Hermann Bernhard Brecht
(10.05.1853 - 23.10.1927)
place of birth:  Sculcoates, UK
Königreich Preußen:  HKK,  General der Kavallerie


Imperial German cavalry officer Hermann Brecht who led 1. Kavallerie-Division during the first half of the Great War, and later led a specialized cavalry corps formation. Brecht entered military service just after the Franco-Prussian War in 1872, joining the Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 13 in northern Germany. He graduated from Hanover's Militär-Reit-Institut (Military Riding Institute) in 1878. He later spent over 13 years of his peace-time career as an instructor and administrator at the training facility. Generalleutnant Brecht was serving as Inspector General of 1. Kavallerie-Inspektion in the months leading up to general mobilization for the Great War.

As Germany marched into battle, Brecht was tasked with reestablishment of 1. Kavallerie-Division and serving as its commander on the Eastern Front. He and his troops saw immediate action along the border, defending against the Russian onslaught in fighting at Stallupönen and Gumbinnen. Soon thereafter, 1. Kavallerie-Division became a key participant in the August 1914 Battle of Tannenberg, as well as the September 1914 and February 1915 battles at Masurian Lakes. He remained as the divisional commander until September 1916 when he replaced Otto von Garnier as commander of Höheres Kavallerie-Kommando Nr. 6 (6th Cavalry Corps,) soon redesignated as General-Kommando z.b.V. Nr. 59 and redeployed to France's Lorraine region.

	General der Kavallerie	27.01.1918