| The Prussian Machine - Generals |
Georg von der Marwitz
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Georg Kornelius Adalbert von der Marwitz (7.7.1856 - 27.10.1929) place of birth: Klein-Nossin (Nozynko, Slupsk - Pomerania) Prussian cavalry officer born to the family of Adalbert von der Marwitz, landed aristocracy of the Stolp district of Pomerania (present-day Slupsk, Poland). Young Georg found his career niche with the Prussian cavalry, joining a Guard-Uhlan regiment fresh out of military school. He served chiefly with cavalry regiments prior to the war, and was the inspector general of cavalry as the war broke out. Major General von der Marwitz lead the 2nd Cavalry Corps (HKK2) during Germany's early August invasion of Belgium. This independent corps of three divisions were some of the first to cross the frontier and participated in the war's initial engagement involving cavalry troops at Haelen, Belgium. HKK2 was also involved in the First Battle of the Marne. German Supreme Command quickly recognized that cavalry units would not be effective on the static Western Front and in the face of modern military tactics and weaponry; so in December 1914, HKK2 was dissolved and von der Marwitz was transferred to East Prussia to command the newly organized 38th Reserve Corps. His February 1915 victory during the Winter Masurian battle earned him the Pour le Merite. In March, von der Marwitz and his army corps were sent to Miskolcz, Hungary where the 38th became known as the Beskidenkorps, named after the Beskid mountain range in the Carpathians. The Austrians had just lost the Przemysl Fortress and during the Easter season, von der Marwitz assembled his troops at Mezö Laborcz (German: Laborcza Tal) to fight off the Russians as they attempted to cross into Hungary. In heavy snow over the next few weeks, the Germans countered and fought the Russians to a stalemate in the Wirawa Gorge area.
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