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Paul von Hindenburg Facts

Paul von Hindenburg Facts
Paul von Hindenburg was born on October 2, 1847 to a noble Prussian family and like most Prussians of his class he went on to become an officer in the Prussian Army and after unification, with the Imperial German Army. A veteran of the Austro-Prussian War (1866), the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), and World War I (1914-1918), Hindenburg was well respected across all classes and in all regions of Germany. After leading the German Army to victory over the Russians at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1916 during World War I, he was promoted to Chief of the General Staff and essentially ruled Germany for the remainder of the war. He won the presidency in 1925, which he held until his death at the age of eighty-six from lung cancer. Although one could certainly call Hindenburg a militarist and a conservative, he was not a fascist and did not particularly like Hitler. Still, he liked the Communists and Socialists even less so he was willing to make Hitler the chancellor and later suspended civil liberties after the Reichstag fire, which essentially made the National Socialist Party the sole rulers of Germany.
Interesting Paul von Hindenburg Facts:
Hindenburg was born in Posen, Prussia (now Poland) to Hans and Luise von Hindenburg.
His full name was Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg, which combined two different branches of his family.
Hindenburg entered military school at the age of eleven, which was the beginning of his lifelong career in the military.
During the Franco-Prussian War, he took part in the siege of Paris and requited himself well enough to represent his regiment at the signing of the armistice.
After moving up the ranks during peace time, Hindenburg acquired enough wealth and prestige to marry Gertrud von Sperling in 1860. The couple had two daughters and one son.
He was promoted to general in 1897 but retired in 1897.
Hindenburg was sixty-six when he was called out of retirement during World War I.
Due to his victory at Tannenberg, as well as other victories in eastern Europe, Hindenburg was made the commander of all Central Powers armies on the Eastern Front on July 29, 1916
After notable losses on the Western Front, Hindenburg was promoted to Supreme Commander in August 1916.
Hindenburg is well-known as was easily recognizable due to his large size and bushy, handlebar moustache.
Hindenburg's military philosophy was a combination of tradition and innovation. He followed many of the old Prussian traditions, but was quite open to using new techniques and technologies on the battlefield, such as U-boats, zeppelins, and airplanes.
He retired from the military after World War I and went into private life with his family, but due to the hyperinflation of 1921-1923 and the growing political violence on the streets of Germany, he was essentially drafted for public office by Germans who believed he could unify the country.
After Hindenburg died, his body, as well as his wife's body, were interred in a tomb in an elaborate memorial at Tannenberg built by the Nazis. The Germans later had to move his remains in the face of the Red Army's retreat and rebury him in Marburg, Germany.


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