Date of birth:

September 23rd, 1853 (Danzig, German Empire)

Date of death:

November 23rd, 1918 (Weimar, German Empire)

Buried on:

Invalidenfriedhof

Nationality:

Prussian (1701-1918, Kingdom)

Prussian General der Infanterie Fritz von Below served during the Great War as a corps-level and field army commander. He was the son of General Ferdinand von Below (1812-70), commander of the 36th Infantry Brigade who was killed during the Franco-Prussian War at Pont a Mousson. Fritz is often mistakenly identified as the brother of General Otto von Below. He did have two brothers, Ernst and Nikolaus, who were generals during the War. Their mother was Therese Mauve (1823-95).

A vigorous, aggressive and capable officer, Fritz was already commander of XXIth Army Corps (1912-15) when Germany mobilized; this army distinguished itself during the bitter winter Battle of Masurian Lakes II (February 1915). He later replaced Bülow as commander of the Second Army (1915-16) which defended against the Anglo-French Somme Offensive (July 1916). Later, as head of the First Army (1916-18), he was in charge of northern sector forces of the Somme battlefield, helping to defeat the Aisne-Champagne Offensive in 1917. Commanded Ninth Army (1918) but contracted pneumonia and died in Weimar, 23 November 1918. Awarded Pour le Merite in 1915 for successful campaigns on the western front.

13.09.1912: promoted to General der Infanterie

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• Photo 1: Prussian Machine
• - GEN Fritz Wilhelm Theodor Carl von Below (1853-1918) - Find a Grave
  - Deutsche Biographie - Below, Fritz von
  

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