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Erich von Falkenhayn | |
|---|---|
 Falkenhayn, c. 1913 | |
| Prussian Minister of War | |
| In office 7 June 1913 – 21 January 1915 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm II |
| Prime Minister | Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg |
| Preceded by | Josias von Heeringen |
| Succeeded by | Adolf Wild von Hohenborn |
| Chief of the German Great General Staff | |
| In office 14 September 1914 – 29 August 1916 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm II |
| Chancellor | Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg |
| Preceded by | Helmuth von Moltke the Younger |
| Succeeded by | Paul von Hindenburg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 September 1861 Burg Belchau, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation (now Poland) |
| Died | 8 April 1922 (aged 60) Potsdam, Prussia, Weimar Republic |
| Spouse | Ida Selkmann |
| Relations | Eugen von Falkenhayn (brother) Fedor von Bock (nephew) Henning von Tresckow (son-in-law) |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Military officer |
| Awards | Order of the Black Eagle Pour le Merite Military Order of Max Joseph |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire (1880–1919)  Ottoman Empire (1917–1918) |
| Branch/service |  Imperial German Army Ottoman Army |
| Years of service | 1880–1919 |
| Rank | .gif){kind=small} General der Infanterie (Imperial German Army) Field Marshal (Ottoman Army) |
| Commands | Chief of the German General Staff 9th Army Army Group F (Ottoman Army) 10th Army |
| Battles/wars | Boxer Rebellion First World War |
General Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September 1861 – 8 April 1922) was a German general who was the second Chief of the German General Staff of the First World War from September 1914 until 29 August 1916. Falkenhayn replaced General Helmuth von Moltke the Younger after his invasion of France was stopped at the First Battle of the Marne and was in turn removed on 29 August 1916 after the failure of his offensive strategy in the west at the Battle of Verdun, the opening of the Battle of the Somme, the Brusilov Offensive and the Romanian entry into the war. Having planned to win the war before 1917, the German army was reduced to hanging on.
Falkenhayn was given important field commands in Romania and Syria. His reputation as a war leader was attacked in Germany during and after the war, especially by the faction supporting Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg. Falkenhayn held that Germany could not win the war by a decisive battle but would have to reach a compromise peace; his enemies said he lacked the resolve necessary to win a decisive victory. Falkenhayn's relations with the Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg were troubled and undercut Falkenhayn's plans.