Georg Freiherr von der Goltz's North German Landwehr division began the war guarding the Danish frontier, but soon found itself facing Russian regulars in the front lines. Ordered into action east of Tannenberg, von der Goltz expected to push toward the south to increase pressure on the Russian Second Army. Instead his motley formation came under attack from the north, as the Russian XIH Corps attempted to rejoin its fellows.

The German Landwehr, middle-aged men who'd passed out of the reserve, had no machine guns, M1871 rifles firing blackpowder cartridges, and little refresher training. Yet they put up surprisingly stiff resistance, holding back the Russians and helping to set the trap for Second Army. In the swirling smoke of the burning Kämmereiwald forest and their own black powder, they located one another by swapping the old Hamburg greeting of "Hummel! Hummel!" and the traditional Plattdeutsch response of "Mors! Mors!" ("Kiss my ass!").