Karl von Gonnermann

Karl Gonnermann , since 1915 Knight von Gonnermann (born August 4, 1876 in Nuremberg , † July 28, 1961 in Marquartstein ) was a Bavarian lieutenant colonel and military writer.

Life

origin

Karl was the son of the manufacturer of the same name, Karl Gonnermann, and his wife Sophie, née Solger.

Military career

After completing the humanistic grammar school in his hometown, Gonnermann joined the 5th Chevaulegers regiment "Archduke Albrecht von Österreich" of the Bavarian Army on July 5, 1895 as a flag junior . He was promoted to first lieutenant by the end of October 1905 and attended the equitation institute in Munich until 1907 . During this time, Gonnermann was a Pikör , took part in numerous races and won the Prince Regent's Prize in May 1906 as the winner of the Bavaria hunting race in Munich . From 1907 to 1910 he graduated from the War Academy . Subsequently promoted to Rittmeister , Gonnermann became adjutant of the 5th Cavalry Brigade in Nuremberg on June 25, 1910 . From July 1, 1913, he was employed as a squadron chief in the 1st Heavy Rider Regiment "Prince Karl of Bavaria" .

With the outbreak of the First World War , Gonnermann took part with his squadron in the association of the cavalry division in the border battles and the battle in Lorraine as well as the battles off Nancy - Épinal and the forts of the Meuse between Toul and Verdun . At the beginning of October he moved to the right German army wing and came under the command of HKK No. 4 ( Gustav von Hollen ). Here one used him at Valenciennes for exploration . After participating in the position battles in winter 1914/15 Gonnermann came in April 1915 to HKK no. 1 ( Manfred von Richthofen ) to East Prussia . There, at the end of the month, he succeeded with his reconnaissance department, which was formed from the 1st and 4th squadrons and a gun, to reach the exploration targets and to advance another 80 km on Mitau . He came into action against Russian associations several times, was able to withstand them and bring in around 300 prisoners. For this he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Military Max Joseph Order . With the award the elevation to the personal nobility was connected and he was allowed to call himself "Ritter von Gonnermann" after the entry in the nobility register .

He survived the terrible battle at the Józefowo estate on the Dubissa and described the physical, mental and spiritual efforts of the cavalrymen in a very factual and authentic manner. He was wounded.

Gonnermann was then from July 14, 1915 to October 27, 1918 as an adjutant at the General Command of the II Army Corps . In this position he experienced the fighting on the Western Front and was promoted to major on December 14, 1917 . After the end of the war, transferred back to the 1st Heavy Rider Regiment “Prince Karl of Bavaria”, Gonnermann was head of the regiment's settlement office during the demobilization . With the dissolution of the association , he was retired from military service and was given the character of a lieutenant colonel.

After his departure , Gonnermann worked as a military writer and was a permanent employee of the military weekly newspaper . In 1936 he published Volume I: The West of Regimental History up to the end of 1914. In 1964, Volume II: The East , which deals with the history of the regiment from 1915 to the end of the war. In it he let the opposing representations have their say.

literature

• Rudolf von Kramer, Otto Freiherr von Waldenfels: VIRTUTI PRO PATRIA. The Royal Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order. Self-published by the kb Militär-Max-Joseph-Order, Munich 1966, pp. 115, 299-300.
• Othmar Hackl : The Bavarian War Academy (1867-1914). CH Beck´sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Munich 1989, ISBN 3-406-10490-8 , pp. 450–451.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Coordinates 55.6131 ° N, 23.0688 ° E