Hans Georg Hermann von Plessen (26 November 1841 – 28 January 1929) was aPrussianColonel General with the rank ofGeneralfeldmarschall and Canon ofBrandenburg. He held the office of His Majesty's Orderly Adjutant General (German:SM diensttuender Generaladjutant) to KaiserWilhelm II, thus making him one of the Emperor's closest confidants. DuringWorld War I he simultaneously served as Commandant of the Imperial Grand Headquarters.[1]
Hans von Plessen was born in 1841 as the son of General Hermann von Plessen.[3] He joined the military in 1861 as an officer cadet. He was on duty during theSecond Schleswig War but didn't participate in the war, serving in the Rhineland as a Second-Lieutenant. During theAustro-Prussian War, Plessen fought in theBattle of Königgrätz. As a brigade adjutant, he served in theFranco-Prussian War and participated in theLoire Campaign and theBattle of Le Mans. After the war, he became ageneral staff officer. In 1872, he was promoted toHauptmann. Plessen married Elisabeth von Langenbeck in January 1874, a marriage resulting in two sons. Elisabeth was the daughter ofBernhard von Langenbeck.[4]
He was made aGeneralmajor on 9 February 1891 and received command of the55th Infantry Brigade. In 1892, he became an adjutant general to EmperorWilhelm II. He was promoted to Generalleutnant in 1894 and to General der Infantrie in 1899. In 1907, Plessen replacedBerhard von Werder as largely ceremonial head of the MountedFeldjäger Corps, a company-strength unit of officers serving as couriers. In 1908, he received the rank of Generaloberst. DuringWorld War I, he continued to serve as adjutant general and was Commandant of the Imperial Grand Headquarters in the field. He was awarded the prestigiousPour le Mérite on 24 March 1918.[5]
On 17 November 1918, after accompanying the emperor into exile, he was retired with the rank of Generaloberst mit dem Range als Generalfeldmarschall.[citation needed]
Knight of theOrder of the Red Eagle, 4th Class with Swords,1866; 2nd Class with Oak Leaves, Swords on Ring and Crown,1893; with Star,12 September 1896;[7] Grand Cross
^Bille-Hansen, A. C.; Holck, Harald, eds. (1926) [1st pub.:1801].Statshaandbog for Kongeriget Danmark for Aaret 1926 [State Manual of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1926](PDF). Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender (in Danish). Copenhagen: J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri. p. 22. Retrieved10 February 2021 – viada:DIS Danmark.
Generaloberst mit dem Range als Generalfeldmarschall
