Hermann von Francois Biography

Launches, on his own initiative and against orders, an attack against the Russian First Army at the Battle of Stalluponen

Launches, on his own initiative and against orders, an attack against the Russian First Army at the Battle of Stalluponen

Prittwitz decides to engage Rennenkampf at the earliest possibility, pitting 150,000 Germans against 200,000 Russians, the decision went against the orders of Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, which ruled out any offensive before the fall of France

The Eighth Army comprises four corps: I Corps (Hermann von Francois), XVII Corps (August von Mackensen), I Reserve Corps (Otto von Below), and XX Corps, plus one cavalry division, facing the Russian First Army (Paul von Rennenkampf). Francois persuades Prittwitz to launch an offensive against the Russian First Army while the Second Army was still far to the south

By the time he withdrew to Gumbinnen after this battle, his corps had inflicted 5,000 casualties and managed to capture about 3,000 Russian prisoners

The Eighth Army comprises four corps: I Corps (Hermann von Francois), XVII Corps (August von Mackensen), I Reserve Corps (Otto von Below), and XX Corps, plus one cavalry division, facing the Russian First Army (Paul von Rennenkampf)

The Eighth Army comprises four corps: I Corps (Hermann von Francois), XVII Corps (August von Mackensen), I Reserve Corps (Otto von Below), and XX Corps, plus one cavalry division, facing the Russian First Army (Paul von Rennenkampf). Francois persuades Prittwitz to launch an offensive against the Russian First Army while the Second Army was still far to the south

Francois persuades Prittwitz to launch an offensive against the Russian First Army while the Second Army was still far to the south