Karl Wenninger

Karl Ritter von Wenninger (born Karl Wenninger; 13 August 1861 – 8 September 1917) was a German lieutenant general who commanded the XVIII Reserve Corps in World War I.

Biography Family Wenninger was the son of Bavarian colonel Franz Xaver Wenninger and his wife Mathilde, née Forster.

Wenninger married Kornelie Prins on July 11, 1889, in Landshut. She was the daughter of Ary Prins, the vice-president of the Council for the Dutch East Indies. The marriage resulted in a daughter and two sons. Both sons pursued military careers like their father. Their younger son was killed in action in 1917 while serving as a pilot on the Western Front. Their elder son, Ralph, initially served in the Imperial German Navy as a submarine commander and eventually achieved the rank of Luftwaffe general in World War II. Like his father, Ralph was awarded the Pour le Mérite during the First World War. Outside of princely families, they are the only father and son to have both received Prussia's highest award for valor.

Military career After graduating from a humanistic Gymnasium on 28 September 1880, he enlisted in the 2nd Bavarian Heavy Cavalry Regiment as part of the Bavarian Army in Landshut. He was then made an ensign on March 29, 1881, and promoted to second lieutenant on November 23, 1882. From October 1, 1888, to September 30, 1891, Wenninger studied at the War Academy, which qualified him for the higher adjutantage and, secondarily, for the general staff. He led the unit in the First Battle of Ypres and the subsequent trench warfare in Flanders. In March 1915, Wenninger took over command of the 3rd Royal Bavarian Division in Artois. In September and October, the division was able to prevent multiple breakthrough attempts during the battles taking place near La Bassée and Arras. During the Battle of the Somme, the division defended the Martinpuich section of the Foureaux Forest. In April 1917, the division was on the Arras front south of the Scarpe. During the Battle of Arras, Wenninger succeeded in repelling three attacks by the British and stabilized his front sector.

For this achievement, King Ludwig III rewarded Wenninger with the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph on April 23, 1917. Shortly thereafter, Wilhelm II awarded him the Pour le Mérite on May 1, 1917.

On June 5, 1917, he was appointed commander of the XVIII Reserve Corps, which at the time was in front of Verdun. The corps was transferred to the Romanian Front in July and took part in the German summer offensive in August and September. During the breakthrough battles of Putna and Susita, his troops succeeded in capturing Muncelul. Wenninger was killed in the Battle of Mărășești on September 8, 1917.