Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Kufanana nemadzitateguru ake, Curt von François muduku akabatana nePrussian Cadet Corps. Akashanda semusoja muHondo yeFrance-Prussian ya1870-71, umo baba vake vakaurayiwa muhondo panguva yeHondo yeSpicheren
musi wa6 Nyamavhuvhu 1870, uye akapiwa Iron Cross. Muna 1883 akashanda sa geographer pa exploratory expedition along the Kasai River in the Congo region pasi pehutungamiri hwaHermann Wissmann uye makore maviri gare gare akabatana neimwe expedition muCongo yaitungamirirwa naGeorge Grenfell. Paakadzokera kuGermany, akava nhengo yeGerman General Staff, uye akasimudzirwa pachinzvimbo che "Hauptmann" (Kaputeni). Muna 1887 akatumirwa somukuru mukuru anoongorora muGerman West Africa. Achimiririra Foreign Office, akaongorora Togoland nomugwagwa wokutengeserana waienda kuSalaga kusvika kunharaunda yeMossi kuchamhembe.