Roughly handled in its first actions with the Russians, the German 1st Infantry Division pulled back as darkness fell on 17 August. Two companies of the 41st Infantry Regiment remained in place; their commanders had received no orders to retreat and refused to pull back without them.

In these early days of the Great War, officers of all armies had some rather baseless romantic notions of how to wage war. The two German companies stayed in place and even fixed bayonets for a dramatic final battle with the Russians before sense finally prevailed and they pulled out of Bilderweitschen, dragging 30 Russian prisoners with them. They did manage to discourage Russian pursuit with their ill-advised resistance, allowing 1st Division to break contact and gain a desperately-needed rest.