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     Günther Graf von Kirchbach    




Günther Emanuel 2. Graf von Kirchbach
(9.8.1850 - 6.11.1925)
place of birth:  Erfurt, Sachsen  (Thuringian Saxony)


Saxon count and colonel general who began military career in 1868 as an infantry officer. Participated in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) as a second lieutenant.  By 1907 he was a general of infantry in command of the V. Army Corps in the Duchy of Posen. In 1911 he was appointed to preside over the Imperial Military Tribunal (Reichsmilitärgericht). At war's outbreak, he was under Bülow's Second Army on the Western Front as commander of the X. Reserves but was wounded early on and spent the next two years on convalescence leave. In the fall of 1916 he served on the Eastern Front as commander of a Landwehrkorps and of Army Detachment "D". He remained in the East for the rest of the war as commander of the Eighth Army and Army Group Kiev.


 
Assignments and Commands  (pre-War)
07.04.1868 Leutnant 
19.07.1870 Franco-Prussian War - 1870/71  (until 10.5.1871)
18.01.1875 Oberleutnant 
27.03.1877 Hauptmann 
19.09.1888 Major 
17.10.1893 Oberstleutnant 
12.09.1896 2. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß - Berlin  (Cdr)
27.01.1897 Oberst 
17.10.1899 71. Infanterie-Brigade - Thorn  (Cdr)
00.00.1899 Generalmajor
18.05.1901 unknown
18.05.1903 11. Infanterie-Division - Schwerin  (Cdr)     (replaced von Egloffstein)
00.00.1903 Generalleutnant
11.09.1907 V. Armeekorps - Posen  (Cdr)     (replaced von Kluck)
00.00.1907 General der Infanterie
07.04.1911 Präsident des Reichs-Militärgerichts  (President of the Imperial Military Court, replaced von Linde-Suden)
   
Assignments and Commands  (during Great War)
02.08.1914 X. Reservekorps  =  2. Armee     (wounded in action)
30.08.1914 convalescent leave
23.09.1916 Landwehrkorps     (replaced von König)
22.04.1917 Armeeabteilung "D"     (replaced von Hutier)
12.12.1917 8. Armee     (replaced von Hutier)
27.01.1918 Generaloberst
30.07.1918 Heeresgruppe Kiew     (replaced Heeresgruppe Eichhorn)
   
Pour le Merite:  27 August 1917
à la suite:  Infanterie-Regiment Nr.46 
highest rank:  Generaloberst





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