The handwritten caption on the reverse of this photo states in its entirety "Oberstleutnant Frhr v Schrötter Regts Kdeur mit seinem Dackel"
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Theobald Freiherr von Schroetter (he preferred the "oe" to "ö") was born in Köln 18 June 1863. Commissioned Sekondeleutnant in Nassau Infantry Regiment 88 14.4.83, he was promoted to Premierleutnant about 1891. Hauptmann 10.9.97 D3d, he transferred to Inf Rgt 31, where he served (acquiring a Johanniter and Red Eagle 4th Class) until promoted to Major 27.1.09 Hh and assigned as Ist Btn CO in Inf Rgt 138, where he began World War One (he also held the XXV years Service Cross and 1897 Centenary Medal). Promoted Oberstleutnant 19.8.14 F2f, Oberst 20.5.17 E, and retired in 1920 as a charakterisiert Generalmajor aD.
He commanded Reserve Infantry Regiment 17 (15th Reserve Division), and ended the war as Commander of the 1st Guard Reserve Infantry Brigade (1st Guard Reserve Division)--
(As a matter of purely personal family interest, this was the unit which over-ran my great uncle Karl Englund's 50th Btn Australian Imperial Force in September 1918, killing him on his third day at the front--and his battalion's final day in combat.)
He obviously had both classes of Iron Cross, also receiving the Bavarian Military Merit Order 3rd Class with Swords 6.7.15 (gazetted in Prussia 12.8.15), the Prussian Hohenzolleern House Order 3rd Class with Swords, gazetted 25.11.16 as Commander of RIR 17 (for the Somme), and Prussian Crown Order 2nd Class with Swords gazetted 4.9.17. He was alive in 1926.
With his wife, Helene Firnhaber, he had one child, Theobald Junior, born 21.5.1891, killed in action at Hamyard 25 April 1918 as Leutnant (vorpatentiert to 19.12.13 in 1915) in Field Artillery Regiment 27.
Baron Schroetter's ancestor was an East Prussian estate owner named Johann von Schrötter, who raised 100 dragoons at his own expense and joined Polish King Jan III Sobieski's army relieving the Turkish siege of Vienna in 1683, so impressing the king that he was made Postmaster General and Vice-Treasurer of Lithuania, and raised to Baron in 1701 for his services. The death of Theobald Junior put an end to this line.
Sources:
Prussian Army annual Ranglisten (1890-1919),
Ehren Rangliste 1914-1918 (1926),
Deutscher Ordens Almanach 1908/9 edition,
Helden-Gedenkmappe des deutschen Adels (1921),
Erhard Roth's and Willi Geile's WW1 awards rolls published by Michael Autengruber -
Schrötter
Rick,
Spot on! He was promoted Premierleutnant on 18th October 1891. He died on the 11th of June 1949.
GlennComment
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Excellent-- many thanks!
How on earth did we lonely toilers in obscure facts EVER get anywhere before the Internet!? RickComment
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