Dietrich Karl Hermann Freiherr von Stein
(11.02.1859 - 26.02.1928)
place of birth:  Ansbach, Mittelfranken
Königreich Bayern:  KG,  General der Artillerie


Bavarian baron and artillery officer Hermann von Stein entered the Great War in command of the Bavarian 1. Feldartillerie-Brigade. He also led a division and a corps during the War and should not be confused with the German War Minister by the same name. Hermann was the son of wealthy landowner Bernhard Freiherr von Stein zu Nord und Ostheim and Luise née Freiin Löw von und zu Steinfurth. In October 1885, Hermann was joined in marriage to Karoline von Heckel, with whom he had one son.

Bavaria's 1. Feldartillerie-Brigade was initially engaged in battle in the Lorraine region before moving on to northern France with Bavarian I. Armee-Korps. After convalescing from a minor injury, the recently promoted Generalleutnant von Stein took over command in January 1915 of the newly-established Bavarian 8. Reserve-Division. Following skirmishes in the Vosges Mountains, the reserve division was transferred to the Eastern Front, but then returned to the Vosges in less than a month. During the summer of 1916, the division was headquartered at Maurepas from where they took part in the Battle of the Somme. For his bravery and meritorious leadership in battle, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) of Bavaria's highest military order - the Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden. He was officially presented with the decoration on 27.02.1917 and later received the Kommandeur class of the order. Freiherr von Stein was additionally awarded the Pour le Merite in 1917 along with the oak leaves.

General von Stein and his division returned east in the fall of 1916, this time to the East Carpathians in order to help fend off the Russians who had broken through in the Gyorgyo Mountains. Remaining in this area until January 1917, von Stein was then selected to command Bavarian III. Armee-Korps subordinate to 6. Armee-Oberkommando. His corps was sent in May to take part in the Battle of Arras, although the action there had already started to abate somewhat. In June 1917, he was in command of Gruppe Ypern (Ypres Group) subordinate to 4. Armee-Oberkommando, as they fought the British in Flanders. From Flanders, General von Stein traveled with his III. Armee-Korps to the Italian Front, where this unit distinguished itself at Isonzo, as well as during the pursuit to Tagliamento and the Piave.

Toward the end of 1917, the Bavarian III. Armee-Korps returned to the Western Front to support Otto von Below's 17. Armee-Oberkommando on the River Scarpe and at Armentières. Freiherr von Stein was promoted to General der Artillerie in May 1918 and continued to oversee his corps troops as they conducted an orderly retreat toward the Antwerp-Maas Line in the late summer months. Upon leading his corps back to Bavaria for demobilization, Hermann Freiherr von Stein retired to his family estate in Völkershausen, Lower Franconia. Although Stein is registered as a Generalleutnant in the April 1918 edition of the Bavarian Seniority List, he was promoted to General der Artillerie the following month.

	General der Artillerie	28.05.1918
	Pour le Mérite	20.08.1917  (Eichenlaub: 24.11.1917)
	Verdst-Ord Bayr-Krone	28.10.1912  Ritter
	Militär-Max-Joseph	23.07.1916  Ritter  (22.08.1917: Kommandeur)