Hermann von François

Charlotte Daman Willems

(German General)

“[I] will withdraw when [I have] defeated the Russians!"

In brief, the Early Years

• Born: January 31, 1856 (Luxembourg)

• Son of Prussian general and commander

• Attended Military Academy of Berlin 1884-1887

Important Military Positions

• 1889 --> Captain• 1894 --> Major (Mannheim)• 1899 --> Chief of Staff

(commanded by Hindenburg)• 1908 --> General-Major• 1911 --> General-Lieutenant• Late 1911 --> General of Infantry

– (Eighth Army, Corps I)

Tasks of the Eighth Army

Stationed in Königsberg:•defend easternmost regions of East Prussia against Russian attack

Königsberg,

now called

Kaliningrad

• to hold out against Russian forces until France was defeated (in accordance with Schlieffen Plan)

• to wait for reinforcement from Western Front

Russian Attack(August 17, 1914)

• Led by Russian General Pavel Rennenkampf

• Russian First Army (200,000 men)

• German Eighth Army (150,000)

Russian Attack(August 17, 1914)

Hermann von François:• Immediately ordered to retreat by

General Maximilian von Prittwitz

• Refused to surrender “his” beloved Prussia

“General Hermann von François will withdraw

when he has defeated the Russians!"

“General Hermann von François will withdraw

when he has defeated the Russians!"

The Battle of

Stallu

pönen

Result of Battle:Russia:

(Rennenkampf):• 5,000 Casualties• 3,000 taken

prisoner by Germany

---• Retreated further

back to Russia

Germany:(von Francois):

• 1,200 Casualties---

• Listened to von Prittwitz and

retreated 15 miles west to

Gumbinnen

Battle of Gumbinnen

• Between Russia (Rennenkampf) and Germany (von Francois) once again

(Francois’s aggressiveness stopped von Prittwitz to retreat and give up!)

RESULT: Both retreated

Due to these “successes”...

• von Prittwitz lost his nerve and was “dismissed”

• von Francois’ Corps was transferred to the southwest to confront the Second Russian Army (Samsonov)

• von Francois was not trusted by any other German military leaders

HOWEVER.....

von Francois played the decisive role in the

Battle of Tannenberg!

Battle of Tannenberg

August 27, 1914:• Hermann von Francois’ army attack

Samsonov’s from the front and quickly advance to the rear (against Ludendorff’s orders)

• von Francois is ordered to retreat (by Ludendorff!) but... refuses. (What a surprise...)

• von Francois’ army encircles Samsonov’s army and decisively defeat it.

(Hindenberg and Ludendorff usually receive credit for this victory!)

Result of Battle:Russia:

• 30,000 casualties• 95,000 prisonersJust 10,000

escaped! (out of 150,000)

Samsonov shot himself after this battle out of fear for Tsar Nicholas.

Germany:• less than 20,000

casualties• 0 prisoners

• Gained 500 guns

- Hindenburg and Ludendorff left to lead the 9th army in

Poland- von Francois remained in East

Prussia

First Battle of Lakes (In Brief)

• Eighth Army led by von Francois had quick success

• von Francois was ordered by von Schubert to retreat but...

First Battle of Masurian

Lakes (In Brief)• Eighth Army led by von Francois

had quick success• von Francois was ordered by von

Schubert to retreat but...of course, refused.

• Instead, sent a telegram to the Kaiser stating that:

"the Commander is badly counselled!"

Result:Kaiser so impressed that von Schubert is immediately “dismissed” and von Francois is given command of

Eighth Army.

Unfortunately... (for him)

• October 1914: von Francois refused to send his Corps (Corps I) and instead sent badly trained and equipped Reserve Corps!

• November 1914: von Francois is replaced by General Otto von Below

Post-Dismissal

• von Francois briefly spent time on the Western Front as commander of a Reserve Corps– partook in the “Battle of Verdun”

• Received the highest military distinction for his performance during the Battle of Verdun (Pour le Merité)

Never received any further promotion under Ludendorff.

(due to disobedience issues)

The End

• Returned home, reunited with family.– brother fought in Colonial Army prior to

war

• Published his own bestseller Marneschlacht und Tannenberg in 1920

• Died of natural causes on May 15, 1933