WWGeezer Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Welcome to "Rupp's Skizzenbuch" This is an on-line serial World War I soldier's journal and sketchbook, brought to you by The Blue Max Project. Over the next eleven months, follow along as Unteroffizier Gerhardt Rupp re-tells the story of "The Blue Max" from his perspective with his own words, sketches and photographs. And so it begins..... PROLOGUE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/prologue/ In this chapter an aging German immigrant passes away in St. Augustine, Florida. Among her personal effects a soldier's journal and sketchbook from World War I is discovered. The sketchbook is sent on to the Smithsonian's Special Collections Archivist for further study CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTIONS http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch1-introductions/ Unteroffizier Rupp Gerhardt introduces himself and explains what brought this “old campaigner” to the town of Beauvin and what services he provides to his squadmates at Jasta 77. CHAPTER TWO - THE GREAT WAR http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch2-the-great-war/ Rupp shares a map he drew to show where Jasta 77 is located on the Western Front. He intercepts an American paper and gets some insight into how the other side thinks the war is going. CHAPTER THREE – THE VILLAGE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch3-the-village/ Rupp’s squad mate takes him for a wild ride in a DFW and ruins his aerial photo shoot of the Aerodrome requested by the Hauptmann. Angry with all of them he settles into some late night sketching and writes about the Aerodrome, the village of Beauvin and his lucrative side businesses. CHAPTER FOUR - THE PEOPLE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch4-the-people/ Rupp’s goal was to survive the war, not to win it and he was willing to do just about anything to make sure he survived. In this chapter, he shares his insights into the strengths and weaknesses of his fellow squad mates and explains how he uses that information to his best advantage. CHAPTER FIVE – NEW ARRIVALS http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch5-new-arrivals/ Bruno Stachel arrives at Jasta 77 and meets Rupp for the first time. Their not so friendly introduction is interrupted by an attack on the base by a group of Sopwith Camels. CHAPTER SIX – A MAN TO WATCH http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch6-a-man-to-watch/ Luetnant Bruno Stachel has an immediate impact on Jasta 77 and not in a good way. Hauptmann Heidemann is trying to get to know his newest pilot and Rupp is sure he will either be the next Ace in the squad or dead within three weeks. It could go either way. CHAPTER SEVEN –FIRST KILL http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch7-firstkill/ Leutnant Stachel, frustrated by his unconfirmed kill a few weeks earlier, makes a point when he drops an RE-8 right on the Hauptmann’s front porch. Bold, skilled and cruel, Stachel’s begins to make a reputation for himself. CHAPTER EIGHT – THE BIG PUSH http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch8-the-big-push-1/ The Big Push begins and Jasta 77 is in the thick of the fight. German pilots like their chances of winning, especially when they hear the new Fokker DVII’s will be delivered soon. Rupp can’t figure out why the Hauptmann is giving Stachel special treatment, but he knows he better figure it out soon. CHAPTER NINE – THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch9-the-circus-comes-to-town/ It has been quite a week for Bruno Stachel. He shot down two more enemy aircraft, had a job offer from the Red Baron and got a nice write up in the Berlin papers. Hauptmann Heidemann seems to be putting Stachel on the fast track. CHAPTER TEN – DON’T BLAME THE MESSENGER http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch10-messenger/ The Hauptmann sends Wili and Bruno on a road trip to introduce the “Black Angel” to German High Command located in Spa. Along the way they make a stop to visit Wili’s Aunt and Uncle, the Graf and Gräfin. Sparks fly and a fire is ignited between sweet Kaeti and young Bruno. She proves to be more than a match for the Cobra. CHAPTER ELEVEN – A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch11-a-deal-with-the-devil/ The Big Push starts to fizzle out. Von Richthofen is shot down over the Somme Valley. The only good news is the arrival of the first Fokker DVII for test flying. The aggressiveness of this machine is a perfect match for young Stachel, but he is counting heads to decide if he will be assigned one when the rest arrive later in the week. Rupp enters into a business arraignment to satisfy Stachel’s drinking habit, but he is having second thoughts. CHAPTER TWELVE – WILI’S LAST SORTIE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch12-willis-last-sortie/ Rupp gets sent in to clean up another crash site, but this time the tragic death is close to home. Wili Klugermann and Bruno Stachel return from a successful sortie in a heavy mist. Stachel gets credited with three more kills, but Wili ends up wrapped around a factory chimney on the edge of town. Just one of those fluke accidents…..or was it? CHAPTER THIRTEEN – HEIDEMANN MAKES A HERO http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch13-heidemann-makes-a-hero/ Stachel’s drinking gets worse, but the kills keep piling up. With the Hauptmann’s support, he demands that his Fokker be painted all black and asks for a unique slogan to be painted in English on the upper wing. Realizing what a good customer Stachel has become, Rupp raises his price. Amid all that Stachel surprises everyone when he risks his life to save a French school girl who falls into an icy stream. Angel or Devil? A little of one, a lot of the other. CHAPTER FOURTEEN – THE BOTTLE AND THE BLUE MAX http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch14-the-bottle-and-the-blue-max Stachel finally achieves his goal of being awarded the Blue Max. While Stachel’s achievements in the air are extraordinary, on the ground his drinking begins to take a toll. Heidemann’s publicity campaign goes into full swing and Stachel is overwhelmed by all the attention. CHAPTER FIFTEEN – THE BLACK ANGEL ON TOUR http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch15-the-black-angel-on-tour/ Heidemann continues his campaign to make Stachel famous and sends the Black Angel on tour. Stachel fits in a stop at Sonnenstrahl to visit with the Gräfin and attempts to blackmail her over Wili’s journal. Things do not go well and Kaeti reaches out to Rupp for protection. Rupp has just what Kaeti needs. CHAPTER SIXTEEN – THE BIG PUSH GETS PUSHED BACK http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch16-the-big-push-gets-pushed-back/ The tide begins to turn against Germany in the Great War and Jasta 77 is forced to relocate to Coucy. A shortage of replacement parts and fuel is making it a struggle to keep aircraft in the air. The Fokker DVII is plagued by engine problems and Leutnant Stachel has a very close call. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – THE BEGINNING OF THE END http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch17-the-beginning-of-the-end/ Heidemann gets an invite to attend the Johannisthal Trials near Berlin. This event brings the most accomplished aces together to test fly the newest aircraft and is the perfect venue for Heidemann to show off his young rising star. Rupp makes the mistake of getting in the way and Heidemann punishes him severely for it. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – STARTING OVER http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch18-starting-over/ Rupp gets sent to the front lines at Bellicourt and discovers what life is like in the underground tunnels of the St. Quentin Canal. Kettering has taken over Rupp’s mail delivery service and sends a messenger to him with an apology, a box of cigars and an update on the continuing adventures of Hauptmann Heidemann and Leutnant Stachel. CHAPTER NINETEEN – Kaeti’s Revenge http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch19-kaetis-revenge/ A tragic accident, an unwanted promotion, a forced marriage. Poor Bruno….even when he does the right thing he can’t seem to catch a break. Meanwhile, Kaeti sends Rupp a letter with a large cash payment to settle her debt with him. Rupp needs one more lucky break to put his “exit plan” in place. He hopes that break comes soon, he is not sure how much longer he will last in the Tunnels of Bellicourt. CHAPTER TWENTY – The Yanks and the Lucky Break http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch20-the-yanks-and-the-lucky-break/ The Americans start making their presence felt on the Western Front and things are heating up at Bellicourt. Rupp’s Hauptmann sends him into harm’s way to photograph a crash site. Rupp is angry about having to put his life at risk on a whim, but the Breguet provides just the lucky break he was looking for. CHAPTER TWENTY ONE – Leap of Faith http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch21-leap-of-faith/ The Battle of the St Quentin Canal begins and the inexperienced Americans manage to push the Germans back with a lot of help from the more seasoned Australians. Rupp takes advantage of the chaos while retreating through Nauroy and hides away in the belfry of an old church. A giant leap and a bad landing send his “ best made plans” into a tailspin. CHAPTER TWENTY TWO –Recovery by the Sea http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch22-recovery-by-the-sea/ Rupp manages to continue his ruse while he recovers from injuries at the American Hospital in Étretat. There are rumors all around that Germany is ready to surrender. The Americans are in a mood to celebrate, but Rupp only becomes more withdrawn. All the lying and the sleepless nights are taking a toll on him. He needs to find a way out before his luck runs out. CHAPTER TWENTY THREE –The Long Road Home http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/ch23-the-long-road-home/ The train breaks down half way to St. Nazaire. Locals invite injured soldiers into their homes overnight while the locomotive is being repaired. Rupp spends a quiet night in a peaceful villa with a house cat and a view of the vineyard. It’s the first time in weeks that he has had time to think in a restful place. He comes to realize that he needs to adjust his plans one more time. EPILOGUE http://www.thebluemaxproject.org/epilogue/ On the Centennial of Armistice Day the Smithsonian confirms the authenticity of Rupp’s sketchbook and informs the family. In St. Augustine ( Jack Hunter’s hometown) the Historical Society underlines this discovery as providing unique insight into the experiences of one German soldier who survived the Great War. Rupp’s final sketch is discovered in the last sleeve of the journal and it documents both the end of his wartime experience and the beginning of his long road back to home, health and recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 Can someone respond back who has followed the link. I had someone complain on a different website that the link brought up a page with password protection. I have tested on a few different locations and have not found that problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGriphos Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Link works for me. But I’ve visited the site before. Don’t know if that makes a diff. Excellent work, Geezer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spardog Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 No password required here, Geez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWDubya Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Same... no password required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWSittingduck Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 no password here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWChunk Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Confirmed no password here. That’s using Google Chrome on my iPhone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWCraven Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I didn't need a password either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWDubya Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Oh, by the way, great Official Start with the publication, All book-marked up and ready for each installment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 Next Chapter is up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWSittingduck Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Can't help but think about all the progress posts in the pasts. The camera table, papers that look old, building airfields in ME that looked like they really did in 1918...the list is endless. This project has never ceased to amaze me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 Thanks Duck....thanks for the kind words. The trick now is as I issue these, I am still building the last eight chapters. Overtime the quality and complexity has gone up and they take longer. The cool thing about the last eight is the Blue Max story is done, and I am extending the story of what happens to Rupp after he is kicked out of the squad. Had to do this to get the whole thing to end on November 11th. So I get to free lance on the story. Will bring in elements of the Yanks joining the war. Bottom line is it has been a blast and probably has kept me sane along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 Still doing the dance with the World War I Centennial Commission (WWICC) http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/ They asked if I could add a disclaimer to the pages to make sure it is clear that this is a "Secondary Work" meaning not an actual soldier's Journal, but a simulation. These folks are historians so they wanted people to be clear what they are reading. I drafted this and actually think it is helpful. "Rupp's Skizzenbuch" is a simulation of a World War I soldier's journal and is a work of fiction. The characters and story are based on the novel "The Blue Max" written by Jack D. Hunter in 1964. Primary sources including photos, postcards and news headlines are interspersed in the fictional work to tie the story to real-world events during the Great War. To read more about the inspiration and sources for this project click on "Prologue Credits" above. It is a good sign that they are interested.....the prize in the end is an official endorsement of your work and the ability to put their logo on your webpage. Keep those votive candles lit! [attachment=0]WW1_logo_v1.jpg[/attachment] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 bumping the post...chapter added up top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWPierre Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Link to chapter two credits leads to chapter one credits. Fucking awesome, btw. edit: Sector 17 not labled on map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 oops...thanks for the heads up on the credits, will fix today when new chapter comes out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 bumped my post...next chapter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Its official “Rupp’s Skizzenbuch” is an endorsed project by the WW1 Centennial Commision! “The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission (“Commission”) hereby enters this letter of understanding with Thomas Emme. The Commission was established by the U.S. Congress under the World War I Centennial Commission Act, Pub. L. No. 112-272. The role of the Commission is, among other things, to develop programs to commemorate the centennial of World War I, and to encourage and facilitate the activities of private and State and local organizations commemorating the centennial. The Commission is pleased to endorse Thomas Emme as an official partner of the World War I Centennial Commission. The Commission believes that Thomas Emme will further the Commission’s goals of educating the American people about the causes, courses and consequences of World War I, commemorating U.S. involvement in that war, and honoring the service and sacrifice of American servicemen and women in the war.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWCraven Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Congratulations boss!! That's one well deserved piece of recognition for all the hard work that you put into making your dream project a reality. Very nicely done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spardog Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Outstanding, Tom!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWDubya Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Very well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 Good New / Bad News.....had to turn down their endorsement. Required signing a licensing agreement to display their logo that included an indemnification clause that required me to pay the federal government's legal fees if I defamed them with my little art project....okay, well then, never mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 bumped the past.....(the show must go on with or without endorsement!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWGeezer Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 bumping my post, new chapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWPierre Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I suppose, English being Rupp's second language, that he might get his tos mixed up. Chapter 4, page 4 (He is not above tampering with an aircraft if our Hauptmann asks him too.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now