Leopold Maximilian Joseph Maria Arnulf
Prinz von Bayern K.H.
(09.02.1846 - 28.09.1930)
place of birth:  München, Bayern  (Bavaria)
 Königreich Bayern:  Generalfeldmarschall  (Kav)

                          

Prince of Bavaria and Field Marshal who was the son of Regent Prince Luitpold of the Royal House of Wittelsbach and his wife Archduchess Augusta of Austria. Leopold's wife was Archduchess Gisela which thus made him the son-in-law of Kaiser Franz Josef of Austria. 

As a Bavarian artillery officer, he fought against the Prussians in 1866. He joined forces with the Prussians in 1870, however, to defeat the French at Sedan. He also received Bavaria's highest military decoration, The Knight'sCross of the Military Order of Max Joseph. Prince Leopold thereafter remained in the Bavarian Army and after promotion to field marshal in 1905, he then retired in 1913.

Recalled to command the Ninth Army during World War One, he lead the capture of Warsaw and forced the Russians back to Minsk. He was then called to head up Army Group Prinz Leopold von Bayern (1915-16), a combined German/Austrian force deployed to the central part of the Eastern Front. This led to his receiving the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph and the Pour le Merite. He later replaced Hindenburg as Supreme Commander of the Eastern Front, a post he retained until war's end. Leopold's own chief of staff, Max Hoffmann, described him as "intelligent, but scarcely a star performer." He was one of only five recipients of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (1918).  Leopold was the uncle of Crown Prince Rupprecht and the younger brother of the Bavarian King "Crazy Ludwig". He died on 28 September 1930 in Munich and is buried in the Michelskirche.

 
 
Generalfeldmarschall ..... 01.08.1916  (Königreich Bayern:  01.01.1905)

Eisernes Kreuz II .............. Deutsch-Französischer Krieg  1870–1871

Großkreuz des EK ............. 04.03.1918

Pour le Mérite .................... 05.08.1915   (Eichenlaub:  25.07.1917)

Militär-Max-Joseph ......... 05.08.1915  Großkreuz
 
  
 

  
 
Curriculum Vitae
   
28.11.1861 6. Königlich Bayerisches Jäger-Bataillon - München
28.11.1861 Sekonde-Lieutenant
20.12.1862 Königlich Bayerisches 2. Infanterie-Regiment ,,Kronprinz” - München
05.06.1864 Premier-Lieutenant
18.10.1864 Königlich Bayerisches 3. reitendes Artillerie-Regiment 
15.06.1866 Der Deutsche Krieg von 1866   (fought against Prussia  in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866)
28.04.1867 Königlich Bayerisches 3. reitendes Artillerie-Regiment 
28.04.1867 Hauptmann  
19.07.1870 Deutsch-Französischer Krieg von 1870–1871   (awarded Iron Cross during Franco-Prussian War)
10.12.1870 Königlich Bayerisches 3. Feldartillerie-Regiment - Grafenwöhr  (Bn Cdr)
11.12.1870 Major
27.03.1871 1. Königlich Bayerisches Kürassier-Regiment
27.03.1871 Oberst-Lieutenant
18.02.1873 1. Königlich Bayerisches Kürassier-Regiment  (Cdr)
18.02.1873 Oberst
01.11.1875 1. Königlich Bayerische Kavallerie-Brigade - München   (Cdr)
01.11.1875 Generalmajor
16.06.1881 1. Königlich Bayerische Division - München  (Cdr) 
16.06.1881 General-Lieutenant
02.03.1887 General der Kavallerie
03.03.1887 I. Königlich Bayerisches Armeekorps - München  (Cdr)
27.06.1892 IV. Armee-Inspektion - München  (Inspector General, concurrent with below) 
28.10.1893 General-Inspektion der Königlich Bayerischen Armee - München  (Inspector General of the Bavarian Army)
09.02.1896 Generaloberst m.d.R. eines GFM
01.01.1905 Generalfeldmarschall  (Königreich Bayern)
27.03.1913 zur Disposition gestellt
   
Great War
   
02.08.1914 zur Disposition gestellt
16.04.1915 9. Armee  (reactivated to replace von Mackensen)
05.08.1915 Heeresgruppe ,,Prinz Leopold von Bayern”  (concurrent with above)
01.08.1916 Generalfeldmarschall  (Königreich Preußen)
29.08.1916 Oberbefehlshaber Ost  (Supreme Commander - Eastern Front, replaced von Hindenburg)
21.01.1919 aus der Armee 
   
   
 

15.04.1918
 

 

*     *     *