Arthur Rudolph Freiherr von Lüttwitz  
(09.04.1865 - 06.05.1928)
place of birth:  Schloss Lodygowitz, Galizien  (Żywiecki, Poland)
Königreich Preußen:  KG,  Generalleutnant


General von Lüttwitz served Prussia as an imperial officer and military attaché. He was born in Galicia to the aristocratic Prussian family of Max Freiherr von Lüttwitz and spouse Irma Gaal-Gyula. In accordance with family tradition, young Arthur launched his military career with the Cadet Corps and in 1882 joined up with the Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 in Charlottenburg. Following time served at Prussian Great General Staff headquarters, Hauptmann von Lüttwitz was sent to the German Embassy in London to perform military attaché duties. He further spent time as an observer with British High Command in the Transvaal Republic as the British fought Dutch settlers during the Second Boer War

At the rank of Major, von Lüttwitz continued in his diplomatic role while spending almost four years in St. Petersburg as German Military Attaché to Imperial Russia. Returning to Germany, he commanded a regiment in Hamburg and was selected to command 39. Infanterie-Brigade in Hannover during the months leading up to the Great War. As Germany mobilized, von Lüttwitz found himself without a command, however, so he was initially assigned to work at OHL, German Supreme Command. He was soon transferred to Brussels, where he functioned as Military Governor General von der Goltz's Chief of Staff.

In November 1914, Generalmajor von Lüttwitz was dispatched to the Reims area in order to lead an infantry brigade there. By March 1915, he had moved on to command the newly-formed 221. Infanterie-Brigade fighting along the River Meuse in support of Armee-Abteilung Strantz. A knee injury sent him back to Germany for recovery, and upon his return to the Front, von Lüttwitz took charge of 40. Infanterie-Brigade. He was soon transferred to the Eastern Front, however, where in August 1915 he replaced General Oetinger as head of 20. Infanterie-Division, subordinate to General Emmich's X. Armee-Korps.  His division was soon sent back to the Western Front in September, first taking part in defensive actions associated with the Fall Battle of Champagne, and later being mired in the trenches south of Laon near Chemin des Dames. The general returned to Berlin in May 1916 and spent the remainder of that year filling the role of Intendant-General (supply) of the Field Army at Great Headquarters. 

In January 1917, OHL dispatched von Lüttwitz to the Volhynia region of northern Ukraine, where he briefly commanded 16. Infanterie-Division before that unit was transshipped back the Western Front to support 4. Armee HQ in Flanders near hotspots by Poelkapelle and Paschendaele. His actions and leadership during this phase of the conflict resulted in Generalmajor von Lüttwitz being awarded the Pour le Merite in November 1917, with recommendations coming from three separate generals in his chain of command: Boeckmann, Sixt von Armin, and Freiherr Marschall. Promoted to Generalleutnant soon thereafter, his division in April 1918 was engaged in heavy fighting near Armentieres as part of Germany's Spring Offensive. After the battle died down, he was selected in August 1918 to head up XXXVIII. Reserve-Korps. Subordinate to 9. Armee-Oberkommando, his troops fought defensive skirmishes along the River Aisne as the German forces conducted their orderly retreat to the east. Following the November 1918 signing of the Armistice, Generalleutnant von Lüttwitz was tasked with bringing his soldiers back to their homeland for demobilization and soon thereafter retired from active military service. He lived out his remaining years in Baden-Baden and passed away there in 1928.

 
 
Generalleutnant  25.02.1918

Pour le Mérite  08.11.1917
 
 
 

  
 
Curriculum Vitae
   
15.04.1882 Sekonde-Lieutenant
13.04.1882 ,,Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 - Spandau
01.11.1886 ,,Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 - Spandau   (Bn Adjutant)
31.12.1889 ,,Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 - Spandau
01.10.1890 Preußische Kriegsakademie - Berlin   (Student at Royal Prussian War College)
18.11.1890 Premier-Lieutenant
21.07.1893 ,,Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 - Spandau   (return from War College)
01.04.1894 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detached to Prussian Great General Staff HQ)
22.03.1895 Hauptmann
22.03.1895 Großer Generalstab, Nebenetat - Berlin  (detached to Great General Staff HQ Nebenetat, à l.s. Gen Staff of the Army)
22.03.1897 Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Erinnerungs-Medaille (Zentenarmedaille)
01.04.1898 Generalstab der Armee - Berlin  (assigned to General Staff of the Army)
01.04.1898 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detailed to Great General Staff HQ)
10.05.1898 Militärattaché, Deutsche Botschaft - London  (Military Attaché at Imperial German Embassy in England)
17.10.1899 Zweiter Burenkrieg  (Second Boer War, South Africa, deploys as Observer with British HQ)
17.08.1900 Offizier von der Armee  (Officer of the Army, return to Germany)
16.12.1900 Militärattaché, Deutsche Botschaft - St. Petersburg  (Military Attaché at Imperial German Embassy in Russia)
19.09.1901 Major
02.06.1904 Generalstab der Armee - Berlin  (return from Russian, assigned to General Staff of the Army)
02.06.1904 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detailed to Great General Staff HQ)
10.04.1906 ,,Königin Augusta Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 4 - Berlin  (Bn Cdr)
15.04.1887 Königlich Preußischer Dienstauszeichnungskreuz für Offiziere - 25-jähriger
16.08.1907 Generalstab der Armee - Berlin  (assigned to General Staff of the Army)
16.08.1907 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detailed to Great General Staff HQ)
03.03.1908 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detailed to Great General Staff HQ, provisional Dept Chief)
18.05.1908 Oberstleutnant
18.05.1908 Großer Generalstab - Berlin  (detailed to Great General Staff HQ, Dept Chief)
21.04.1911 Oberst
01.10.1912 Infanterie-Regiment ,,Hamburg (2. Hanseatisches) Nr. 76 - Hamburg  (Cdr)
22.04.1914 39. Infanterie-Brigade - Hannover  (Cdr)
22.04.1914 Generalmajor
   
Great War
   
02.08.1914 das Große Hauptquartier - Berlin  (assigned to OHL Great HQ)
17.08.1914 das Große Hauptquartier - Koblenz  (deployed with OHL Great HQ)
22.08.1914 Kaiserliche Deutsches General-Gouvernement Belgien - Brüssel  (Goltz's Chief of Staff at Imperial German General Govt HQ)
26.11.1914 38. Infanterie-Brigade  (Cdr)
00.00.1914 das Königlich Preußische Eiserne Kreuz 1914 - 2. Klasse
25.03.1915 221. Infanterie-Brigade  (Cdr)
00.08.1915 40. Infanterie-Brigade  (Cdr)
27.08.1915 20. Infanterie-Division (Cdr, replaced Ritter und Edler von Oetinger)
18.10.1915 Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden - 2. Klasse mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern
01.05.1916 Generalintendant des Feldheeres, Stellvertretender - Berlin  (Acting Intendant General of the Field Army)
21.08.1916 Generalintendant des Feldheeres - Berlin  (Intendant General of the Field Army, replaced Schoeler)
09.01.1917 16. Infanterie-Division  (Cdr, replaced Mengelbier)
22.10.1917 Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden - 2. Klasse mit Stern und Schwertern
08.11.1917 Orden Pour le Mérite
25.02.1918 Generalleutnant  =  Exzellenz
03.08.1918 XXXVIII. Reserve-Korps  (Acting Cdr)  
15.09.1918 XXXVIII. Reserve-Korps  (provisional Cdr, replaced Frh von Richthofen)  
11.11.1918 Waffenstillstand von Compiègne  (Armistice)
03.05.1919 zur Disposition gestellt
   
   

06.05.1914

 

 

*     *     *