Erich von Falkenhayn

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Erich von Falkenhayn (1861–1922) was a German general who played a key role in World War I as both Prussian Minister of War and Chief of the German General Staff.

Early life and career
- Born in Burg Belchau (now in Poland). He joined the army in 1880 and served in Asia, including the Boxer Rebellion.
- He built a reputation as a careful, capable officer and held various staff and command positions before the war.

World War I leadership
- In June 1913 he became Prussian Minister of War.
- In September 1914 he was named Chief of the German General Staff (the main decision-making body for Germany’s war effort), after General Moltke the Younger stepped down.
- Falkenhayn moved the General Staff toward the front lines in the west, believing Germany should not rely on a single decisive battle but should wear down the enemy and seek a peace if possible.

Verdun and the Western Front
- He is best known for ordering the Battle of Verdun in 1916, hoping to cripple France by heavy casualties. The battle lasted most of the year but did not break the French or win a clear victory for Germany.
- After Verdun, Germany’s war effort faced growing challenges on both the Western and Eastern Fronts. In August 1916, he was replaced as chief of staff by Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff.

Eastern Front and the Middle East
- Falkenhayn then took army commands, notably in the East, where he fought against Romania and helped push Romanian forces out of Transylvania.
- He later joined the Ottoman Empire, taking command of Ottoman forces in the Middle East as a field marshal and leading operations in Palestine. He helped prevent the deportation of Jews from Jerusalem and worked to limit German actions there.
- In 1917–1918 he also led the German 10th Army in Belarus after Russia’s collapse, overseeing the army’s withdrawal back to Germany in 1919.

Retirement and legacy
- Falkenhayn retired from the army in 1919 and wrote memoirs and books on strategy. He argued that Germany should seek a peace agreement rather than insist on total victory.
- He was known as a loyal but sometimes controversial figure: praised by some for his strategic intelligence, while others criticized his willingness to gamble on costly offensives.
- He died in 1922 near Potsdam. He left behind a wife, Ida Selkmann, and two children; his family included notable relatives such as Henning von Tresckow, who later took part in the 20 July plot against Hitler.