Max von Gallwitz
Gallwitz on 13 July 1915
Born(1852-05-02)2 May 1852
Breslau, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia
(now Wrocław, Republic of Poland)
Died18 April 1937(1937-04-18) (aged 84)
Naples, Kingdom of Italy
(now Naples, Republic of Italy)
Allegiance German Empire
Service/branch Imperial German Army
Years of service1870–1918
RankGeneral
Commands heldGuards Reserve Corps
Twelfth Army
Eleventh Army
Second Army
Fifth Army
Army Group Gallwitz
Battles/warsWorld War I

Max Karl Wilhelm von Gallwitz (2 May 1852 – 18 April 1937) was a German general from Breslau (Wrocław), Silesia, who served with distinction during World War I on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.[1][2]

Biography

Gallwitz grew up in a Catholic family in Breslau. In 1891, he married Friedrike. They had a daughter and son Werner, who became a lieutenant general in the Second World War. Gallwitz was a First World War corps commander (Guards Reserve Corps) on the Western Front, but he was almost immediately transferred east to join the Eighth Army under Hindenburg.[1] In 1915, he took command of Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz[3] (later redesignated Twelfth Army) and participated in the Galicia offensive alongside Mackensen, who commanded the Eleventh Army.[4]

Towards the end of 1915, Gallwitz succeeded Mackensen as commander of the Eleventh Army, as the latter campaigned against Serbia. In 1916, he moved back to the Western Front and defended against the British attack in the Battle of the Somme. He took over command of 2nd Army and of Heeresgruppe Gallwitz - Somme[5] controlling the 1st and 2nd Armies. From 1916–18, he commanded the Fifth Army in the west, most notably engaging the Americans during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel.

Following his retirement from the army, Gallwitz served as a deputy in the Reichstag (1920–24) for the German National People's Party.[4]

Awards and decorations

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b Duffy, Michael (2009-08-22), Who's Who - Max von Gallwitz, firstworldwar.com
  2. ^ Duffy, Michael (2009-08-22), Primary Documents - Max von Gallwitz on the Battle of St Mihiel, 12 September 1918, firstworldwar.com
  3. ^ Armee-Gruppe or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task.
  4. ^ a b Rickard, J. (2007-10-03), Max von Gallwitz, German General, 1852-1937
  5. ^ Heeresgruppe or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.
Bibliography

Sources

External links

Military offices Preceded byNew Formation Commander, Guards Reserve Corps 2 August 1914 – 9 February 1915 Succeeded byUpgraded to Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz Preceded byUpgraded from Guards Reserve Corps Commander, Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz 9 February – 7 August, 1915 Succeeded byUpgraded to 12th Army Preceded byUpgraded from Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz Commander, 12th Army 7 August – 22 September, 1915 Succeeded byGeneral der Infanterie Max von Fabeck Preceded byGeneralfeldmarschall August von Mackensen Commander, 11th Army 23 September 1915 – 16 April 1916 Succeeded byGeneral der Infanterie Arnold von Winckler Preceded byGeneral der Infanterie Fritz von Below Commander, 2nd Army 19 July – 17 December, 1916 Succeeded byGeneral der Kavallerie Georg von der Marwitz Preceded byGeneral der Infanterie Ewald von Lochow Commander, 5th Army 17 December 1916 – 27 September 1918 Succeeded byGeneral der Kavallerie Georg von der Marwitz Preceded byNew creation Commander, Army Group Gallwitz 1 February – 11 November, 1918 Succeeded byDissolved
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