▁the ▁army ▁of ▁Imperial ▁Germany ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁as ▁a ▁F ah nen j unker ▁( o ffic er ▁cad et ). ▁He ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁Le ut nant ▁( second ▁lieutenant ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 6 th ▁Field ▁Art illery ▁Regiment ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁C ras emann ' s ▁regiment ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁he ▁saw ▁extensive ▁service ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁from ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁at ▁which ▁time ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁Ober le ut nant ▁( first ▁lieutenant ) ▁and ▁regiment al ▁adj ut ant ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁awarded ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross , ▁ 2 nd ▁Class . ▁In vol ved ▁in ▁fighting ▁engag ements ▁in ▁Poland ▁and ▁Ukraine , ▁his ▁regiment ▁was ▁soon ▁back ▁in ▁France ▁where ▁it ▁participated ▁in ▁batt les ▁in ▁the ▁areas ▁around ▁Champ agne ▁and ▁A is ne . ▁C ras emann ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross , ▁ 1 st ▁Class , ▁for ▁his ▁part ▁in ▁these ▁batt les . ▁ ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁summer ▁off ensive ▁launched ▁by ▁the ▁Rus si ans , ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁that ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front . ▁It ▁in cur red ▁several ▁cas ual ties ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁the