. 31, 1918, Herr Bleibtreu estimates the total losses on both fronts at 367,450, making in all 4,456,961 men.
In adding those who died from illness or wounds, the losses resulting from the colonial and maritime fighting, as well as in the noncombatant and auxiliary services, not comprised in the preceding enumeration, the grand total considerably exceeds 5,000,000.