Karl von Bülow
Encyclopedia
Karl von Bülow was a German
Field Marshal
commanding the German 2nd Army
during World War I
from 1914 to 1915.
to a distinguished Prussia
n military family, Bülow enlisted in the Prussian Army
during the Austro-Prussian War
in 1866. He served in the Franco-Prussian War
in 1871 as a junior officer. A Captain of the German General Staff in 1877, Bülow was promoted to Colonel and assigned to the 9th Guards Regiment in 1894. In 1897 Bülow became director of the Central Department in the German War Ministry. He was Commander of the German III Corps from 1903 until his appointment to Army Inspector of the German 3rd Army in 1912 shortly before the outbreak of World War I
.
Assigned to the German 2nd Army at the beginning of World War I in August 1914, Bülow invaded Belgium
, capturing the fortress of Namur
on August 22–23. Advancing into France
, Bülow defeated General Charles Lanrezac
of the French Fifth Army at Charleroi
on August 23–24 and again at St. Quentin on August 29–30.
As the 2nd Army and General Alexander von Kluck
's 1st Army neared Paris
from August 31 to September 2, Bülow, concerned about the growing gap between the two armies, ordered Kluck to turn the 1st Army on his right towards him. This decision, however, resulted in Kluck's advancing south and east of Paris, instead of north and west as specified in the Schlieffen Plan
. Bülow crossed the Marne
on September 4, but decided to retreat to Aisne
after the successful counterattack by combined French and British forces against Kluck's 1st Army at the First Battle of the Marne
from September 5–10.
Bülow was promoted to Field Marshal
in January of the following year. After suffering a heart attack two months later, he was allowed to retire in early 1916, living in Berlin until his death.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
commanding the German 2nd Army
German Second Army
The 2nd Army was a World War I and World War II field army.-First World War:The 2nd Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
from 1914 to 1915.
Biography
Born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to a distinguished Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n military family, Bülow enlisted in the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
during the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
in 1866. He served in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1871 as a junior officer. A Captain of the German General Staff in 1877, Bülow was promoted to Colonel and assigned to the 9th Guards Regiment in 1894. In 1897 Bülow became director of the Central Department in the German War Ministry. He was Commander of the German III Corps from 1903 until his appointment to Army Inspector of the German 3rd Army in 1912 shortly before the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Assigned to the German 2nd Army at the beginning of World War I in August 1914, Bülow invaded Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, capturing the fortress of Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
on August 22–23. Advancing into France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Bülow defeated General Charles Lanrezac
Charles Lanrezac
Charles Lanrezac was a distinguished general of the French army at the outbreak of World War I.-Early life:...
of the French Fifth Army at Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
on August 23–24 and again at St. Quentin on August 29–30.
As the 2nd Army and General Alexander von Kluck
Alexander von Kluck
Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck was a German general during World War I.- Military career :He enlisted in the Prussian army in time to serve in the seven-week Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War, where he was wounded twice in the Battle of Colombey-Neuilly...
's 1st Army neared Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from August 31 to September 2, Bülow, concerned about the growing gap between the two armies, ordered Kluck to turn the 1st Army on his right towards him. This decision, however, resulted in Kluck's advancing south and east of Paris, instead of north and west as specified in the Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war in which the German Empire might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east...
. Bülow crossed the Marne
Marne River
The Marne is a river in France, a right tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the départements of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne....
on September 4, but decided to retreat to Aisne
Aisne
Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
after the successful counterattack by combined French and British forces against Kluck's 1st Army at the First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
from September 5–10.
Bülow was promoted to Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
in January of the following year. After suffering a heart attack two months later, he was allowed to retire in early 1916, living in Berlin until his death.