Friedrich Adam Julius von Bernhardi 
(22.11.1849 - 10.07.1930)
place of birth:  St Petersburg, Russland  (St Petersburg, Russia)
Königreich Preußen:  Stellv KG,  General der Kavallerie a.D.


Imperial German General der Kavallerie Friedrich von Bernhardi served during the Great War as a divisional and corps-level commander. He was also an internationally respected military historian. Born of Estonian-German parents, his family moved from Russia to Germany when he was two years old. His father Theodor was a diplomat and Prussian historian with close connections at the highest levels of Prussia's military and political elite. Friedrich's mother was the daughter of Russian Admiral Krusenstern. 

General von Bernhardi began his military career as a Prussian cavalry officer serving in the 14th Husar-Regiment in Kassel. With that unit, he later saw action in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71, and was reputed to be the first German to ride through the Arc de Triomphe when the Prussians entered Paris. He served on the general staff as head of war history section (1898-1901). Still during peacetime, General von Bernhardi commanded both at the division and corps level and then in 1909 went on inactive reserve status. Bernhardi took this opportunity to travel the world, chronicling his visits to Egypt, Asia, and the Americas.

As Germany mobilized for War, General der Kavallerie von Bernhardi was reactivated to function initially as Hermann von Strantz' acting commander at V. Army Corps Headquarters in Posen. In September 1915 he was transferred to the Eastern Front to head up 49th Reserve Division engaged at Slonim. In the summer of 1916, he was urgently called to the Austro-Hungarian front near Volhynia to lead a multi-national force defending against the Brusilov Offensive. Under his leadership, German and Austrian troops were able to fend off the Russians in the area of the Styr and Stochid rivers, earning Bernhardi the Pour le Merite medal. His "Korps Bernhardi" was reformed in October 1916 into Generalkommando z.b.V. Nr. 55, remaining on the Eastern Front until early 1918. They deployed west in February and were engaged at Armentieres. As the Germans retreated, General von Bernhardi ultimately had a physical breakdown and was forced to retire from active duty to his family estate in Cunnersdorf near Hirschberg, Silesia (present-day Poland).


General der Kavallerie  27.01.1908
Eisernes Kreuz II Deutsch-Französischer Krieg  1870–1871

Pour le Mérite  20.08.1916  (Eichenlaub:  15.05.1918)
 
 

"Strength is the highest right, and the legal dispute will be decided by the measure of strength  -- War --  which always decides biologically and therefore fairly."

General Friedrich von Bernhardi

 
 
 

  
 
Curriculum Vitae    
   
18.04.1869 Husaren-Regiment ,,Landgraf Friedrich III von Hessen-Homburg (2. Kurhessisches) Nr. 14 - Kassel
19.07.1870 Deutsch-Französischer Krieg von 1870–1871   (awarded Iron Cross during Franco-Prussian War)
02.09.1870 Sekonde-Lieutenant  (patent later ante-dated to 08.02.1869)
18.06.1872 Dragoner-Regiment ,,Freiherr von Manteuffel (Rheinisches) Nr. 5 - Hofgeismar
01.10.1873 Preußische Kriegsakademie - Berlin
14.12.1875 Premier-Lieutenant
21.07.1876 Dragoner-Regiment ,,Freiherr von Manteuffel (Rheinisches) Nr. 5 - Hofgeismar
01.05.1879 Großer Generalstab - Berlin
03.05.1881 Dragoner-Regiment ,,Freiherr von Manteuffel (Rheinisches) Nr. 5 - Hofgeismar
01.10.1882 Griechenland  (6-month cartographic expedition to Greece)
13.03.1883 Rittmeister
15.03.1883 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detached to Topographical Section)
11.03.1886 15. Infanterie-Division - Köln  (Ia on Sigismund von Schlichting's general staff)
16.05.1888 Westfälisches Ulanen-Regiment  Nr. 5 - Düsseldorf  (Squadron Cdr)
24.03.1890 Major  (patent 22.03.1889)
21.02.1891 Militär-Attache - Bern, Switzerland
14.05.1894 Oberst-Lieutenant
14.05.1894 1. Badisches Leib-Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 20 - Karlsruhe  (Cdr)
22.03.1897 Oberst
10.09.1897 XVI. Armeekorps - Metz  (von Haeseler's Chief of Staff) 
20.07.1898 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (Chief of History Section)
12.08.1900 Generalmajor
18.04.1901 31. Kavallerie-Brigade - Straßburg  (Cdr)
24.04.1904 Generalleutnant
24.04.1904 7. Infanterie-Division - Magdeburg  (Cdr, replaced Baron von Ardenne)
12.12.1907 VII. Armeekorps - Münster  (Cdr, replaced Frh von Bissing)
27.01.1908 General der Kavallerie
11.08.1909 zur Disposition gestellt
   
Great War
   
02.08.1914 V. Armeekorps - Posen, Stellvertrender KG  (Acting Cdr at V. Corps HQ) 
04.09.1915 49. Reserve-Division  (replaced Hahndorff) 
06.06.1916 Korps "Bernhardi" 
01.10.1916 Generalkommando z.b.V. Nr. 55  (formed from Korps Bernhardi)
   
   
 

06.05.1909

 

 

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