Pavel Plehve

Pavel von Plehve (1850–1916), a German officer, served exclusively in the Russian Army during World War I.

Military career
After graduation from officers cavalry school Plehve served in uhlan regiment. In 1877 he graduated from the General Staff Academy. During the Russo-Turkish War Plehve served as a staff officer of the 13th corps, and after the war worked in the Bulgarian war ministry, returning to Russia in 1880.

During the peacetime Plehve raised through the ranks, commanding cavalry regiment (1890), Nicholas cavalry school (1895), 2nd cavalry division (1899) and Moscow military district (1909).

World War I
He was given command over the Fifth Army which he led in the Battle of Galicia and the defence of Lodz. The following year he switched command to the new Twelfth Army, which he led in the in Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes in February 1915 (where the Russian Tenth Army was defeated by the Germans). He subsequently returned to command of Fifth Army and, briefly, commanded the northern sector of the Eastern Front. Plagued for years by his poor health Plehve was finally invalided out of the army in February 1916; he died later the same year.