Oskar von Xylander
Encyclopedia
Oskar Ritter und Edler von Xylander (January, 1856 – May 22, 1940) was a Bavaria
n General der Infanterie
, at last commanding the I Royal Bavarian Corps
until his retirement in 1918.
as son of Hauptmann
Otto Ritter und Edler von Xylander and his wife Rosalia, née Wagenseil. He joined as an officer aspirant the 1st Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment "King" of the Bavarian army
on September 21, 1874. In the rank Portepéefähnrich
he was transferred to Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment
on March 17, 1875. In 1876 he was advanced to Sekondlieutenant. On November 25, 1878 he married Wilhelmine, née Jung. The couple had three sons and three daughters. After 1885 he visited the war academy
in Munich
, became Premierlieutenant in 1886, and was adjutant
of the District Command Munich afterwards from 1889 to 1890. In 1890 he became company commander in the Infantry Lifeguards Regiment, became Hauptmann
in 1891, and after September 1893 he became officer of the general staff. In the rank of a Major
he was transferred to the 3rd Division in November 1897. Afterwards he was battalion commander in the Infantry Lifeguards Regiment from the end of October 1898 until February 1899. In March 1901 he was promoted to Oberstleutnant
. From August 1901 to March 1904 he was head of department in the General Staff of the Army, since May 1903 in the rank of an Oberst
, afterwards commander of the 1st Infantry Lifeguards Regiment "King" until September 1905, before he was director of the War Academy and of the Artillery and Engineer School in Munich from September 29, 1905 to December 29, 1907. While he was director of the War Academy, he became Major General
in April 1906. In the following years he was commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade from December 1907 to November 1908, Chief of the General Staff
and inspector of military training institutions from November 1908 to April 1912 (promoted to Lieutenant General
in March 1910), and divisional commander of the 6th Division from April 1912 to March 1913, before he got the command of the I Corps, in the rank of General der Infanterie since March 1913. For his merits he was multiple awarded. Two decades after his retirement, in the Third Reich, he became Großkanzler (grand chancellor) of the Military Order of Max Joseph
from May 15, 1933 to May 22, 1940. He died in Munich.
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n General der Infanterie
General of the Infantry (Germany)
General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
, at last commanding the I Royal Bavarian Corps
I Royal Bavarian Corps
As part of the 1868 army reform, the 1st Royal Bavarian Army Corps of the Bavarian Army was set up in 1869 in Munich as the Generalkommando for Swabia and Upper and Lower Bavaria. Like all Bavarian formations, it was placed under the 4th Army As part of the 1868 army reform, the 1st Royal...
until his retirement in 1918.
Biography
Von Xylander was born in MainzMainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
as son of Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Otto Ritter und Edler von Xylander and his wife Rosalia, née Wagenseil. He joined as an officer aspirant the 1st Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment "King" of the Bavarian army
Bavarian army
The Bavarian Army was the army of the Electorate and then Kingdom of Bavaria. It existed from 1682 as the standing army of Bavaria until the merger of the military sovereignty of Bavaria into that of the German State in 1919...
on September 21, 1874. In the rank Portepéefähnrich
Fähnrich
Fähnrich is a German and Austrian military rank in armed forces which translates as "Ensign" in English. The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are Sweden, Norway and Finland . The French Army has a similar...
he was transferred to Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment
Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment
The Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment was a household-bodyguard regiment of the Bavarian kings from the end of the Napoleonic Wars until the fall of the Wittelsbach monarchy and the related resolution of the Bavarian army.- Predecessors :...
on March 17, 1875. In 1876 he was advanced to Sekondlieutenant. On November 25, 1878 he married Wilhelmine, née Jung. The couple had three sons and three daughters. After 1885 he visited the war academy
War Academy (Kingdom of Bavaria)
The Kriegsakademie of the Bavarian Army was the military academy and staff college of the Kingdom of Bavaria, existing from 1867 to the beginning of World War I in 1914...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, became Premierlieutenant in 1886, and was adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the District Command Munich afterwards from 1889 to 1890. In 1890 he became company commander in the Infantry Lifeguards Regiment, became Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
in 1891, and after September 1893 he became officer of the general staff. In the rank of a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
he was transferred to the 3rd Division in November 1897. Afterwards he was battalion commander in the Infantry Lifeguards Regiment from the end of October 1898 until February 1899. In March 1901 he was promoted to Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
. From August 1901 to March 1904 he was head of department in the General Staff of the Army, since May 1903 in the rank of an Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
, afterwards commander of the 1st Infantry Lifeguards Regiment "King" until September 1905, before he was director of the War Academy and of the Artillery and Engineer School in Munich from September 29, 1905 to December 29, 1907. While he was director of the War Academy, he became Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in April 1906. In the following years he was commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade from December 1907 to November 1908, Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (Kingdom of Bavaria)
The Chief of the General Staff of the Bavarian army was the military leader of the armed forces in the Kingdom of Bavaria.- Names of the General Staff of the Army commanders :...
and inspector of military training institutions from November 1908 to April 1912 (promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in March 1910), and divisional commander of the 6th Division from April 1912 to March 1913, before he got the command of the I Corps, in the rank of General der Infanterie since March 1913. For his merits he was multiple awarded. Two decades after his retirement, in the Third Reich, he became Großkanzler (grand chancellor) of the Military Order of Max Joseph
Military Order of Max Joseph
The Military Order of Max Joseph was the highest purely military order of the Kingdom of Bavaria. It was founded on 1 January 1806 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, the first king of Bavaria...
from May 15, 1933 to May 22, 1940. He died in Munich.