Otto Wladislaus Eduard Konstantin von Garnier
(01.05.1859 - 17.06.1947)
place of birth:  Neustadt, Oberschlesien
Königreich Preußen:  KG,  General der Kavallerie


Prussian cavalry specialist Otto von Garnier fought during the Great War as a division- and corps-level commander of Imperial German troops. Otto grew up in Upper Silesia where his father was serving as a cavalry officer. His saw action in both wars of 1866 and 1870. Otto eventually joined his hometown Hussar regiment and was commissioned as a Sekonde-Lieutenant in 1878. After graduation from War College, he spent over 15 years as a Prussian General Staff officer in pre-War Germany. He was assigned as Inspector General of 2. Kavallerie-Inspektion when the War broke out in August 1914.

As the German military mobilized, Generalleutnant von Garnier re-established the mobile 4. Kavallerie-Division headquarters and marched into battle against the Belgian fortresses at Liege. His division was initially deployed in support of Marwitz's Höheres Kavallerie Kommando Nr. 2 and Hausen's 3. Armee. Garnier and his men thereafter pushed further into France, but the division was transferred East in November 1914 to defend against the Russian incursion. Garnier was severely wounded during hostilities in November at Ciechow, Poland and had to spend a few months on convalescent leave. After recuperating at the field hospital, he was assigned command of as Höheres Kavallerie Kommando Nr. 6, a formation subordinate to 10. Armee-Oberkommando engaged on the Eastern Front. His troops took part in operations along the River Niemen and at the Battle of Vilnius. Generalleutnant von Garnier was transferred in September 1916 to the Western Front to lead V. Reserve-Korps forces in Champagne and on the River Somme. His leadership there was recognized by Kaiser Wilhelm II., who personally awarded von Garnier with the Pour le Merite.

The end of summer 1917 saw von Garnier replace Freiherr von Soden as commander of VII. Reserve-Korps  headquarters located near Reims, France. This part of the front remained fairly quiet over the ensuing months, and General der Kavallerie von Garnier retired from active duty in March of 1918. Garnier lived until 1947 when he passed away in Hechingen, Baden-Württemberg. His daughter Huberta had married Wehrmacht General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz, who served as military governor of Paris in the final days of the Nazi occupation during World War Two.

	General der Kavallerie	03.12.1917
	Pour le Mérite	17.10.1916