 Their two older sons entered the army, while father enlisted in the voluntary driver's corps.He supported the German army against their opponent's charges of barbarism by signing the Manifesto of the Ninety-Three, On 21 August 1914, he drove documents from Berlin to the commander of the German right wing in France, advancing with them for two weeks until he could see the glow of the Paris lights at night.The tide turned at the battle of the Marne.