Otto von Below

Otto von Below
Otto von Below
Born	(1857-01-18)18 January 1857 Danzig, Prussia
Died	15 March 1944(1944-03-15) (aged 87) Friedland, Lower Saxony, Germany
Allegiance	German Empire  Kingdom of Prussia
Service/branch	Imperial German Army Prussian Army
Years of service	1875–1919
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	19th (2nd Posen) Infantry 43rd Infantry Brigade 2nd Infantry Division I Reserve Corps 8th Army Army of the Niemen Heeresgruppe Below 6th Army 14th Army 17th Army 1st Army Home Defense Forces West
Battles/wars	World War I Eastern Front Gumbinnen Tannenberg 1st Masurian Lakes 2nd Masurian Lakes Macedonian Front Monastir Offensive Italian Campaign Battle of Caporetto Western Front Operation Michael
Awards	Pour le Mérite with Oakleaves

 German Empire

 Imperial German Army

World War I

Otto Ernst Vincent Leo von Below (18 January 1857 in Danzig (now Gdańsk) – 15 March 1944 in Friedland, Lower Saxony) was a Prussian general officer in the Imperial German Army during the First World War. He was most notable for his command, along with the Austro-Hungarian commander Svetozar Boroević, during the victorious Battle of Caporetto.

Before the War broke out, Otto von Below was promoted Generalmajor in 1909 and Generalleutnant in 1912. He was commanding 2nd Infantry Division immediately prior to the outbreak of war.

On 1 August 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, Below was given command of I Reserve Corps as part of 8th Army on the Eastern Front. He led his Corps in the Battles of Gumbinnen, Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes. As a result of his successes, he was promoted to General der Infanterie at the end of August 1914 and to command of 8th Army at the beginning of November.

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