Otto von Below

 

Otto Ernst Vinzent von Below was born on 18 January 1857 and died on 15 March 1944.

 

In 1909 he achieved the rank of General Major and three years later he was promoted to Generalleutnant. Concurrently he was appointed to the command of 2nd Division.

 

After the outbreak of the Great War he instantly fought in several battles on the Eastern Front, such as Gumbinnen, Tannenberg and Masurian lakes, in which he led the I. Reserve Corps of the 8th Army. After his achievements he was appointed to command of the 8th Army. In future he was sent to the Macedonian Front and the Western Front, where he held command positions. In September 1917 he was reassigned to the Italian Front, where he distinguished himself especially in the Battle of Caporetto. He also used a poison gas to destruction of the Italian Second Army. In February 1918 he returned to the Western Front. 

 

In 1919 Below retired from Active duty. Otto von Below died on 9 March 1944 in Friedland.

 

Source:

CRON, H.: Imperial Germany Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle, Warwick 2013

 

 Otto von Below

       

 Source: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_von_Below#/media/File:Otto_von_Below_LOC.jpg

 

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