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Karl von Bülow (April 24, 1846 – August 31, 1921) was a German General commanding the German 2nd Army during World War I from 1914 to 1918.
Biography
Born in Berlin to a distinguished Prussian military family, von Bülow enlisted in the Prussian Army during the Seven Weeks' War in 1866 and later the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 as a junior officer. A Captain of the German General Staff in 1877 von Bülow was promoted to Colonel assigned to the 9th Guards Regiment in 1894. In 1897 von Bülow became director of the Central Department in the German War Ministry. Commander of the German III Corps from 1903 until his appointment to Army Inspector of the German 3rd Army in 1912 shortly before the outbreak of WWI.
Assigned to the German 2nd Army in August 1914 invaded Belgium capturing the fortress of Namur on August 22-23, 1914. Advancing into France von Bülow defeated Gen. Charles Lanrezac commanding the French Fifth Army at Charleroi on August 23-24, 1914 and again at St. Quentin on August 29-30, 1914. As the 2nd Army and General Alexander von Kluck's 1st Army neared Paris from August 31 to September 2 von Bülow, concerned of the growing gap between the two Armies, ordered Kluck to turn the 1st Army on his right towards him. This decision however would result in Kluck's advancing south and east of Paris, instead of north and west as specified in the Schlieffen Plan. As von Bülow crossed the Marne on September 4 deciding to retreat to Aisne however after the successful counterattack by combined French and British forces against Kluck's 1st Army at the First Battle of the Marne on September 5-10. Promoted to Field Marshal in January of the next year; however, after suffering a heart attack two months later, was allowed to retire in early 1916 living in Berlin until his death on August 31, 1921.
Further reading
- Barbara Tuchman, The Guns of August, New York, 1972
- O.C. Hiss, Kleine Geschichte der geheime Presse, Berlin, 1946
External links
Bülow | German World War I people | Field Marshals of Germany | 1846 births | 1921 deaths | Berliners
Karl von Bülow | Karl von Bülow | Karl von Bülow | Karl von Bülow
"Karl von Bülow"