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Otto BelowGerman military leader, general of infantry
Date of Birth: 18.01.1857
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Early Career
- Outbreak of World War I
- Commanding the Eighth Army
- Western Front and Italy
- Victory at Caporetto
- Final Years of the War
- Post-War Life
Early Career
Max Otto von Below was a German infantry general who played a significant role in World War I. Born in Dresden in 1859, he joined the German Army in 1879. By 1912, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant General and was appointed commander of the 12th Infantry Division.
Outbreak of World War I
At the start of World War I in 1914, von Below led an army corps on the Eastern Front in East Prussia. Notably, he commanded the 1st Reserve Corps in the Battle of Gumbinnen in August 1914, the first battle of the war on the Eastern Front, which ended in a Russian victory.
Commanding the Eighth Army
In November 1914, after his corps' successful actions, von Below was promoted to командующий 8-й армии. During the Мазурское сражение in early 1915, he successfully encircled and defeated Russian forces, earning him the Pour le Merite medal in March of that year. In May, he was appointed commander of the Niemen Army.
Western Front and Italy
In October 1916, von Below was transferred to the Salonika Front in Macedonia. In March 1917, he moved to the Western Front as the commander of the 7th Army, leading them in the defense against Nivelle's offensive. Later that year, he was again reassigned, this time to the Italian Front, where he commanded the 14th Army, composed of Austro-Hungarian and German divisions.
Victory at Caporetto
Under von Below's command, the Austro-German forces achieved a decisive victory in the Battle of Caporetto in November 1917, driving the Italian army 70-110 kilometers into Italy. Following this success, he was appointed commander of the 17th Army in early 1918.
Final Years of the War
Von Below's 17th Army participated in the German offensive in Picardy, advancing 18 kilometers into Allied defenses. However, during the Amiens Offensive in August 1918, he was forced to withdraw his armies due to threats from Allied flanking maneuvers. In October 1918, he commanded the 1st Army in Champagne, and in the war's closing days, he was named commander-in-chief of German forces on the Western Front.
Post-War Life
After the war, von Below retired from the army. He passed away in 1941 at the age of 82.
