Field Marshal Hindenburg, the leader of Germany before Hitler

Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg is one of the most famous warlords in recent German history. Hindenberg was also appointed the chancellor of Adolf Hitler. But it is believed that when Hitenberg died, Hitler undermined his last will.

Early military service

Hindenburg was born on October 2, 1947, in Poznan, Poland. He belonged to an aristocratic family and joined the army at an early age. He participated in the war with Austria in 1866 and participated in the decisive battle of Kunigrats. There he won a medal for bravery. He also participated in the French-Prussian War of 1870-71.

He remained in the Army until 1911, occupying various positions, though not involved in the war. He retired after 45 years of service.

World War I

At the outbreak of World War I, Germany faced a serious challenge. It was a war on two fronts. The challenge was compounded by the fact that Russia mobilized its troops faster than expected and sent them to the front.

In the early days of the war, Hindenburg informed the government that it was ready to serve. However, the government stated that there was no need for it.

However, when a massive Russian army was heading to East Asia sooner than expected, the Germans on the Eastern Front were in danger of retreating.

This time, the German government needed the formerly rejected service. A call was made to Hindenburg and he was sent to the Eastern Front. Eric Ludendorff was appointed quartermaster general.

The German brigades, led by these two men, suffered heavy losses to the Russians at the Battle of Tannenberg. About 92,000 Russians were captured.

Hindenburg served as commander of the Eastern Front for two years and during this time carried out various military operations against the Russians. In the vast majority of these cases, Germany was the beneficiary.

The success of the German warfare tactics, the strength and the strength of the German artillery units, and the weaknesses of the Russians.

Chief of Staff

By 1916, the German army chief Erik Falkenhain was failing. The failure of the Vardan attack, the Battle of the Somme River, and Romania's entry into the war had damaged his reputation. He was thus deposed and appointed to Hindenburg.

In the beginning, Hindenburg began to adopt more defensive war tactics, criticizing Falcon's war tactics. They established a broad and strong defensive zone known as the Siegfried defenses on the Western Front.

In 1917, Germany adopted a defensive war strategy on the Western Front. Meanwhile, the war on that front, with political turmoil in Russia, came to an end by the end of the year.

By 1918, Germany was under severe pressure. The American troops were expected to make a major foray into the Western Front that year, and it was predicted that the position of the Front would turn out favorable to the Allies.

Thus, before the arrival of the Americans, it was necessary to secure a decisive victory in the war.

It was for this purpose that the spring of 1918 was launched. The German forces carried out a series of heavy attacks on the Allied forces. At one point they even threatened Paris. But by July 1918, their attacks had subsided.

They were not strong enough to carry out further offensives.

The battle of Amiens, launched by the Allied forces on August 8, turned the tide. From then until the end of the war in November, the Germans were steadily retreating.

As president

After the war, in 1919, Hindenburg retired. He was a popular figure in the country and enjoyed leisure activities, such as wartime celebrations. In the meantime, his biography became very popular.

In 1925, Hindenburg entered the political arena at once. That was by contesting the Presidential Election. In March of that year, the first direct presidential election of the German Republic was held. (President was elected by Parliament in 1919).


In the 1925 presidential election, no candidate got more than 50 percent of the votes. Re-Election was held on April 26. Hindenburg was presented by several right-wing parties. He won it and became president.

It was also during his time that Germany was severely impacted by the global recession. Meanwhile, the German-dominated states were destabilized without a parliamentary majority. The rise of the Nazi Party on the one hand and the Communist Party on the other.

As Adolf Hitler's popularity soared, it became clear that Hindenburg was the only one who could defeat him in the 1932 presidential election. Because of this, he had to contest the Presidential election irrespective of his age. There he won again and again.

But it is now clear that the Nazi Party cannot form a government with a majority in the Reichstag. That was the proposal from right-wing politicians to form a coalition government with Hitler.

 But Hitler wanted the chancellor (Prime Minister) post, and Hindenburg refused to appoint him Chancellor. Hindenburg also referred to Hitler as the "Austrian Corporal" in derogatory terms.

However, Hindenburg, under the influence of his son Oscar, was willing to appoint Hitler as Chancellor and sign bills passed by the Nazis until his death.

Last will

Hindenburg died August 2, 1934; Adolf Hitler took over the leadership of Germany and subsequently held the positions of president and prime minister. But the general belief is that he suppressed Hindenburg's will.


It is said that Hindenburg was a staunch monarch and wanted to appoint a former Kaiser (emperor) as the leader of a constitutional monarchy after his death. But it is believed to have been concealed by Hitler.