Gustav Adolph Joachim Rüdiger Graf von der Goltz
(08.12.1865 - 04.11.1946)
place of birth:  Züllichau, Posen  (Sulichow, Poland)
Königreich Preußen:  Div-Kdr,  Generalmajor


At mobilization, Oberst Graf von der Goltz lead an imperial German regiment into the First Battle of the Marne. Having suffered a leg wound during that battle, he was nonetheless appointed brigade commander by November 1914. Promoted to Generalmajor in 1916, von der Goltz was given command of the 37. Infanterie-Division which saw action during the Neville Offensive. Later, as commander of the 12. Landwehr-Division (1918), his troops occupied Helsinki and fought the Russians until their surrender in May 1918. For his distinguished service and leadership while deployed to Finland, Generalmajor von der Goltz was decorated with the highest Royal Prussian order of bravery, the Pour le Mérite. After the November 1918 Armistice, he was appointed commander of VI. Reserve-Korps in 1919 and then governor of Libau, Latvia (Courland). 

In post-War Germany, Graf von der Goltz took part in the Kapp Putsch in 1920. Although he had retired at the end of the war as a Generalmajor, he was later awarded the brevet rank of Generalleutnant (charakter) on 27 August 1939 for Tannenberg Remembrance Day. Graf von der Goltz also headed the Association of German Officers from 1934 to 1945. He died on 4 November 1946 in Kinsegg, Allgäu.

 
 
Generalmajor  18.08.1916

Pour le Mérite  15.05.1918
 
 
 

  
 
Curriculum Vitae  
   
03.03.1885 Offizier-Aspirant
03.03.1885 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß - Potsdam
15.10.1885 Portepée-Fähnrich
12.11.1885 Sekonde-Lieutenant
01.10.1881 Preußische Kriegsakademie - Berlin  (Student at Royal Prussian War College)
14.09.1893 Premier-Lieutenant
20.07.1894 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß - Potsdam  (return from War College)
01.04.1895 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detached to Prussian Great General Staff HQ, from 1GdRzF)
13.05.1895 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detached to Prussian Great General Staff HQ, from 1LeibGR-109)
17.04.1897 Hauptmann
17.04.1897 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (assigned to Great General Staff HQ)
22.03.1898 Generalstab der Armee - Berlin  (assigned to General Staff of the Army)
22.03.1898 IX. Armee-Korps - Altona  (detailed to Massow's Corps General Staff)
22.07.1900 8. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 153 - Altenburg  (Coy Cdr)
12.09.1902 Generalstab der Armee - Berlin  (assigned to General Staff of the Army)
12.09.1902 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detailed to Great General Staff HQ)
28.10.1902 1.Garde-Infanterie-Division - Berlin  (Moltke's First General Staff Officer Ia)
14.11.1903 Major
22.04.1905 IV. Armee-Korps - Magdeburg  (Hindenburg's First General Staff Officer Ia) 
01.10.1906 Gouvernement Berlin  (assigned to Military Govt of Royal Capital Berlin Garrison HQ)
01.10.1906 Oberkommando in den Marken - Berlin  (detached to Hahnke's staff at Supreme Command of Mark Brandenburg)
07.08.1909 4. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß - Berlin  (Bn Cdr)
27.01.1911 Oberstleutnant
20.03.1911 4. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß - Berlin  (Rgt Staff Officer)
00.08.1911 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (assigned Great General Staff HQ as Dept Chief)
02.10.1911 Preußische Kriegsakademie - Berlin  (member, War College Board of Directors) 
03.03.1913 Infanterie-Regiment Hamburg (2. Hanseatisches) Nr. 76 - Hamburg  (provisional Cdr)
20.05.1913 Oberst
20.05.1913 Infanterie-Regiment Hamburg (2. Hanseatisches) Nr. 76 - Hamburg  (Cdr)
   
Great War  
   
02.08.1914 Infanterie-Regiment Hamburg (2. Hanseatisches) Nr. 76  (Cdr)
06.09.1914 convalescent leave, leg wound
04.10.1914 Infanterie-Regiment Hamburg (2. Hanseatisches) Nr. 76  (Cdr, return from convalescent leave)
17.11.1914 34. Infanterie-Brigade  (Cdr)
01.06.1915 5. Garde-Infanterie-Brigade  (Cdr)
26.05.1916 1. Garde-Infanterie-Brigade  (Cdr)
18.08.1916 Generalmajor
18.06.1917 37. Infanterie-Division  (Cdr, replaced Max von Müller)
25.02.1918 12. Landwehr-Division  (Cdr, replaced Otto von Weise)
20.03.1918 Ostsee-Division  (Cdr, formed from 12LdwDiv)
15.05.1918 Orden Pour le Mérite
15.05.1918 Grenzschutz-Ost - Finland  (Sector Cdr)
26.10.1918 zur Disposition gestellt
11.11.1918 Waffenstillstand von Compiègne  (Armistice)
27.08.1939 Generalleutnant  (charakter - Tannenbergtag)
   
   
 

06.05.1914
 

 

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