 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Apo nhimbe yakapera akanyoresazve muChikoro cheArtillery cheCharlottenburg kupedza zvidzidzo zvake. Kubva muna 1872 akashanda aine chinzvimbo chemutevedzeri wekutanga mu14th Artillery Regiment, kubva kwaakatumirwa kuImperial War Academy yeBerlin muna 1873. Ikoko akapedza zvidzidzo zvake zvekuva mukuru wemauto kubva muna 1873 kusvika muna 1876, achitora nzvimbo yechitatu, nzvimbo yekutanga mukirasi yake yaive Paul von Hindenburg, mukundi weTannenberguye Masuria uye nzvimbo yechipiri ichibatwa naJakob Meckel, akarongazve zvinobudirira Hondo yeJapan yeUmambo pakupera kwezana ramakore rechi19. 