Hermann von François

Hermann Karl Bruno von François (31 January 1856 – 15 May 1933) was a German General der Infanterie during World War I, and is best known for his key role in several German victories on the Eastern Front in 1914.

Early life and military career

Born in Luxembourg to a noble family of partial Huguenot extraction, François was exposed to a military life from an early age. His father was a Prussian major general and commander of the who was killed in action leading his men during the Battle of Spicheren on 6 August 1870.

After attending cadet schools in Wahlstatt and in Berlin, François entered the Prussian Army on 15 April 1875 as a Seconde-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant) in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards (1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß) in Potsdam. On 25 March 1884, he was transferred to Schwerin as a company officer in the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Grenadier Regiment No. 89 (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgisches Grenadier-Regiment Nr 89), with a predated patent of 16 October 1874. On 18 April 1901, François was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) and on 18 April 1903 to Oberst (colonel).

World War I François began the war in August 1914 as commander of the I Corps under the 8th Army and was soon promoted to General der Infanterie on 19 August 1914.

François, reluctant to surrender any territory, and naturally pugnacious, also felt breaking off while engaged would be deadly, and so he ignored Prittwitz' order, responding with the famous reply "General von François will withdraw when he has defeated the Russians!" He counterattacked Rennenkampf's massive army, bringing on the Battle of Stalluponen, and won a surprising victory while inflicting 5,000 casualties and taking 3,000 prisoners. Kingdom of Prussia: Order Pour le Mérite (14 May 1915) War Honor Cross for Heroic Deeds (15 April 1915) Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck: Hanseatic Cross Principality of Reuß jüngere Linie: Princely Reuss Honor Cross, 2nd Class (29 December 1896) Saxon Duchies: Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Commander 2nd Class (29 December 1896) Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: Jubilee Medal (3 August 1903) Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe: Cross for Loyal Service 1914 (1 March 1916) Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen: Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross, 2nd Class (combined award from both principalities, 13 January 1897) Austria-Hungary: Order of the Iron Crown, 1st Class with War Decoration (21 May 1915) Republic of Chile: Order of Merit, 1st Class (28 September 1912) Kingdom of Greece: Order of the Redeemer, Commander's Cross Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Commander's Cross (31 January 1903)