Friedrich Wilhelm Ulrich Götz Freiherr von König
(13.09.1849 - 07.01.1934)
place of birth:  Vienenburg, Hannover
Königreich Preußen:  HKK,  General der Kavallerie a.D.


Imperial German cavalry officer Götz Freiherr von König commanded both Landwehr and cavalry troops at the division and corps level during the first years of the Great War. König originally entered military service in 1866 as a 17-year old lieutenant in Hannover's Army. As such, he fought against the Prussians during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and was taken as a prisoner of war. After his release, he transferred to a Braunschweig cavalry regiment and saw action with this unit during Germany's war with France in 1870.

Following a successful peace-time career as a German cavalry officer, König retired from active duty in 1905 at the rank of Generalleutnant. As Germany mobilized in August 1914, General König was reactivated and sent to Posen as commander of 3rd Landwehr Division based in Posen. His success in battling the Russians resulted in his being selected in December 1914 to replace General von Woyrsch as the head of Landwehr Corps. König remained in this capacity for the next two years, receiving a promotion to General der Kavallerie in late 1915.

In September 1916, the Kaiser selected von König to head up First Cavalry Corps (HKK 1), which soon thereafter was renamed General Command Nr. 56. These troops remained engaged on the Eastern Front until the March 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk marked the Russians' exit from the War. The command was dissolved soon thereafter, and Freiherr von König retired to his Wolterdorf estate. The general's son Leo became a renowned artist from the Berliner Secession movement.

 
 
General der Kavallerie  14.11.1915
Erinnerungs-Kreuz Deutscher Krieg  1866

Eisernes Kreuz II  Deutsch-Französischer Krieg  1870–1871

Pour le Mérite  23.07.1915
 
 
 

  
 
Curriculum Vitae
   
24.04.1864 Kadettenkorps = Hannover
17.06.1866 Sekonde-Lieutenant
17.06.1866 5. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment
15.06.1866 Der Deutsche Krieg von 1866   (participant in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866)
28.11.1866 Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17 - Braunschweig
19.07.1870 Deutsch-Französischer Krieg von 1870–1871   (awarded Iron Cross during Franco-Prussian War)
00.00.1871 Husaren-Regiment ,,von Zieten (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3 - Rathenow
15.11.1873 Premier-Lieutenant
18.05.1876 7. Kavallerie-Brigade - Magdeburg  (Adjutant)
10.02.1879 3. Garde-Kavallerie-Brigade - Berlin  (Adjutant)
11.06.1879 Rittmeister
11.06.1879 Garde-Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 1 - Potsdam  (Squadron Cdr)
11.12.1886 Garde-Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 2 - Berlin
11.12.1886 IX. Armeekorps - Altona  (Adjutant on Hermann von Tresckow's staff)
13.12.1887 Major
13.12.1887 Dragoner-Regiment ,,König Friedrich III (2. Schlesisches) Nr. 8 - Kreuzburg  (regimental staff)
25.03.1893 Oberst-Lieutenant
04.04.1893 Ulanen-Regiment ,,Großherzog Friedrich von Baden (Rheinisches ) Nr. 7 - Saarbrücken  (provisional Cdr)
17.06.1893 Ulanen-Regiment ,,Großherzog Friedrich von Baden (Rheinisches ) Nr. 7 - Saarbrücken  (Cdr)
18.04.1896 Oberst
17.06.1897 22. Kavallerie-Brigade - Kassel  (Cdr)
22.05.1899 Generalmajor
22.03.1902 4. Kavallerie Inspektion - Saarbrücken  (provisional Inspector General)
22.04.1902 Generalleutnant
22.04.1902 4. Kavallerie Inspektion - Saarbrücken  (Inspector General, replaced Prince Friedrich Leopold)
06.05.1905 zur Disposition gestellt
   
Great War
   
02.08.1914 3. Landwehr-Division
04.12.1914 Landwehrkorps  (replaced Remus von Woyrsch)
27.01.1915 General der Kavallerie  (charakter)
14.11.1915 General der Kavallerie
23.09.1916 Höherer Kavallerie Kommandeur Nr. 1  (replaced Manfred Frh von Richthofen)
20.11.1916 Generalkommando z.b.V. Nr. 56  (renamed from HKK 1) 
05.03.1918 außer Dienst
   
   
 

06.05.1904

 

 

*     *     *