Fritz von Below
Fritz von Below | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 23 September 1853 Danzig,Province of Prussia,Kingdom of Prussia |
| Died | 23 November 1918(aged 65) Weimar,Free State of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach,Weimar Republic |
| Allegiance |  German Empire Kingdom of Prussia |
| Service/ |  Imperial German Army Prussian Army |
| Years of service | 1873–1918 |
| Rank | General der Infanterie |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Pour le Mérite with Oakleaves |
Fritz Theodor Carl von Below(23 September 1853 – 23 November 1918)[1]was aPrussiangeneralin theGerman Armyduring theFirst World War.He commanded troops during theBattle of the Somme,theSecond Battle of the Aisne,and theGerman spring offensivein 1918.
Biography
[edit]
Born in Danzig (Gdańsk), Below was appointed to the command ofXXI Corpsin 1912. In this capacity, he fought along with the6th Armyon theWestern Frontat the beginning of World War I.[2]His corps was transferred in 1915 to theEastern Frontwhere it participated in theSecond Battle of the Masurian Lakes.[3]Below was awarded thePour le Mériteon 16 February 1915 for successful campaigns on the Western Front and in the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes.[4]
Below was elevated to command of the2nd Armyon 4 April 1915. In 1916 the 2nd Army bore the brunt of the Allied attack in theBattle of the Somme.Reinforcements increased the size of the 2nd Army to such an extent that a decision was made to split it. The1st Armywas reformed on 19 July 1916 from the right (northern) wing of the 2nd Army. Below took command of 1st Army and 2nd Army got a new commanderGeneral der ArtillerieMax von Gallwitz,who was also installed as commander ofarmeegruppe Gallwitz-Sommeto co-ordinate the actions of both armies.[5]Below was awarded the Oakleaves to the Pour le Mérite (signifying a second award) on 11 August 1916 for his success in operations during theBattle of the Somme.[6]
Below was appointed to command the9th Armyin June 1918, still on the Western Front. Below had contracted pneumonia and its former commander,General der InfanterieJohannes von Eben,remained in provisional command.[7]
Below died in Weimar on 23 November 1918, shortly after Germany had signed thearmistice.He is buried in theInvalidenfriedhof CemeteryinBerlin.
Family
[edit]Below was the cousin ofOtto von Below,another German commander during the war. The two generals are often confused.[citation needed]
Glossary
[edit]- Armee-Abteilungor Army Detachment in the sense of "something detached from an Army". It is not under the command of an Army.[8]
- Armee-Gruppea group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a task.
- HeeresgruppeorArmy Groupin the sense of a number of armies under one commander.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922)..Encyclopædia Britannica(12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company.
- ^Cron 2002,pp. 317–320
- ^"Who's Who Fritz von Below".Retrieved2 November2012.
- ^"Orden Pour le Mérite".Retrieved2 November2012.
- ^Cron 2002,p. 49
- ^"Orden Pour le Mérite".Retrieved2 November2012.
- ^"Biography on The Prussian Machine".Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2013.Retrieved2 November2012.
- ^Cron 2002,p. 84
Bibliography
[edit]- Cron, Hermann (2002) [1937].Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle.Helion & Co.ISBN1-874622-70-1.
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- 1853 births
- 1918 deaths
- Burials at the Invalids' Cemetery
- German Army generals of World War I
- Military personnel from Gdańsk
- Military personnel from the Province of Prussia
- Generals of Infantry (Prussia)
- Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
- Below family
- Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order