Fritz von Below

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Fritz von Below
Fritz von Below (1853-1918).jpg
Fritz von Below
Born 23 September 1853(1853-09-23)
Danzig, Prussia
Died 23 November 1918(1918-11-23) (aged 65)
Weimar, Germany
Allegiance German Empire Imperial Germany
Service/branch Prussian Army
Years of service -1918
Rank General
Commands held Eighth Army
Second Army
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Pour le Mérite

Fritz Wilhelm Theodor Karl von Below (born 23 September 1853 in Danzig (Gdańsk); died 23 November 1918 in Weimar) was a Prussian general in the German Army during the First World War.

Contents

[edit] Biography

In 1912, Below was appointed to the command of the 21st Army Corps. In this capacity, he fought along with the Sixth Army on the western front at the beginning of World War I, but his corps was transferred in 1915 to the eastern front. He then commanded the Eighth Army after Paul von Hindenburg from 1914 to 1916, the Second Army at the beginning of the Somme offensive in 1916, and finally the First Army which was involved in fighting in November 1916.

He was awarded the Pour le Mérite medal on 16 February 1915. Below died in Weimar shortly after Germany had signed the armistice.

Below's tomb at Berlin Invalidenfriedhof Cemetery

[edit] Family

Below was the cousin of Otto von Below, another German commander during the war.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalfeldmarschall Karl von Bülow
Commander, 2nd Army
4 April 1915-19 July 1916
Succeeded by
General der Artillerie Max von Gallwitz
Preceded by
Generaloberst Alexander von Kluck
Commander, 1st Army
19 July 1916-9 June 1918
Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Bruno von Mudra
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Johannes von Eben
Commander, 9th Army
9 June 1918-6 August 1918[1]
Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Adolph von Carlowitz

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Was nominally in command, but contracted pneumonia so von Eben remained in provisional command


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