| The Prussian Machine - Generals |
Fritz von Below
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Fritz Theodor Carl von Below (23.9.1853 - 23.11.1918) place of birth: Danzig, Westpreußen (Gdansk, Poland) Prussian general of infantry who was the son of General Ferdinand von Below (1812-70), commander of the 36th Infantry Brigade who was killed during the Franco-Prussian War at Pont a Mousson. Fritz is often mistaken as brother of General Otto von Below, but he did have two brothers, Ernst and Nikolaus, who were generals during the Great War. Their mother was Therese Mauve (1823-95). A
vigorous, aggressive and capable officer,
Fritz was already commander of
XXI. Army Corps
(1912-15) when Germany mobilized; this army distinguished itself during the
bitter winter Battle of Masurian Lakes II (February 1915).
He later replaced Bülow as commander of the Second Army
(1915-16) which defended against the Anglo-French Somme
Offensive
(July 1916). Later, as head of the First Army (1916-18), he was in charge of northern
sector forces of the Somme battlefield, helping to defeat the Aisne-Champagne
Offensive in 1917. Commanded Ninth Army (1918) but
contracted pneumonia and died in Weimar, 23 November 1918. Awarded Pour
le Merite in 1915 for successful campaigns on the western
front. |
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