Today is the 101th anniversary of the end of the “The Great War”.

That was what the first World War (no one expected the second- but they should have) was called that back then. It’s the name my father and grandfather used, too.  That war was the last sanctioned battle in which my grandfather (my mother’s father) was a participant.

One of the superpowers of the world, the Ottoman Empire was waning.  This vacuum set up the Balkan region to serve as the surrogate battleground for competing powers.  Czarist Russia and the Austro-Hungarian (including Germany) Empire used the region as a proxy to garner control and influence in the world, as the Ottoman Empire crumbled.

Supposedly, the Great War began because a Serbian nationalist (Gavrilo Princip) assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary)  in Sarajevo. But, that was simply a tinderbox- because all the various powers were seeking the upper hand, desiring to become the next great power of the world, looking for an opportunity to demonstrate their power.

Russia’s efforts in the Great War provided an opportunity for the Bolshevik revolution, whereby the Romanov Empire was obliterated and replaced with Communism. The Ottoman Empire was dismembered and the victors (primarily the United Kingdom, which employed the “wisdom” of Churchill in this) created the map that has led to conflicts ever since. Germany (and Austria) were left so destitute that a nationalist regime under Hitler could create further havoc in the world, killing 6 million Jews in the process.

But, this “War to End All Wars”, the Great War (now known as World War I, since the world is so effective in creating world-wide conflagrations) continued for 4 more years after the assassination. Killing 18 million. Maiming 23 million more. Famine and disease (the Flu Epidemic of 1917, among several) raged through civilian areas. Chlorine gas (many considered this to be the first chemical-biological weapon; it wasn’t– Genghis Khan launched corpses with the plague over city walls when the city wouldn’t surrender to his demands) terrorized the populations. (The use of chlorine as a weapon, however, is why Europe uses the process of ozonation to purify water; the concept that chlorine could be used for civilian health is unthinkable to most Europeans.)

Over the course of but a few days, Europe exploded into a war that left millions dead- and millions more gravely wounded.  But, the war ended. Finally. On the 11th hour of the 11th month of the year 1918, “The Great War” had ended.  Not with peace, per se,  but with pervasive xenophobia, nationalism, and paranoia- only to be replaced by economic collapse and totalitarianism.

The words with which President Wilson announced the end of the war still resonate…

” To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day [what Veteran’s Day was first called- and the name by which it is known outside the US] will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

(Unfortunately, those sentiments no longer seem resonant among the world’s leaders.)

As I stated above, my grandfather was a veteran of that war. Sol Kuchlik was never sure of the date of his birth. Because they didn’t track that well where he came from- and because my grandfather was a man in a hurry. (You think I might be related?)

Sol was born on “one of the days” of Chanuka (that he remembers well) in Minsk.  That region is now part of Belarus, but was then considered the “Pale of Settlement” associated with Russia (most of the days of the week).

My grandfather was a strapping young man with bright red hair. And, strong. Willing to do anything to get out of the Pale- and get to the ‘Goldena Medina’… Crossing Europe by himself. Getting to America and fending for himself, never letting anyone know how old [read “young’] he really was. (Yup, I learned that concept, too.)

I don’t know how he met my grandmother. But, I do know he fell for her in a big way before he was asked by his boss to help Black Jack Pershing in a new war. (Rumor had it that these three men had met decades before.) Thinking my grandfather might have been kind of old for the job, Teddy still knew he was strong enough and smart enough to perform the special task he had in mind.

Like many a soldier, my grandfather wrote to his “girl” back home. I have some of those postcards somewhere. I remember finding them after he died and realizing that there was yet another part of this man I did not know. But, I do know they married soon after he returned to New York and stayed that way until death.

Every once in a while, I could get my grandfather to talk about his exploits. Most of which he kept bottled up inside. His normal response was to immediately pepper me with arithmetic (or math, as I aged) questions. Ones that demanded instantaneous responses. He wanted me to use my brain- quickly, adeptly, and to do great things.

Here’s to you, Sol Kuchlik. I miss you very much.

And, here’s to every other Veteran. It’s your day. You earned it.

By the way, on today’s date,  11-11-18 at the 11th hour, was the exact birth date and time for one of my dedicated employees.  Harry Thornton wanted to go the extra mile, wanted to be there when my personal life was falling apart.  A veteran of another war.  Here’s a personal shout out to his family, as well!