Otto von Moser

Otto von Moser

Otto von Moser
1928
Born Otto Moser
31 March 1860
Stuttgart, Württemberg
Died 11 October 1931
Isny im Allgäu, Württemberg, Germany
Occupation Army officer
Military historian
Spouse(s) Antonie Distel (15 October 1883)
Children Helene Hildegard (1886)
Otto (1894)
Albert (1899)
Parent(s) Alwin Moser (1823–1906)
Auguste Kleinlogel/Moser 1827–1900

Otto von Moser (31 March 1860 - 11 October 1931) was a German army officer, originally from Stuttgart in Württemberg, who ended his army career as a Lieutenant general. [1] After the end of the First World War he settled at Isny im Allgäu, near the frontier with Bavaria, and embarked upon a career as a prolific military historian and author.[2]

Life

Provenance and early years

Otto Moser was the fifth son of Alwin Moser (1823–1906), whose professional career took him to the chairmanship of Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, a publishing company based, at that time, in Stuttgart. His mother was Auguste Moser (born Auguste Kleinlogel, 1827–1900).[2] After five years at secondary school he enrolled, in 1874, in a Cadet Corps, first in Bensberg and later in Berlin. In 1877 he entered the eighth Württemberg infantry regiment ("Großherzog Friedrich von Baden“ Nr. 126) as an ensign (Fähnrich).[1] He was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant on 7 October 1878.

Pre-war military career

During the decades of pan-European military buildup that preceded the First World War Otto Moser achieved rapid promotion up through the military hierarchy.[1] Between 31 July 1882 and 1 March 1883 he was sent to a military academy where he served as a teaching assistant. On 2 May 1884 he returned to his original regiment where he was appointed an adjutant in a fusilier battalion, a capacity in which on 23 February 1889 he was promoted to the rank of a First Lieutenant. For nearly three years, starting on 1 October 1889, he attended the Prussian Military Academy.

After this Moser was seconded to work with the General Staff in Berlin for a year. Promotion to Hauptmann (a junior officer rank) followed on 14 September 1893, and on 1 April 1894 he was given command of a company in the "Queen Olga" Grenadier Regiment" (first Württemberg) No. 119, where he remained till 12 September 1896 when he was transfered into the General Staff. From there, as a First General Staff Officer, he moved on 18 November 1897 into the General Staff of the 27th Division (2nd Royal Württemberg).

He became a Major on 13 September 1899, and served between 22 July 1900 and 27 February 1902 in the General Staff of the XVIII Army Corps, and then, till 23 April 1904, in the same position with the XIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps. After that, till 9 April 1906, Moser commanded the First Battalion in the "King of Prussia" Infantry Regiment (second Württemberg) No. 120. Following a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he then very briefly joined the staff of the "Grand Prince Frederick of Baden" (eighth Württemberg) No. 126 before being sent back to the Prussian Military Academy, now as a trainer, on 21 May 1906. He taught at the academy till November 1909, in the meantime being promoted, on 24 March 1909, the the rank of a full colonel and made a department head in the General Staff.

On 25 February 1908 the king bestowed the Honour Cross of the Royal Order of Württemberg on him.[2] The honour from the King of Württemberg was accompanied by automatic ennoblement. For many purposes most enduring result was that after 1908 sources refer to Otto Moser as Otto von Moser.[3]

From 1 April 1910 till 12 September 1912 Moser served as commander of the "Old Württemberg" (third Württemberg) No. 121 infantry regiment, after which, now aged 52, he was promoted to Major General and placed on immediate availability for service as an army officer.

First World War

With effect from 27 January 1913 Oto von Moser was appointed to the command of the 53rd Infantry Brigade (third Royal Württemberg), based in Ulm. A lieutenant who joined his battalion in 1914, Erwin Rommel, would later become one of Germany's most respected military commanders. Moser retained command of this brigade until and beyond the outbreak of the First World War in July 1914.[4] However, he was put out of action by a severe schrapnel injury on 2 September 1914,[4] sustained at Romagne during the course of the Battle of Varennes - Montfaucon.

His return to health completed, formally on 25 May 1915, he was given a command of the 107th Infantry Division which was sent to fight on the Eastern Front. The division took part in the capture of Brest-Litovsk in August of that year before being switched to participate in the Serbian Campaign. Von Moser himself was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant general on 18 August 1915 and then surrendered this command on 13 June 1916 when he was switched back to the Western Front, now taking command of the twenty-seventh division (second Royal Württemberg). On 12 March 1917 he was appointed Commanding General of the XIV Reserve Corps, fighting in the Battle of Arras and winning a highly prized Prussian medal (Pour le Mérite) for his skill and leadership.[1] At the end of November 1917, during the Battle of Cambrai, he was involved in particularly heavy fighting as the leader of a group that unexpectedly encountered a major British counter-offensive, holding his position while groups to the south were forced back by the British, but suffering heavy casualties.

He retired from the battle front with exhaustion in February 1918,[4] his retirement becoming permanent in 18 July 1918. His retirement was marked with the award of the Military Merit Order.[2]

Post-war: the writer

After the war von Moser lived almost continuously a short distance to the east of Lake Constance, on the Ludwigshöhe estate at Isny which he had inherited through his wife.

He had already published several works on military history while still a serving officer, and his written output now increased. On 31 July 1927 the University of Tübingen celebrated his literary endeavours by awarding him an honorary doctorate. He applied royalties from his book "Die Württemberger im Weltkriege", published in the same year, to set up a foundation with social objectives, based in Isny.

Publications

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Dr. Wolfgang Mährle (October 2013). "Zur Biografie Otto von Mosers". Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Moser, Otto von". Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart (Kommission für geschichtliche Landeskunde in Baden-Württemberg). Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Kriegsministerium (Producer): Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Wochenblatt. Nr. 6, 25 February 1908, p. 20.
  4. 1 2 3 "Otto von Moser". The Prussian Machine. Jonathan Viser. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
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