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Ludwig von Falkenhausen | |
|---|---|
 Falkenhausen in 1914 | |
| Born | (1844-09-13)13 September 1844 |
| Died | 4 May 1936(1936-05-04) (aged 91) |
| Allegiance |  Prussia German Confederation North German ConfederationGerman Empire |
| Branch | Prussian Army Imperial German Army |
| Service years | 1862–1902 1914–1918 |
| Rank | Generaloberst |
| Commands | Garde-Grenadier Regiment 4 29th Infantry Brigade XIII Corps 6th Army |
| Conflicts | Second Schleswig War Austro-Prussian War Franco-Prussian War World War I |
| Awards | Pour le Mérite |
| Other work | Representative in theReichsrat |
Ludwig Alexander Friedrich August Philipp Freiherr[a] von Falkenhausen (13 September 1844 – 4 May 1936) was a German officer most notable for his activities duringWorld War I.
Falkenhausen was born inGuben. His parents were the Prussian Lieutenant-General D. Alexander von Falkenhausen (1821–1889) and his wife Catherine née Rouanet (1825–1907). Falkenhausen first attended a private school inBerlin and then, from May 1856, was a Cadet inPotsdam at the age of 11. In 1859, he moved to the main military academy in Berlin.
On 6 May 1862, he was transferred to the1st Foot Guards as a 2nd Lieutenant. Later, he wasregimental adjutant of the combined Guards Reserve Infantry Regiment. At this position, Falkenhausen participated in bothSecond Schleswig War and1866 campaign with the main army. Between October 1868 and May 1869, he served with the Guards Field Artillery as regimental adjutant.
In theFranco-Prussian War (1870–71), he participated in the battles ofGravelotte-St.Privat,Beaumont &Sedan and at theSiege of Paris. At the end of 1870, he was released from the position as regimental adjutant, and, from July 1871, he served as adjutant of the28th Division inKarlsruhe.
In subsequent years, he was transferred several times: from the 40th Fusiliers to the Army General Staff, then to the General Staff of the16th Division inTrier and the General Staff of theVIII Army Corps (Koblenz). In 1885, he was transferred as commander of the First Battalion (Cologne) in the 65th Infantry.
In March 1887, Falkenhausen was Chief of Staff of theGuards Corps (Berlin). In June 1890, he commanded the Queen Augusta Garde-Grenadier Regiment Nr 4 (Koblenz). Two years later, he led the 29th Infantry Brigade (Cologne) and 1893 was chief quartermaster of the Chief of General Staff of the Army. Between 1893 and 1895, he was also a member of the Study Commission of the Military Academy.
After working at the War Department, in January 1895 he became director of the General War Department in the Ministry of War. In February 1895, he was appointed representative in theBundesrat.
In January 1897, he became commander of the2nd Guards Infantry Division (Berlin), and then, in 1899, he became the commanding general of theXIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps. In March 1902, he retired but kept busy with military science studies.
Upon mobilization in August 1914, Falkenhausen became commanding general of theErsatz Corps of the6th Army. As commander ofArmee-Abteilung Falkenhausen, he commanded the German troops during the battles for the 1914/15 Delmer back and in the trench warfare inLorraine (1915-1916).
He was highly successful during the first half ofWorld War I and was awarded thePour le Mérite on 23 August 1915, with oak leaves following on 15 April 1916.[1]
After having commanded the coastal defenses nearHamburg (April–September 1916), on 28 September 1916 Falkenhausen was given command of the 6th Army at theBattle of Arras in April 1917. He failed to deploy correctly the newly developeddefence in depth to counter new British and Dominion tactics and was removed from field command by GeneralErich Ludendorff.
Thereafter, on 22 April 1917, he succeededMoritz von Bissing and served as governor-general of theGeneral Governorate of Belgium during the German occupation, from May 1917 until November 1918. In early 1918,The Times published an article – entitledFalkenhausen's reign of terror – describing 170 military executions of Belgian civilians that had taken place since he had been appointed governor.[2]
Generaloberst a. D. Freiherr von Falkenhausen died on 4 May 1936 inGörlitz, Nazi Germany and was ceremoniously buried at theInvalidenfriedhof in Berlin.
During theSecond World War, his nephewAlexander von Falkenhausen served as military governor of Belgium (22 May 1940 – 15 July 1944).
Knight of theOrder of the Black Eagle,27 January 1917 (Prussia)
Pour le Mérite (military),23 August 1915; with Oak Leaves,25 April 1916 (Prussia)
Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1870); 1st Class (1914) (Prussia)
Knight of theOrder of the Red Eagle, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves (Prussia)
Knight of theOrder of the Prussian Crown, 2nd Class (Prussia)
Knight of Justice of theJohanniter Order (Prussia)
Knight of theOrder of the Zähringer Lion, 1st Class with Swords,1878; Commander 1st Class with Oak Leaves,1893 (Baden)[4]
Knight of theMilitary Merit Order, 2nd Class (Bavaria)
Knight of theMilitary Order of St. Henry,15 September 1915 (Saxony)[5]
Commander of theImperial Order of Leopold,1889 (Austria-Hungary)[6]
Commander of theOrder of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italy)
Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class (Japan)
Knight of theOrder of St. Anna, 2nd Class in Diamonds (Russia)
Commander of theOrder of the Sword, 2nd Class,31 August 1888 (Sweden-Norway)[7]{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by New Formation | Commander,Ersatz Corps 18 August – 18 September 1914 | Succeeded by Upgraded toArmee-Abteilung Falkenhausen |
| Preceded by FromErsatz corps | Commander,Armee-Abteilung Falkenhausen 17 September 1914 – 17 April 1916 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by New Formation | Commander,High Command of Coastal Defence 15 April – 29 August 1916 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander,6th Army 28 August 1916 – 23 April 1917 | Succeeded by |
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