Born Richard Heinrich Karl von Conta in the West Prussian town of Tuchel on November 24, 1856, he was the son of the later Prussian major general Richard von Conta and his wife Coelestine Adelheid (born von Kahlden). His younger brother Alfred also embarked on a military career and attained the rank of lieutenant general.
MILITARY RISE
Coming from the cadet corps, Conta joined the 13th (First Westphalian) Infantry Regiment of the Imperial German Army on July 23, 1874. He was promoted to second lieutenant on October 12, 1875… and served as adjutant of the Second Battalion in Münster from mid-August 1878 to early June 1885.
Upon becoming a first lieutenant, Conta then worked in the Third Company. He was transferred to the 37th Infantry Brigade staff as an adjutant on March 22, 1889. In that capacity, Conta was promoted to captain on January 27, 1891. He then assumed command of the Fifth Company of the 95th (Sixth Thuringian) Infantry Regiment in Hildburghausen from February 14, 1891 to March 21, 1897.
Later on, Conta served the Second Company in Gotha. Afterwards, he became an adjutant at the General Command of the XVII Army Corps. On January 27, 1898, Conta was simultaneously promoted to Major in the 98th (Metz) Infantry Regiment. He eventually returned to line service with an appointment as commander of the First Battalion of the Fifth Guards Grenadiers.
On January 27, 1905 (now a lieutenant colonel), Conta was transferred to the 116th (Second Grand Ducal Hessian) Infantry Regiment at Giessen. Promoted to full colonel on April 14, 1907, he led the 80th (Kurhessian) Fusilier Regiment from May 21, 1907 to March 19, 1911. Conta was then appointed commander of the 18th Infantry Brigade while being promoted to major general. But by 1914, he gave up this command, was further promoted to lieutenant general, and became commander of the prestigious First Infantry Division in Königsberg.
WAR YEARS
With the July Crisis leading to war in Europe, Richard von Conta led First Division as part of I Corps belonging to the German Eighth Army on the Eastern Front. In August 1914, he helped defend against the Russian onslaught at Stallupönen and Gumbinnen. Later that month, Conta distinguished himself under General Hermann von François in the Battle of Tannenberg, specifically in the Battle of Usdau (the fight against Samsonov’s left wing).
One month later, Contra took part in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, which pushed the remaining Russian forces out of East Prussia… albeit temporarily. In late November 1914, the First Division fought near Łódź and advanced towards Łowicz-Sanniki the following week…
As 1915 dawned, the First Division was in the Bolimow area on the Rawka-Bzura. By February, Conta’s men were relocated to the Carpathian Front. They served the South Army as a subordinate to General Alexander von Linsingen.
On March 23, 1915, Conta’s First Division was subordinated to the Bothmer Corps. Together with the Third Guards Infantry Division, they stormed the Zwinin on April 9th. In July, Conta fought the Russians near Hrubieszów… and at the beginning of August, his men reached Chelm (to the north). For his earlier achievements, Conta received the Commander’s Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords on May 14, 1915.
In early March 1916, the First Division was transferred to the Western Front and participated in the Battle of Verdun. But later on August 7th (with the Brusilov Offensive threatening Galicia), Conta returned to the east and became commanding general of the so-called Karpathen-Korps. This force, which included Conta’s former division, joined the Austro-Hungarian Seventh Army and fought in the so-called Battle of the Carpathians in September 1916. For the successful defensive stance of his troops, Conta was awarded the Order Pour le Mérite on October 15, 1916.
In December 1917, Conta’s HQ once again returned west to the St. Mihiel salient in France, where his staff took command of the newly redesignated IV Reserve Corps (a.k.a. Gruppe Conta). This unit battled alongside troops from General Oskar von Hutier’s German Eighteenth Army, and took part in the action to break the Allied lines at St Quentin in late March 1918. For the initial success of his corps, Conta was awarded Oak Leaves for his Order Pour le Mérite on March 26, 1918.
One month later, IV Reserve Corps switched over to fight with the German Seventh Army… which was engaged at Soissons and then Reims (a.k.a. the Third Battle of the Aisne). As they marched to the Marne River in early June 1918, Conta’s men faced fresh units of the United States Marine Corps. The result was the Battle of Belleau Wood… which ended with the Americans stopping the German advance along the Paris-Metz road.
At the end of July, due to strong counter-attacks by the French, the evacuation of the Marne position became necessary. Conta’s troops retreated back to their original starting point. In August, he was awarded the Order of the Crown, First Class with Swords on the Ring… and promoted to General of the Infantry.
RETIREMENT AND DEATH
General Richard von Conta continued his exemplary leadership until the armistice was signed on November 11th. Thereafter, he led his corps troops back to HQ in Magdeburg, Germany. Upon demobilization, Conta tendered his resignation… and retired from military service on January 6, 1919. He lived in retirement until January 30, 1941, when he passed away in Frankfurt am Oder at the age of eighty-four.