Fritz von Loßberg

Friedrich Karl "Fritz" von Loßberg (30 April 1868 – 4 May 1942) was a German colonel and later general, of the First World War. He was an operational planner, especially of defence. Loßberg served as chief of staff in the 3rd Army, 2nd Army, 6th Army and the 4th Army at the Second Battle of Champagne, Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Arras and the Third Battle of Ypres.

Loßberg was born in Bad Homburg in Hesse-Nassau. English-speaking sources often spell his name Lossberg. Loßberg was later to become "legendary as the fireman of the Western Front, always sent by the OHL to the area of crisis" (Lupfer 1981).

He was the "foremost German expert on Defensive Warfare. Was made a floating chief of staff during crises, with Vollmacht the right to issue orders in a superior's name" (Wynne 1976). In "Military Operations France and Belgium 1917 part I", Cyril Falls, the British official historian, referred to him as "a very remarkable soldier".

Loßberg was awarded the Pour le Mérite (the Blue Max) for his work on the Western Front on 9 September 1916 and oak leaves on 24 April 1917. Loßberg became one of the leading exponents of the system of defence-in-depth.

Loßberg retired from the Reichswehr on 31 January 1927 and died in Lübeck on 14 May 1942.