Otto Ritter von Breitkopf
(22.11.1858 - 14.08.1939)
place of birth:  Groß-Strelitz, Oberschlesien
Königreich Bayern:  Div-Kdr,  General der Infanterie


Royal Bavarian lieutenant general who commanded Bavaria's 3. Infanterie-Division at the start of the Great War. For his meritorious leadership prior to the War, he was awarded the Komtur (Commander class) of the Bavarian crown's order of merit - the Verdienstorden der Bayerischen Krone. The official presentation of the decoration elevated him into Bavarian nobility with the title of "Ritter von Breitkopf." He was additionally promoted to Generalleutnant on 12.03.1913 conferring him the title of Exzellenz (Excellency.)

After mobilization on August 2nd, his division was engaged along the border of northwestern France, later settling into trench warfare in that same area. Against Breitkopf's standing orders, a few of his soldiers had nonetheless committed severe atrocities against some local civilians in the community of Maixe. For this, in 1923 General von Breitkopf was convicted of war crimes in a French court and received the death sentence. This verdict was later overturned, however, during a post-War German court process.

	General der Infanterie	16.01.1917
	Verdst-Ord Bayr-Krone	30.12.1913  Komtur