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Karl Wilhelm Paul von Bülow
(24.04.1846 - 31.08.1921)
place of birth: Berlin
Königreich
Preußen: Gen-Insp, OBH,
Generalfeldmarschall
Born into an old distinguished
Prussian family, Karl Wilhelm saw action in the German War
of 1866 and served as a captain on the General Staff during the Franco-Prussian
War of 1870-71. Thereafter, von Bülow spent most of his
career in the Berlin area, with many of his assignments within the
Guard Corps. One of the highest-ranking generals at the
outbreak of the Great War, he was charged with command of the Second
Army (1914-15), also having nominal control over the First and Third
Armies -- Germany's right flank. Von
Bülow had recently married a much younger woman and also suffered from
a very painful form of neuralgia, probably severely affecting his
judgment. He defeated General Lanrezac at Charleroi
and Guise- St. Quentin. He was also in overall
command during the Battle of the First Aisne and
the Race to the Sea. He was later awarded Pour
le Merite for his part in the capture of the Namur
Fortress.
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Leutnant - 1866 |
General von Bülow was promoted
to Field Marshal in January of 1915, but was nonetheless a very
cautious and pessimistic commander who lost his nerve following the
failure at the River Marne. He subsequently gave up
his command to Marwitz after suffering a heart attack in March 1915.
His role in the Battle of the Marne having damaged
his reputation making it impossible for him to secure another army
command, von Bülow went on convalescent leave to Berlin and went on
inactive reserve status in June of 1916. He remained in Berlin until
his death on 31 August 1921. After he died, his granddaughter Renate
Holm became a famous opera singer in Germany and Austria. GFM Karl von
Bülow is not to be confused with Generalmajor Karl Ulrich von Bülow,
who commanded troop at Caporetto and was also the
brother of Prussian Chancellor Bernhard von Bülow.
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