Felix Graf von Bothmer

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Felix Graf von Bothmer
Felix Graf von Bothmer II.jpg
Birth name Felix Ludwig Graf von Bothmer
Birth date 10 December 1852(1852-12-10)
Place of birth Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Confederation
Death date 18 March 1937 (aged 84)
Place of death Munich, Bavaria, German Reich
Allegiance Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bavaria.jpg Kingdom of Bavaria
 German Empire
Service/branch Fahne der Bayerischen Armee.png Royal Bavarian Army
Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
Years of service 1871–1918
Rank Generaloberst
Commands held 6th Bavarian Reserve Division
II Bavarian Reserve Corps
German South Army
19th German Army
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Iron Cross
Military Order of Max Joseph
Pour le Mérite
Relations ∞ 1882 Auguste von Baldinger

Felix Ludwig Graf von Bothmer (10 December 1852 – 18 March 1937) was a German officer of the Bavarian Army and the Imperial German Army, finally a highly decorated Generaloberst in World War I.

Military career (chronology)

Felix Graf von Bothmer III.jpg
General Felix Graf von Bothmer.jpg
Felix Graf von Bothmer IV.jpg
Graf von Bothmer and his Chief of Staff Oberstleutnant Hans Hemmer (1869–1931), as of 1916 Ritter von Hemmer and as of 1920 Major General.
Rank lists 1914 (top) and 1918
Order of the Iron Crown, small decoration 1st class with war decoration, awarded to the Bavarian Colonel General Felix Graf von Bothmer, auctioned and sold for 11,301 € in July 2024.
  • 12.2.1871 After completing the royal pagery (königliche Pagerie), Graf von Bothmer joined the Bavarian Army serving with the Royal Bavarian Life Guards (Königlich Bayerisches Infanterie-Leib-Regiment)
  • 28.11.1871 Transferred to the Royal Bavarian 14. Infanterie-Regiment "Hartmann" in Nürnberg
  • 11.12.1872 with effect from 1.1.1873 Transferred back to the Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
    • The Infanterie-Leib-Regiment was a household, life guard (bodyguard) regiment of the Bavarian kings from the end of the Napoleonic Wars until the fall of the Wittelsbach monarchy and the subsequent disbanding of the Bavarian Army. The commander was always the king himself, but the military and administrative leadership of the regiment lay with the colonel-commandants, or after 1872, with the commanders. The last commander was Generaloberst Franz Xaver Ritter von Epp (de).
  • 1.10.1875 to September 1878 Studies at the Bavarian War Academy in Munich; return to the Infanterie-Leib-Regiment
  • 24.12.1880 Battalion Adjutant/Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 1.12.1882 Detached for duty with the Bavarian General Staff in Munich
  • 1.12.1884 Transferred back to the Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 24.3.1885 Royal Bavarian 1. Infanterie-Brigade in Munich
  • 31.10.1888 Commander of the 2nd Company/Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 22.4.1890 General Staff officer with the Royal Bavarian II. Armeekorps in Würzburg
  • 25.3.1891 Central Department/Bavarian General Staff in Munich
    • 25.3.1891 Detached from the Bavarian General Staff HQ to the Bavarian War Ministry in Munich
  • 1.10.1893 Detached to the Prussian Great General Staff in Berlin
  • 20.9.1895 First General Staff Officer with the Royal Bavarian 1. Division in Munich
  • 20.6.1896 Battalion Commander/Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 27.12.1896 Provisional Regimental Staff Officer/Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 17.3.1897 Regimental Staff Officer/Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 24.1.1899 Section Chief/Bavarian General Staff in Munich
  • 4.8.1901 Commander of the Infanterie-Leib-Regiment in Munich
  • 18.5.1903 Commander of the Royal Bavarian 2. Infanterie-Brigade in Munich
  • 15.9.1905 Commander of the Royal Bavarian 2. Infanterie-Division in Augsburg
  • 4.12.1909 General-Kapitän of the Leibgarde der Hartschiere
    • The Royal Bavarian Body Guards of the Hartschiere were a court guard of the Bavarian electors and kings. The force, initially formed as a military unit in the second half of the 17th century, became a purely ceremonial guard in the 19th century comparable with the Prussian Schloß-Garde-Kompanie. The appointment as Captain General was one of great trust and honour. The Hartschiere recently only had representative tasks within the Munich Residence. This was also evident in their magnificent uniforms, which were completely unsuitable for combat service, and their armament with an elaborately manufactured couse, an outdated form of polearm. In 1918, the Hartschiere were dissolved as a result of the abolition of the monarchy in Bavaria.

WWI

General Felix Graf von Bothmer V.jpg
General Felix Graf von Bothmer VI.jpg
Die Weltkriegsspionage, 1931, Lettow-Vorbeck, Paul von, Altmann, Ludwig, Bothmer, Felix von.jpg
  • August 1914 Due to illness, von Bothmer was unfit for service at the beginning of the First World War.
  • 2.12.1914 Commander of the Royal Bavarian 6. Reserve-Infanterie-Division
  • 22.3.1915 Commanding General of the Korps "Bothmer"
    • In order to support the Austro-Hungarian forces on the Eastern Front, German troops were transferred to the Hungarian Carpathians in early 1915. The leadership of these troops was the responsibility of the general command of the II Army Corps, which for this purpose was converted into a regular army high command called “South” on 11 January 1915. The subordinate troops were thus combined as the Southern Army under General of Infantry Alexander von Linsingen and inserted at the seam of two Austro-Hungarian armies. The eastern Austrian Army under General Karl von Planter-Baltin covered on the southern bank of the Dniester and in Bukovina; the western Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army under General Boroević tried several times in vain to relieve the enclosed Przemyśl fortress. Due to the separate pass roads, the Southern Army was divided into several independently operating combat groups. The Southern Army received the Austro-Hungarian 2nd army on its left wing in mid-February under Eduard von Böhm-Ermolli as a new neighbor and conquered the Zwinin and Ostry in April 1915. During the general approach of the Carpathian Front, the Southern Army advanced through the Latorca Valley to Stryi in May. At this point, the Southern Army on the left wing was attacking Drohobycz, the Austro-Hungarian Corps “Szurmay” was subordinated, the 1st Division and the 3rd Guards Division were now combined to form the “Bothmer” Corps and reached Stryi.
  • 6.7.1915 Commander-in-Chief of the Süd-Armee as successor to Alexander von Linsingen
    • On 8 July 1915, another reorganization took place. The Army High Command South took command of the newly formed Bug Army in Lemberg, while the previous troops, tasks and designations were taken over by the General Command of the II Bavarian Reserve Corps; General of the Infantry Felix von Bothmer was appointed as the new commander in chief. The Southern Army demonstrated high resilience against Russian attacks in the summer of 1916 during the Brusilov Offensive as well as in the summer of 1917 during the Kerensky Offensive.
      • 18 October 1916 Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg presented the Bavarian King Ludwig III the proposal to award the Grand Cross to the Military Max Joseph Order to Graf von Bothmer. Among other things, von Hindenburg stated that the army led by Bothmer resisted enemy troops in June 1916 while southern parts of the Eastern Front collapsed. Von Hindenburg praised the Graf by giving him “recognition of his courage and endurance in these difficult days”.
  • 4.2.1918 Commander-in-Chief of the 19th German Army
    • The 19th Army was one of three armies (along with 17th Army and 18th Army) formed in late 1917 / early 1918 with forces withdrawn from the Eastern Front. They were in place to take part in General Ludendorff's German spring offensive. The Germans had realised that their only remaining chance of victory was to defeat the Allies before the overwhelming human and matériel resources of the United States could be deployed. They also had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by nearly 50 divisions freed by the Russian withdrawal from the war (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk). It was still in existence when the war ended, serving on the Western Front as part of army group Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg.
  • 8.11.1918 Military Advisor at the Bavarian War Ministry (Bayerisches Ministerium für Militärische Angelegenheiten) in Munich
    • At the end of the war and after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian army, he was supposed to help secure the German southern border (Heimatschütz Süd; Freikorps), but this was no longer carried out.

10.12.1918 Retired after the demobilization of the army high command[1]

Death

Generaloberst (ret.) Graf von Bothmer died on 18 March 1937 in Munich. To honor him, Hitler ordered a state funeral. It was agreed with the family that the coffin would be decorated with flags of the Imperial and Royal Bavarian Army. In fact, the flags were brought from the National Museum especially for this occasion. During the funeral service in the courtyard of the Prince Arnulf Barracks in Munich, Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria was among the numerous guests present.

Family

Descent

Felix was the son of Lieutenant General Maximilian "Max" Joseph Graf von Bothmer (1816–1878) and his wife Laura, née von Reichert (1814–1880). His uncle was General der Infanterie Friedrich Ludwig Carl Ernst Graf von Bothmer (1805–1886). He had four siblings:[2]

  • Robert Carl (1842–1916), Major General; ⚭ 1871 Maria Centa Berger (1854–1922), two sons[3]
  • Klothilde Julie Christine (b. 7 August 1844 in Munich)
  • Otto Moritz (1845–1895), Colonel; ⚭ 1877 Sophie Luise von Taeuffenbach (1851–1920), four children
  • Wilhelmine (b. 9 March 1851 in Munich)

Marriage

On 22 July 1882 in Munich, 2nd Lieutenant Graf von Bothmer married his fiancée Auguste Sophie von Baldinger (1855–1941). They had two daughters:

  • Elisabeth Amalie (b. 11 November 1883 in Munich)
  • Luise "Lis" Wilhelmine Pauline Aurelie Laura (b. 14 January 1885 in Munich); ⚭ Munich 10 April 1913 (o¦o Munich 5 December 1924) Adolf Freiherr von Büsing-Orville (1860–1948), lord of the manor (Castle Zinneberg)

Promotion

  • Officiers-Aspirant 1. Classe (Junker): 12 February 1871 (Officer Cadet)
  • Unterlieutenant: 28 November 1871 (2nd Lieutenant)
    • renamed Second-Lieutenant in 1872
  • Premier-Lieutenant: 23 November 1882 (1st Lieutenant)
  • Hauptmann: 31 October 1888 (Captain) without Patent[4]
    • received Patent on 15 February 1889[5]
  • Major: 22 September 1893 (Major)
  • Oberst-Lieutenant: 17 March 1897 (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • Oberst: 21 July 1900 (Colonel)
  • Generalmajor: 18 May 1903 (Major General)
  • Generalleutnant: 15 September 1905 (Lieutenant General)
  • General der Infanterie: 4 May 1910 (General of the Infantry)
  • Generaloberst: 9 April 1918 (Colonel General)

Awards, decorations and honours

Awards and decorations

  • War Commemorative Medal of 1870–1871 (Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71; KD70/71) in Steel on the Ribbon for Combatants[6]
  • Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 4th Class (PK4) on 9 November 1884
  • Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (DD3) on 5 May 1893
  • Bavarian Long Service Cross (Königlich Bayerisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz), II. Class for 24 years (BDK2/BD2)
  • Military Merit Order (Bavaria), Knight's Cross 2nd Class on 27 December 1895
  • Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)
  • Military Merit Order (Bavaria), Knight's Cross 1st Class on 29 December 1899
  • Order of the Sacred Treasure (Japan), Grand Officer's Cross (JpHS2/JpHS2a) on 27 October 1904
  • Military Merit Order (Bavaria), Commander's Cross (BMV2b) on 25 December 1904
    • as of Rangliste 1906 declared as 2nd class (BMV2)
  • Jubilee Medal (Prinz-Regent-Luitpold Jubiläums-Medaille) in 1905
  • Star to his Military Merit Order (Bavaria) 2nd class (BMV2mSt/BMV2a) on 23 December 1906
  • Spanish Cross of Military Merit, 4th Class or Grand Cross (SpMV4/SMV4) on 10 December 1908
  • Prussian Order of the Crown, 1st Class (PK1) on 8 September 1909
  • Order of Saint Michael (Bavaria), 1st Class (BM1) on 17 November 1909
  • Bavarian Long Service Cross, I. Class for 40 years (BDK1/BD1) in 1911
  • Saxon Albert Order (Albrechts-Orden), Grand Cross (SA1)
  • Bavarian Military Merit Order, 1st Class (BMV1)
  • Württemberg Order of the Crown, Grand Cross (WK1)[7]
  • Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 1st Class (PRAO1/PrA1) on 12 May 1914
  • Order of Henry the Lion (Herzoglich Braunschweigischer Orden Heinrichs des Löwen), Grand Cross (BrsL1)[8]
  • Hesse Order of Merit of Philip the Magnanimous (Verdienstorden Philipps des Großmütigen), Grand Cross with the Crown (GHVP1mKr/HP1mKr)

WWI

  • Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • Swords to his Bavarian Military Merit Order 1st Class (BMV1⚔)
  • Swords to his Saxon Albert Order (Albrechts-Orden) Grand Cross (SA1⚔)
  • Ducal Anhalt Friedrich Cross (Herzoglich Anhaltisches Friedrichkreuz; AF/AK)
  • Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden, Knight's Cross, Commander's Cross and Grand Cross
    • Knight's Cross (BMJ3) on 9 April 1915 (Nr. 60)
    • Commander's Cross on 21 September 1915
    • Grand Cross on 5 November 1916
  • Princely House Order of Hohenzollern (Fürstlich Hohenzollern'sches Ehrenzeichen), Cross of Honour I. Class with Swords (HE1⚔/HEK1⚔)
  • Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves
    • Pour le Mérite on 1 July 1915
    • Oak Leaves on 25 July 1917
  • Lübeck Hanseatic Cross (Lübeckisches Hanseatenkreuz; LübH/LüH)
  • Bremen Hanseatic Cross (Bremisches Hanseatenkreuz; BremH/BH)
  • Bavarian Military Merit Order, Grand Cross with Swords (BMV.G.Kr⚔)
  • Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Medal (Signum Laudis) in Gold (Grand Military Merit Medal) on the Ribbon of the Medal for Bravery
  • Austrian-Hungarian Imperial Order of Leopold, 1st Class with the War Decoration (ÖL1aK)
  • Knight of the Austrian-Hungarian Order of the Iron Crown, 1st Class with the War Decoration (ÖEK1mKD/ÖE1K)
  • Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary), 1st Class with the War Decoration (ÖMV1mKD/ÖM1K)
  • Austro-Hungarian Decoration for Services to the Red Cross, 1st Class with the War Decoration (ÖR2K)
  • Imtiyaz Medal of the Ottoman Empire (de) in Gold with Swords/Sabers (TJ1⚔)
  • Ottoman Order of the Medjidie, 1st Class with Swords/Sabers (TM1⚔)
  • Ottoman Liakat Medal in Gold with Swords/Sabers (TL1⚔)
  • Gallipoli Star (Eiserner Halbmond; TH)
  • Saxon Military Order of St. Henry, Knight's Cross (SH3) and Commander 2nd Class (SH2b) on 30 August 1917
  • Bavarian Ludwigs-Orden, Honour Cross (BLE)[9] for 50 years of service[10]

Post-WWI

Honours

  • Royal Bavarian Chamberlain on 26 September 1901
  • In December 1918, he was appointed Deputy Grand Master of the Military Max Joseph Order.
  • The Ludwig Maximilians University made him an honorary citizen on 10 December 1927.
  • On his 75th birthday, the bronze plaque for the years 1914 to 1918 was unveiled at the Feldherrnhalle in Munich, on which his name was also engraved.
  • A commissioned bust of the general is exhibited in the Bavarian Army Museum (founded 1879) in Ingolstadt

Writings

  • Ueber das Gefecht combinirter Waffen, Lecture (Military Society Munich), 10 December 1884
  • Afterword for Die Weltkriegsspionage (688 pages), foreword by Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
    • authentic revelations about the origins, nature, work, technology, tricks, actions, effects and secrets of espionage before, during and after the war based on official material from war, military, court and imperial archives; about life and death, about the deeds and adventures of the most important agents among friends and foes.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Felix Graf von Bothmer, Prussian Machine
  2. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Gräflichen Häuser, 1917, pp. 148 f.
  3. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Gräflichen Häuser, 1921, p. 152
  4. ↑ Verordnungs-Blatt des Königlich Bayerischen Kriegsministeriums, 1888, p. 444
  5. ↑ Verordnungs-Blatt des Königlich Bayerischen Kriegsministeriums, 1889, p. 55
  6. ↑ Militär-Handbuch des Königreiches Bayern, 1887, p. 57
  7. ↑ Militär-Handbuch des Königreiches Bayern, 1914, p. 10
  8. ↑ Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreichs Bayern, 1914, p. 282
  9. ↑ Rangliste der Offiziere der Königlich Bayerischen Armee, 1918, p. 6
  10. ↑ Years of service during war years counted double for the eligibility of being awarded the Honour Cross (Ehrenkreuz) of the Ludwigs-Orden.
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