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Friedrich Kress von KressensteinGerman military leader, general.
Date of Birth: 24.04.1870
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- General Erich Otto Max von Kreßenstein
- World War I
- Defense of Palestine
- Retreat and Reassignment
- Post-World War I and Later Life
General Erich Otto Max von Kreßenstein
Erich Otto Max von Kreßenstein was a German military officer who rose to the rank of General during World War I. He played a significant role in the Ottoman Army's efforts to seize the Suez Canal from British control.
World War I
With the outbreak of World War I, Kreßenstein joined a group of German officers sent to aid the Ottoman Empire. He was assigned to the army of Cemal Pasha in Palestine, initially as a military engineer and chief of staff.
In 1915, Kreßenstein was ordered to lead the Ottoman forces in an invasion of Egypt and capture the Suez Canal. He successfully crossed the Sinai Desert but failed to seize the crucial waterway. The Turkish command remained determined to take the canal, and in 1916, Kreßenstein again attempted its capture. However, British troops had fortified their positions and once more prevented the Turks from reaching the canal.
Defense of Palestine
As the British launched an offensive into Palestine, Kreßenstein took command of the defense of Gaza, alongside Turkish General Talaat Bey. The Turks achieved initial success in the First and Second Battles of Gaza, in no small part due to Kreßenstein's leadership. Following these victories, he was promoted to commander of the Ottoman Eighth Army and awarded Prussia's highest military honor, the Pour le Mérite.
Retreat and Reassignment
In November 1917, British forces finally breached the Turkish positions at Beersheba and took Gaza. Kreßenstein's skillful leadership allowed the Ottoman troops to withdraw to new defensive lines in the north. In 1918, after the collapse of the German-Turkish alliance, Kreßenstein was dispatched to Georgia, where he successfully prevented the Red Army from invading Abkhazia.
Post-World War I and Later Life
Following the end of World War I, Kreßenstein remained in the German army and retired in 1929. He passed away in 1948.
