PEEBLES PROFILES
EPISODE 195
Theodor Mengelbier
MILITARY RISE
Theodor Wilhelm Albert Mengelbier was born in Mühlhausen im Elsaß on December 30, 1857. He joined the Prussian Army’s Lower Rhine Infantry Regiment Number 39 as a one-year volunteer in April 1878. Six months later, Mengelbier was transferred to the Seventh Westphalian Infantry Regiment Number 56 as a flag cadet. He was then promoted to ensign by year’s end.
In February 1880, Mengelbier was promoted again to second lieutenant and transferred to the Fourth Baden Infantry Regiment Number 112. He became a first lieutenant as the spring in 1889 commenced.
A full year later, Mengelbier was transferred to the Seventh Baden Infantry Regiment Number 142. In the autumn of 1893, he was promoted to captain. Nearly seven years later, Mengelbier was part of the 29th Infantry Division. For one year he served in this capacity before being transferred to the Second Baden Grenadier “Kaiser Wilhelm I” Regiment Number 110. In May 1901, Mengelbier achieved the rank of major.
Two more promotions were earned by Mengelbier: lieutenant colonel (December 19, 1907) and full colonel (March 20, 1911). One month after acquiring the latter rank, he was given command of the Fourth Lower Alsatian Infantry Regiment Number 143. From April 21, 1911 to January 26, 1914, Mengelbier led this unit based in Straßburg im Elsaß.
Three weeks later, Mengelbier became a major general. He also replaced Otto Schumann as commander of the Third Infantry Brigade based in the East Prussian town of Rastenburg.
WAR IN EUROPE
In the first weeks of the Great War, Mengelbier and his men were part of the Second Infantry Division (under Lieutenant General Adalbert Falk), which was part of the German Eighth Army. These units stopped the advance of the Russian Second Army in the Battle of Tannenberg. In addition to receiving both classes of the 1914 Iron Cross, Mengelbier received the Commander’s Cross (with swords) of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern for his service on the Eastern Front in February 1915.
Two months later, Mengelbier took command of the 12th Landwehr Division in Alsace, replaced Kurt von Kehler. But during a visit of the Rehfelsen positions on April 24, 1916, he was shot in the stomach! Mengelbier was placed on convalescent leave in Colmar, but relinquished leadership of the 12th Landwehr Division to General Paul von Drabich-Waechter.
After nearly seven months away from the fighting, Mengelbier took command of the 16th Infantry Division in November 1916, replacing Otto von Zaborowski. His men were in Volhynia (in present day Ukraine) on the Eastern Front, located on the Upper Styr and Stochod. But as 1917 dawned, Mengelbier was named initial commander of the 232nd Infantry Division. His time as leader of the new unit lasted less than five months.
By June 1917, Mengelbier had replaced Adolf von der Esch as commander of the 101st Infantry Division. This unit was first deployed to the Macedonian Front (where it remained until October), then the Eastern Front. On November 6th, Mengelbier was promoted to lieutenant general.
In February 1918, Mengelbier replaced Alfred von Kleist as head of the 115th Infantry Division. Then one week after the launch of the Kaiserschlacht in the West, he replaced Wilhelm Groener as the last commanding general of I Corps in the East. In recognition of his service, Mengelbier received the Order of the Red Eagle, Second Class (with oak leaves, star, and swords) in October 1918.
FINAL YEARS
One month after the opening of the Paris Peace Conference, Theodor Mengelbier replaced Horst von Oetinger as head of IX Corps in February 1919. Three months after the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Hall of Mirrors, he retired from active military duty.
In 1923, Mengelbier became chairman of the Breisgau Aviation Association in Freiburg. He died on July 15, 1932 at the age of seventy-four.
