Wolf Rudolf Freiherr Marschall von Altengottern  
(26.09.1855 - 20.11.1930)
place of birth:  Lyck, Ostpreußen  (Elk, Poland)
Königreich Preußen:  KG,  Generaladjutant SM,  General der Kavallerie


German baron and cavalry officer Wolf Marschall functioned during the Great War as one of Kaiser Wilhelm II's adjutant generals. He additionally commanded Austrian troops in the Carpathian Mountains, as well as the Guards Reserve Corps on the Western Front. Freiherr Marschall was also a member of Prussian House of Lords from 1908 to 1918.

At mobilization in August 1914, Generalleutnant z.D. Freiherr von Marschall was initially detached to the Kaiser's Great Headquarters in his function as General à la suite. At Christmas that same year, he was sent to the Eastern theater to replace General Litzmann as commander of 3rd Guard Division. His troops fought alongside their Austrian counterparts in the Carpathians, and in 1915 were resubordinated as part of Germany's Sudarmee. In February 1915, the General was selected to command the newly-established Korps Marschall, formed from various Austrian infantry divisions and fighting in the Bukovina region in support of Armeegruppe Pflanzer-Baltin. Following a few months of positional skirmishing along the River Dniestr, Korps Marschall moved across the River Pruth where they were engaged along the Gnila-Lipa. His corps reformed in July 1915 and successfully broke through the Zlota-Lipa line to pursue their Russian enemy to the Tarnapol area. 

On his birthday in January 1916, Kaiser Wilhelm II selected General Marschall as one of his adjutant generals. In April, he was transferred to the Western Front to replace General von Gallwitz as commander of the Guards Reserve Corps. Over the next few months, his soldiers were engaged in the Artois region in support of Sixth Army, and during the Battle of the Somme in support of Second Army and later the First Army.  His outstanding leadership during this time frame earned General Freiherr Marschall the coveted Pour le Merite honor. In the Spring months of 1917, the Guards reservists joined with Sixth Army forces in heavy fighting versus English troops in the Arras region. That summer, the reservists additionally supported Germany's Fourth Army in defensive actions in Flanders

In April 1918, Marschall's Garde-Reserve-Korps aggressively pushed forward as part of Imperial Germany's Great Spring Offensive. General Marschall and his men successfully defeated the British during the Battle of Armentières along France's northern border with Belgium. General Freiherr Marschall was again recognized for his military achievements during this time by adding the Oak leaves to his PLM. Towards the end of the War, Marschall was charged with leading troops subordinate to Fourth Army as they fought an orderly retreat out of Flanders and along to Antwerp-Meuse line. After the Armistice was signed, General Freiherr Marschall was tasked with leading Fourth Army forces back to the German homeland for demobilization. He soon thereafter retired from the German Armed Forces, having served with distinction for over 43 years.

 
 
General der Kavallerie  23.03.1915
China-Denkmünze Ostasiatisches Expeditionskorps  1900-01

Pour le Mérite  21.09.1916  (Eichenlaub:  16.05.1918)
 
 
 

  
 
Curriculum Vitae
   
18.09.1875 Thüringisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 12 - Torgau  (Avantageur)
13.04.1876 Portepée-Fähnrich
10.02.1877 Sekonde-Lieutenant
00.00.1878 Thüringisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 12 - Merseburg
01.10.1880 Preußische Kriegsakademie - Berlin
21.07.1883 Regiment der Gardes du Corps - Potsdam  (transfer effective 03.07.1883)
15.04.1885 Regiment der Gardes du Corps - Potsdam  (Adjutant)
12.01.1886 Premier-Lieutenant
16.09.1887 1. Garde-Kavallerie-Brigade - Berlin  (Adjutant)
01.09.1889 Großer Generalstab, Generalstabschef  - Berlin  (2nd Adjutant to Chief of General Staff of the Army Graf von Waldersee)
15.02.1890 Rittmeister
14.02.1891 Großer Generalstab - Berlin
27.01.1893 Kürassier-Regiment ,,Königin (Pommersches) Nr. 2 - Pasewalk  (Squadron Cdr)
15.12.1894 12. Infanterie-Division - Neiße  (on general staff)
12.09.1895 Major
21.04.1898 III. Armee-Inspektion - Hannover  (detached for duty from Great General Staff)
03.07.1900 Armee-Oberkommando in Ostasien - China  (German Field Army HQ during Boxer Rebellion, on Waldersee's General Staff)
06.08.1901 III. Armee-Inspektion - Hannover  (detached for duty from Great General Staff)
22.03.1902 VI. Armeekorps - Breslau  (Erbprinz von Sachsen-Meiningen and von Woyrsch's Chief of Staff)
22.04.1902 Oberst-Lieutenant
24.04.1904 Leib-Garde-Husaren-Regiment - Potsdam  (Cdr)
16.03.1905 Oberst
09.06.1905 Flügeladjutant SM des Kaiser und Königs  (aide-de-camp in HM Wilhelm II's court, concurrent with above/below)
21.09.1906 17. Kavallerie-Brigade (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgische) - Schwerin  (Cdr)
25.05.1907 diensttuender Flügeladjutant SM des Kaiser und Königs  (Orderly aide-de-camp in HM Wilhelm II's court)
00.00.1908 Preußisches Herrenhaus - Berlin  (member of the Prussian House of Lords through 1918)
27.01.1909 Generalmajor
27.01.1909 diensttuender General à la suite SM des Kaiser und Königs  (Orderly General a la suite in HM Wilhelm II's court)
00.00.1910 zur Disposition gestellt
13.09.1911 Generalleutnant  (charakter)
   
Great War
   
02.08.1914 diensttuender General à la suite SM des Kaiser und Königs  (Orderly General a la suite in HM Wilhelm II's court)
24.12.1914 General der Kavallerie  (charakter)
24.12.1914 3. Garde-Infanterie-Division  (Cdr, replaced Karl Litzmann)
17.02.1915 Korps Marschall
22.03.1915 General der Kavallerie
27.01.1916 Generaladjutant SM des Kaisers und Königs  (Adjutant General in HM Wilhelm II's court)
18.04.1916 Garde Reservekorps  (Cdr, replaced Max von Gallwitz)
19.11.1918 4. Armee-Oberkommando  (Cdr, replaced Friedrich Sixt von Armin)
30.12.1918 außer Dienst
   
   
 

06.05.1914

 

 

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