Wilhelm Orlik-Rückemann was born on 1 August 1894 in Lemberg, Austria-Hungary (later Lwów, Poland, and today Lviv, Ukraine.)

After liquidation of his unit, Orlik-Rückemann was transferred to the Ministry of War Affairs and then in January 1928 became the deputy commanding officer of the 23rd Infantry Division.

Shortly before the start of World War II Orlik-Rückemann's forces were deprived of most of the reserves that were transferred to western Poland to strengthen the Polish units stationed there.

After the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War of 1939 and the Soviet Union's invasion of Poland on 17 September, Orlik-Rückemann's forces could offer only a token resistance against the overwhelming odds.

On 30 September the unit crossed the Bug river and reached the village of Wytyczno, some 20 kilometres south-east of Włodawa.

The Battle of Wytyczno started the following day, when his unit was attacked by the Soviet 45th Rifle Division, reinforced with tanks and artillery.