Felix Graf von Bothmer

Felix Graf von Bothmer (10 December 1852 – 18 March 1937) was a German general, notably during the Brusilov offensive of 1916.

Military Career and After
In 1871 Bothmer joined the Bavarian Army. He spent the next forty years serving in the Bavarian War Ministry or on the Royal Bavarian Army General Staff, with three years in Berlin with the Prussian General Staff. During this time he rose through the ranks, reaching General der Infanterie in 1910. On 30 November 1914 he was appointed to command the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division at Ypres. On 22 March 1915 he was given the command of Corps Bothmer, a unit raised to help defend the passes of the Carpathian Mountains against Russian attacks that directly threatened Hungary. He won the battle of Zwinin which took place from 5 February – 9 April 1915, and was thus in the right place to take part in the great German advance after the breakthrough during the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive in May 1915.

After 6 July 1915, he had Hans Ritter von Hemmer as Chief of General Staff. On 7 July, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite for outstanding leadership and distinguished military planning and successful operations during the battles of Dniester, Gnila-Lipa, and Zlota-Lipa. He was awarded Oakleaves on 25 July 1917 for his actions during the battle around the city of Brzezany during the German summer offensive on the eastern front, as well as for his outstanding leadership and organization during the battle at the bridgehead at Zbrucz. He also received the Grand Cross of the Bavarian (Bayern) Military Order of Max Joseph.

His units stood firm against the Brusilov Offensive of June 1916. In 1917 he was appointed to command the 19th Army in Lorraine. He remained there until 8 November 1918, while to his north the German front crumbled. Bothmer retired from the army later in November 1918. Bothmer’s last job in the army, again along with von Hemmer, was as an adviser for the Bavarian Ministry for Military Affairs from November to December 1918, mostly overseeing the demobilization of the soon-to-be-disbanded Bavarian Army.

Count Bothmer died in Munich on March 18, 1937 and, contrary to his family's wishes, Hitler's government ordered a state funeral. He was eulogized by Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria.

Family
Bothmer's father was an army general and belonged to the German nobility. Felix Graf von Bothmer married Auguste Baldinger on July 22, 1882. They had 2 daughters together.

Military ranks

 * Leutnant: November 28, 1871
 * Oberleutnant: November 23, 1882
 * Hauptmann: October 31, 1888
 * Major: September 22, 1893
 * Oberstleutnant: March 17, 1897
 * Oberst: July 21, 1900
 * Generalmajor: May 18, 1903
 * Generalleutnant: September 15, 1905
 * General der Infanterie: May 4, 1910
 * Generaloberst: April 9, 1918

Decorations and honors
Bavaria


 * Military Order of Max Joseph, Knight's Cross (1915), Commander's Cross (1915) and Grand Cross (1916)
 * Military Merit Order, 1st Class, Swords to 1st Class and Grand Cross with Swords
 * Service Decoration, 1st Class
 * Ludwigsorden, Honor Cross
 * Jubilee Medal
 * Merit Order of St. Michael, 1st Class

Prussia


 * Order of the Red Eagle, 1st Class
 * Pour le Mérite with Oakleaves
 * 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class
 * 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class
 * 1870-71 Commemorative Medal for Combatants
 * Centenary Medal
 * Order of the Crown

Other German states


 * Anhalt: Friedrich Cross
 * Bremen: Hanseatic Cross
 * Brunswick: House Order of Henry the Lion, Grand Cross
 * Hesse-Darmstadt: Order of Philip the Magnanimous, Grand Cross with Crown
 * Hohenzollern: Princely House Order of Hohenzollern, 1st Class with Swords
 * Lübeck: Hanseatic Cross
 * Saxony: Albert Order, Grand Cross and Star and Swords to Grand Cross
 * Saxony: Military Order of St. Henry, Knight's Cross and Commander's Cross
 * Württemberg: Order of the Württemberg Crown, Grand Cross

Other countries


 * Austria-Hungary: Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold, Grand Cross with War Decoration
 * Austria-Hungary: Imperial Austrian Order of the Iron Crown, Knight 1st Class with War Decoration
 * Austria-Hungary: Military Merit Cross, 1st Class with War Decoration
 * Austria-Hungary: Large Military Merit Medal
 * Austria-Hungary: Red Cross Decoration 1st Class with War Decoration
 * Denmark: Order of the Dannebrog, Knight
 * Japan: Order of the Sacred Treasure, Grand Officer's Cross
 * Spain: Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit (Spain)
 * Ottoman Empire: Imtiaz Medal in Gold with Swords
 * Ottoman Empire: Liakat Medal in Gold with Swords
 * Ottoman Empire: Turkish War Medal (so-called "Gallipoli Star")
 * Ottoman Empire: Order of Medjidie, 1st Class with Swords

The orders above which were from Allied nations were awarded prior to World War I.