Source: Domarus, pp. 350-352.
Tannenberg Memorial
Herr Generalfeldmarschall!
Nineteen years have passed since those tremendous days when the German Volk, for the first time in centuries, once again received tidings of the name of Tannenberg which is so brightly lit by the radiance of glory. An uncertain fate hung menacingly over the Volk and the Reich at that time. Through no fault of their own, our men were forced to protect Germany with their lives from the attacks of an overwhelmingly superior power. Exhibiting incomparable heroic courage, the armies attacked in the West and held their few divisions in the East. And nevertheless, the numerically superior forces of our Russian opponent forced their way deep into German territory, destroying everything in their path. Large areas of East Prussia fell prey to the destruction. The prayers of millions born of fears and troubles rose up to the Almighty.
Salvation came with the name "Tannenberg," for not merely a battle was fought here; rather, the fate of Germany took a decisive turn, East Prussia was liberated and Germany was rescued. This day marked the beginning of that tremendous series of battles in the East which overwhelmed Russia as a warring nation, showered the German Armies with immortal glory, and obliged the German Nation to forever owe loyal gratitude, Herr Generalfeldmarschall, to your name.
For regardless of how the heroic struggle for Germany was to end, the Great War bestowed upon our Volk for all time the proud feeling of once having made immortal sacrifices for the freedom and life of the Vaterland. In future, however, history will be unable to comprehend that a Volk, after having lost a war which it never wanted, was shamefully oppressed and humiliatingly mistreated only because it would not relinquish its freedom without a fight, but instead attempted, with unutterable suffering and sacrifices never to be equaled, to defend its right to live and the independence of its soil.
At that time, Herr Generalfeldmarschall, fate allowed me, to my good fortune, to join and fight in the ranks of my brothers and comrades for the freedom of our Volk as a simple musketeer. Today, moved to the bottom of my heart, I feel it is a merciful gift of Providence that I may here, on the soil of the most glorious battlefield of the Great War, speak for the united German Nation and on its behalf express to you, Herr Generalfeldmarschall, in deepest reverence the gratitude of all. We are happy that we may celebrate this great day of the German Volk with him who once bestowed this day upon us.
The German Reich Government is acting for the German Volk in expressing the fervent wish that your name, Herr Generalfeldmarschall, live on forever in our Volk not only by virtue of the deed, that not only the stones of this monument shall speak of you, but that along line of living witnesses closely tied to this home soil will also tell of their great ancestor.
The German Reich Government, as representative of the national honor and in fulfillment of the debt of national gratitude, has resolved and made law that the plot of land in this province which is today connected with your name, Herr Generalfeldmarschall, shall remain free from the public duties of the Reich and the Länder as long as it remains bound to the name of Hindenburg by a male heir.