Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: A mụrụ Rackow na 20 August 1893, a kpọbatara ya na Cadet Corps na mmalite nke ndụ ya. O sonyeere ndị agha Imperial German Army nke 158th Paderborn Infantry Regiment dị ka "Fahnenjunker" (onye isi cadet) na 1912. Ka ọ na-erule mgbe Agha Ụwa Mbụ tiwapụrụ na 1914, ọ nọworị n'ọkwá lieutenant nke abụọ. Rackow keere òkè ná mbuso agha mbụ nke ndị Germany wakporo Belgium na France. O jere ozi nke ọma dịka onye enyemaka, na-alụ ọgụ na
Charleroi, St. Quentin, ma sonye na Agha Mbụ nke Marne, Agha Mbụ nke Aisne, na Agha Mbụ nke Artois. Na Septemba 1915, a họpụtara ya onye isi nke ụlọ ọrụ nke atọ nke 158th Paderborn Infantry Regiment. Ya na ndị otu a, o sonyere na Agha nke Abụọ nke Champagne ebe ọ merụrụ ahụ ugboro abụọ. N'okwu nke mbụ, shrapnel kụrụ ya n'ụkwụ aka nri ya, mana ọ lụrụ ọgụ, naanị ka ọ merụọ ahụ nke ukwuu n'ebe ugwu Le Mesnil ụbọchị atọ ka e mesịrị. E tinyere ya n'ụlọ ọgwụ, ma laghachi na ụlọ ọrụ nke atọ na February 1916.