Friedrich Wilhelm Leopold Ewald von Kleist
(15.06.1858 - 12.12.1937)
place of birth:  Potsdam
Königreich Preußen:  Div-Kdr,  General à l. s. SM,  Generalleutnant


From the well-known Prussian military family, General Friedrich von Kleist served during World War One as a the commander of Germany's 51. Reserve-Division. He entered military service in 1878 and spent much of his peace-time career in Guards units. As an Oberst in 1911, von Kleist was additionally brought into Kaiser Wilhelm II's military entourage as an aide-de-camp, Flügeladjutant. Upon promotion to Generalmajor in 1913, he was elevated to the position of General à la suite. At the same time, he was put in command of 1. Garde-Infanterie-Brigade headquarters in Potsdam. This command carried with it the additional responsibility of Potsdam Garrison HQ Commandant.

As Imperial Germany invaded Belgium in August 1914, Generalmajor von Kleist's brigade, as part of the Garde-Korps, formed the left wing of Karl von Bülow's 2. Armee-Oberkommando. During the first few months' surge, the brigade was thus involved in named battles at Namur, St. Quentin, and Arras, eventually leading to trench warfare at the First Battle of Ypres in Western Flanders (19 October to 22 November.) At this point, von Kleist was transferred to command 51. Reserve-Division, whose troops remained stuck in the trenches of Flanders, Belgium for the next year and a half. Prior to the division being moved to the Somme area, von Kleist was removed from the front lines and tasked with once again overseeing the Kommandantur at Potsdam. He was promoted to Generalleutnant in the summer of 1916 and remained as Commandant of Potsdam Garrison until the 1918 armistice.

	Generalleutnant	06.06.1916