He was retired when the war began, living a quiet life studying military history, but
when he got the call, he came back to win stunning victories in the field, take over
command of the German army, and become a true living legend.
Paul von Hindenburg.
I’m Indy Neidell; welcome to a Great War Special bio episode of “Who did what in
World War One?” today starring Paul von Hindenburg.
Actually, his full name was Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg.
He was born October 2, 1847 in Posen, Prussia into a family with a military tradition stretching
back 700 years.
Just the name von Beneckendorff can be traced back to 1130 and the family had included robber
barons, mercenary captains, regular soldiers, and officers in the Deutsche Orden and in
service for the Habsburg Emperors until becoming Junkers- aristocratic landowners- in Prussia.
They were never especially wealthy, but had a privileged position in society.
In 1859, Paul began at Wahlstatt military school, a place not just steeped in military
tradition, but where the young men were shaped to fit Prussian society.
Unconditional obedience, impeccable decorum, and military discipline were as important
as fencing, gymnastic, and languages.
Young Paul was eager to go to war and his wish was fulfilled in 1866 facing the Austrian
armies on the battlefields of Sadowa and Königgrätz.
During battle, his company commander was wounded and his NCO killed, so Paul took over his
platoon.
He was nearly killed by a bullet that passed through his helmet, but led his platoon to
take over an Austrian gun position.
He was considered for the pour-le-Merite for this, but it was decided that he was too young.
He also saw action in the Franco-Prussian War, where he won the Iron Cross at the charge
of Saint-Privat.
He remained with the Prussian forces in Paris until June 1871 and witnessed the Paris Commune
and bloody civil war that engulfed the city after the French defeat.
After the German unification, the new German Empire saw a period of peace and Hindenburg
rose steadily through the ranks.
He also married at the age of 32, to the daughter of General von Sperling.
His only son would become a soldier and his two daughters would marry soldiers.
Hindenburg became a Major and was sent to Berlin in 1885 to serve under General Schlieffen.
He became an infantry general in 1905, the third highest rank in his army.
He was renowned by his peers for his calm, experience, multi-tasking skills, and equanimity
but was unknown to the general public.
In 1911 at age 64, he retired.
When the Great War broke out he immediately offered his services but his offer was not
at first considered.
However, after just a few weeks of war the situation in East Prussia was dire.
Russia had mobilized much faster than the Schlieffen plan had envisioned and was invading
with two armies totally half a million men.
The Germans had fewer than half of that to defend.
General Maximilian von Prittwitz lost his nerve and ordered a full retreat, whereupon
Chief of Staff von Moltke ordered him replaced.
On August 22, 1914 a telegram reached Paul von Hindenburg asking if he was ready to command,
his reply was simply “am ready”.
He would command the 8th army and his chief of staff would be Erich Ludendorff, intelligent
and ambitious.
The ensuing Battles of Tannenberg and Masurian lakes, which we covered in our regular episodes,
were colossal German victories, showcasing the mobility of the German army and the poor
leadership of the Russian one.
East Prussia was saved and when news of the triumphs swept over Germany, there was one
name on everyone- literally everyone’s- lips: Hindenburg.
He became a symbolic figure for the German people.
He had fought through the empire’s beginnings at Königgrätz and Sedan, and been there
at its birth at Versailles, and almost like a figure from mythology he had woken from
his slumber to save the nation in its hour of need.
He was not the youthful, athletic warrior, no, he was the wise and experienced father
figure whose calm stood firm against a tide of enemies.
The Hindenburg legend swept the nation, poems were written about him, miniature figurines
of him were sold by the thousands, and you could see his likeness on cups, tobacco boxes,
cutlery, teapots, just about everything.
The name Hindenburg was even enough to overcome major setbacks like at the Marne or at Ypres.
There was one person who was not so fond of Hindenburg’s new status, the Kaiser.
For him it was nearly unbearable that another person should embody all the qualities that
the head of state should.
Hindenburg was seen by many as a counterpoint of the Kaiser’s often headstrong, aggressive,
and clumsy behavior with which many Germans were fed up.
He was even promoted to Field Marshal.
He was, however, no military genius and no great creative strategist, but wars need men
who remain calm in the face of great risk, who dare to follow through with grand plans,
and who have full confidence in their decisions.
It was Ludendorff who was the real planner, something which he did tirelessly while Hindenburg
talked to the press and the military.
The two men really complimented each other; Ludendorff made strategy, Hindenburg directed
and led.
Ludendorff drew lines of the map and crunched the numbers; Hindenburg inspired the men and
backed his subordinate’s decisions.
Ludendorff was brilliant in his field but lacked charisma and was often overcome by
attacks of nerves.
It was Hindenburg who gave him back confidence and gave him his trust.
The war dragged on and the time of quick or easy victories was over.
But a 13-meter tall statue of Hindenburg was built in Berlin and to raise money for the
war effort, Germans could buy nails and drive them into the status.
90,000 iron and 10,000 silver nails were driven into the statue by the end of 1915 and 1.4
million marks were raised.
By 1916, there was a growing lack of confidence in army Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn.
Verdun dragged on and on, with staggering casualties, and the Brusilov Offensive nearly
knocked Austria-Hungary out of the war.
Hindenburg wrote to the Kaiser that the army had lost faith in Falkenhayn, Ludendorff demanded
that Hindenburg be placed in charge, of the Austrian army as well, but it was not until
Romania joined the Entente against Falkenhayn’s prediction that the Kaiser finally removed
him.
On August 29th, the anniversary of the victory at Tannenberg, Paul von Hindenburg became
Chief of the General Staff of the German army and Ludendorff became Quartermaster General
and General of the Infantry.
They adopted a more defensive strategy, shortening the front by retreating to the Siegfried Line,
called the Hindenburg Line by the Allies, and with the turnip winter of 1916-17 being
a time of famine for Germany, they reorganized the Germany economy under the new Kriegsamt,
which oversaw that now everything, EVERYTHING, only existed and produced for the war effort.
This Hindenburg program doubled or even tripled munitions production.
By 1917, the two were the real political power in the German Empire, and as they struggled
against enemies in the field, they also faced political enemies at home.
Still, Ludendorff planned for a massive offensive to break through in the west and Hindenburg
towered over the German public as a figure of trust and dominance, untouched by criticism
from soldier or civilian.
I have to say as a side note here that all of the battles mentioned or alluded to here
are or will be covered in our regular episodes.
As the war neared its conclusion, the relationship between Hindenburg and Ludendorff finally
soured, and Ludendorff would resign before the war’s end.
The Hindenburg legend would survive postwar, though, and he would resign in July 1919,
leaving High Command with the belief that his army was undefeated in the field, but
betrayed by socialist agitators at home.
In later years he would become President of the Weimar Republic at the age of 77, becoming
the only German president ever elected directly by his people.
Though he had always been a monarchist, he surprised many by making no effort to restore
the monarchy.
His rationale for accepting the Republic being that his main interest was making Germany
great again by reversing the Treaty of Versailles and bringing back the Kaiser would only antagonize
all of the Allies and make that more difficult.
In 1932 at the age of 84 he was persuaded to run for a second term, as many felt he
was the only man who could defeat Adolf Hitler.
He won and remained as President until his death from lung cancer at age 86 August 2nd,
1934, by which time Hitler was firmly in power as Chancellor and passed the law by which
upon Hindenburg’s death the offices of President and Chancellor would be merged and Hitler
would be head of state.
All of that is insanely complicated and totally outside the scope of this channel.
Today was a very brief look at one of the major figures in Germany not just in his era,
but in the entirety of German History; a genuine living legend, Paul von Hindenburg.