Richard Heinrich Karl von Conta  
24.11.1856 - 20.01.1941
place of birth:  Tuchel, Westpreußen
Königreich Preußen:  KG,  General der Infanterie


German General der Infanterie Richard von Conta was a division and corps-level commander during the Great War. Conta launched his military career in 1874 when he was assigned to Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13 in Münster, where he would stay for the next 16 years. Although Conta did not attend the Prussian War College nor did he serve on the general staff, he was promoted to Generalleutnant in January 1914 and assigned command of 1. Infanterie-Division in Königsberg.

Marching into battle on the Eastern Front in August 1914, Conta's division fought as part of Hermann von Francois's I. Armee-Korps. His soldiers thus defended against the Russian onslaught at Stallupönen and Gumbinnen during the early stages of the Great War.  Conta's 1. Infanterie-Division achieved probably its greatest success during the late August Battle of Tannenberg. pitting Germany's 8. Armee against two invading Russian armies. The division was soon thereafter also engaged against the Russians at the First Battle of Masurian Lakes. Conta redeployed with his troops to Hungary in early 1915 in order to fight alongside Germany's Südarmee in the Carpathians. In the spring of 1916, General von Conta was assigned command of  the so-called Karpathen-Korps. This force, which included Conta's former division, joined the Austro-Hungarian 7. Armee and fought in the so-called September Battle of the Carpathians, for which General von Conta was decorated with the Pour le Mérite.

In December 1917, Conta's headquarters once again returned west to France, where his staff took command of the newly redesignated IV. Reserve-Korps (aka Gruppe Conta.) This unit battled in support of Germany's 18. Armee-Oberkommando, and took part in the late-March action to break through at St Quentin. By late April, the IV. Reserves had switched over to fight with the 7. Armee which was engaged at Soissons and then Reims. General von Conta continued his exemplary leadership until the Armistice was signed on 11 November, and thereafter lead his corps troops back to headquarters in Magdeburg. He lived in retirement until the year 1941, when he passed away in Frankfurt an der Oder.

     
     
General der Infanterie  18.08.1918

Pour le Mérite  15.10.1916  (Eichenlaub:  26.03.1918)
 
 
 

      
 
Curriculum Vitae
   
23.07.1874 Portepée-Fähnrich  (charakter)
23.07.1874 1. Westfälisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13 - Münster/Hamm
12.10.1875 Sekonde-Lieutenant
15.08.1878 1. Westfälisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13 - Münster  (Bn Adjutant)
16.09.1885 Premier-Lieutenant
27.01.1889 Infanterie-Regiment ,,Herwarth von Bittenfeld” (1. Westfälisches) Nr. 13 - Münster  (modified Rgt designation)
22.03.1889 37. Infanterie-Brigade - Oldenburg  (detached as Adjutant, à l.s. 1IR-13)
27.01.1891 Hauptmann
14.02.1891 6. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 95 - Gotha/Hildburghausen  (Coy Cdr, II.Bn in Hildburghausen)
21.03.1897 XVI. Armee-Korps - Metz  (detached as Adjutant, from 6IR-95)
22.03.1897 Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Erinnerungs-Medaille (Zentenarmedaille)
02.01.1898 Major
02.01.1898 XVI. Armee-Korps - Metz  (detached as Adjutant, from IR-98)
23.07.1899 Königlich Preußischer Dienstauszeichnungskreuz für Offiziere - 25-jähriger
22.05.1900 Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 5 - Spandau  (Bn Cdr)
15.09.1904 Oberstleutnant
27.01.1905 Infanterie-Regiment ,,Kaiser Wilhelm” (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 116 - Gießen  (Rgt Staff Officer)
27.02.1906 Königlich Preußisches Erinnerungszeichen zur Silbernen Hochzeit 1906
14.04.1907 Oberst
21.05.1907 Füsilier-Regiment ,,von Gersdorff” (Kurhessisches) Nr. 80 - Wiesbaden  (Cdr)
08.06.1907 Großherzoglich Hessischer Verdienst-Orden Philipps des Großmütigen - Ehrenkreuz
13.06.1908 Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden - 3. Klasse mit der Schleife
20.03.1911 Generalmajor
20.03.1911 18. Infanterie-Brigade - Liegnitz  (Cdr)
15.06.1913 25-jährigen Regierungs-Jubiläum Wilhelm II.
01.01.1914 Generalleutnant  =  Exzellenz
01.01.1914 1. Infanterie-Division - Königsberg i. Pr.  (Cdr, replaced Guretzky-Cornitz)
   
Great War
   
02.08.1914 1. Infanterie-Division  (Cdr)
00.00.1914 das Königlich Preußische Eiserne Kreuz 1914 - 2. Klasse
00.00.1914 das Königlich Preußische Eiserne Kreuz 1914 - 1. Klasse
14.05.1915 Königlicher Haus-Orden von Hohenzollern - Komturkreuz mit Schwertern
20.07.1916 Karpathenkorps  (provisional Cdr)
07.08.1916 Karpathenkorps  (Cdr)
15.10.1916 Orden Pour le Mérite
01.01.1918 IV. Reserve-Korps  ,,Gruppe Conta”  (Cdr, redesignated from Karpathen-Korps)
26.03.1918 das Eichenlaub zum Orden Pour le Mérite
08.06.1918 Schwerter und Stern zum Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden - 2. Klasse mit Eichenlaub
04.08.1918 Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden - 1. Klasse mit Schwertern am Ringe
18.08.1918 General der Infanterie
11.11.1918 Waffenstillstand von Compiègne  (Armistice)
06.01.1919 außer Dienst
   
   
 

06.05.1914
 

 

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