Ludwig von Falkenhausen
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Freiherr von Falkenhausen (13 September 1844 – 4 May 1936) was a German
general
most notable for his activities during World War I
.
. 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 in Berlin and then, from May 1856, was a Cadet in Potsdam. In 1859 he moved to the main military academy in Berlin. In May 1862 he was attached to the 1st Foot Guards. Later, he was regimental adjutant of the combined Guards Reserve Infantry Regiment. He also took part in an 1866 campaign with the main army. Between October 1868 and May 1869, he served with the Guards Field Artillery as regimental adjutant.
In the Franco-Prussian War
(1870–71) he participated in the battles of Gravelotte-St.Privat, Beaumont and Sedan and at the Siege of Paris. At the end of 1870, he was released from the position as regimental adjutant, from July 1871 he served as adjutant of the 28th Division
in Karlsruhe
.
In subsequent years, he was transferred several times: from the 40th Fusiliers to the Army General Staff, then to the General Staff of the 16th Division
in Trier and the General Staff of the VIII 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 the Guards 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 the Bundesrat
. In January 1897 he became commander of the 2nd Guards Infantry Division (Berlin) in 1899 and commanding general of the XIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps
. In March 1902 he retired, but kept busy with military science studies.
In August 1914 Falkenhausen was Mobilization commanding general of the Reserve Corps of the 6th Army divisions. As commander of Falkenhausen departments, he commanded the German troops during the battles for the 1914/15 Delmer back and 1915/16 while the position of fighting in Lorraine.
He was highly successful during the first half of World War I
and was awarded the Pour le Mérite
on 23 August 1915, with oak leaves following on 15 April 1916.
Falkenhausen commanded the German Sixth Army
at the Battle of Arras
in April 1917. He failed to deploy correctly the newly-developed defence in depth
to counter new British and Dominion tactics and was removed from field command by General Erich Ludendorff
.
Thereafter, he succeeded Moritz von Bissing
and served as governor-general of Belgium
during the German occupation, from May 1917 until November 1918. In early 1918, The Times
carried an article – entitled Falkenhausen's reign of terror – describing 170 military executions of Belgian civilians that had taken place since he had been appointed governor.
He died in Görlitz
.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
most notable for his activities during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Biography
Falkenhausen was born in GubenGuben
Guben is a town on the Lusatian Neisse river in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. Located in the Spree-Neiße district, Guben has a population of 20,049...
. 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 in Berlin and then, from May 1856, was a Cadet in Potsdam. In 1859 he moved to the main military academy in Berlin. In May 1862 he was attached to the 1st Foot Guards. Later, he was regimental adjutant of the combined Guards Reserve Infantry Regiment. He also took part in an 1866 campaign with the main army. Between October 1868 and May 1869, he served with the Guards Field Artillery as regimental adjutant.
In the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
(1870–71) he participated in the battles of Gravelotte-St.Privat, Beaumont and Sedan and at the Siege of Paris. At the end of 1870, he was released from the position as regimental adjutant, from July 1871 he served as adjutant of the 28th Division
28th Division (German Empire)
The 28th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army, almost entirely made up of troops from the Grand Duchy of Baden. It was formed in Karlsruhe on July 1, 1871. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIV Army Corps...
in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
.
In subsequent years, he was transferred several times: from the 40th Fusiliers to the Army General Staff, then to the General Staff of the 16th Division
16th Division (German Empire)
The 16th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed as the 15th Division on September 5, 1818 in Koblenz from a troop brigade. It became the 16th Division on December 14, 1818 and moved its headquarters to Trier. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VIII Army Corps...
in Trier and the General Staff of the VIII 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 the Guards 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 the Bundesrat
Bundesrat
Bundesrat means federal council and may refer to:* Bundesrat of Germany* Federal Council of Austria* Swiss Federal Council...
. In January 1897 he became commander of the 2nd Guards Infantry Division (Berlin) in 1899 and commanding general of the XIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps
XIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps
The XIII Army Corps was a corps of the Imperial German Army. It was, effectively, also the army of the Kingdom of Württemberg, which had been integrated in 1871 into the Prussian Army command structure, as had the armies of most German states...
. In March 1902 he retired, but kept busy with military science studies.
World War I
He was highly successful during the first half of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was awarded the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
on 23 August 1915, with oak leaves following on 15 April 1916.
Falkenhausen commanded the German Sixth Army
German Sixth Army
The 6th Army was a designation for German field armies which saw action in World War I and World War II. The 6th Army is best known for fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad, during which it became the first entire German field army to be completely destroyed...
at the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
in April 1917. He failed to deploy correctly the newly-developed defence in depth
Defence in depth
Defence in depth is a military strategy; it seeks to delay rather than prevent the advance of an attacker, buying time and causing additional casualties by yielding space...
to counter new British and Dominion tactics and was removed from field command by General Erich Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
.
Thereafter, he succeeded Moritz von Bissing
Moritz von Bissing
Moritz Ferdinand Freiherr von Bissing was a Prussian General der Kavallerie.-Early life:Bissing was born at Ober Bellmannsdorf in the Province of Silesia. In 1865 Bissing entered the Prussian Army and raised steadily through the ranks until he became major-general in 1894, lieutenant-general in...
and served as governor-general of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during the German occupation, from May 1917 until November 1918. In early 1918, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
carried an article – entitled Falkenhausen's reign of terror – describing 170 military executions of Belgian civilians that had taken place since he had been appointed governor.
He died in Görlitz
Görlitz
Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
.
External links
- Biography at the Lexikon der Deutschen Generale