Dietrich Hermann von Roeder
(12.07.1861 - 15.12.1945)
place of birth:  Lübben, Spreewald
Königreich Preußen:  Div-Kdr,  Generalmajor


Generalmajor Dietrich von Roeder served during the Great War commanding at the brigade and divisional level. Roeder began his military career in 1882 with the Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 2 in Berlin. He went on to spend almost 25 years of his peace-time service assigned to Guards units. He likewise served as a military adjutant to two of Kaiser Wilhelm II's sons: August Wilhelm and Joachim. As Germany marched into the First World War, Oberst von Roeder was in command of his original unit, Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 2.

As Roeder and his soldiers pushed westward through Belgium and toward Paris as part of the 2. Garde-Division, they were engaged at St. Quentin and then moved south as far as the river Marne. After withdrawing back to Reims, the Germans headed north to the Belgian frontier as part of the Race to the Sea. While battling near Arras, Roeder suffered a severe shrapnel wound to the leg near. Undeterred, he had his wound patched up best as was possible and remained in the field with his troops. In November 1914, they moved on to heavy fighting in the Flanders region, where he had to additionally serve various times as acting commander of 4. Garde-Infanterie-Brigade.

They moved to the Eastern Front in the early part of 1915 to fight in the Battle of Gorlice-Tarnow then soon returned back to France. Having been promoted to Generalmajor in 1917, Roeder was transferred in February 1918 to the Artois to take command of 3. Garde-Division troops as the participated in the German offensive Operation Michael. For his distinguished service and leadership during this campaign Generalmajor von Roeder was decorated in 1918 with the highest Royal Prussian order of bravery, the Pour le Mérite.

After the hostilities ended, Roeder remained in the military and served as a divisional commander with the Freikorps and later as part of the Reichswehr. He retired from service in 1920 and was brevetted as Generalleutnant (charakter.)  On 27 August 1939, he was further awarded the brevet rank of General der Infanterie for Tannenberg Remembrance Day. He lived through the Second World War and passed away in Potsdam in 1945.

	Generalmajor	18.06.1917
	Pour le Mérite	17.04.1918