Evening star., 1934-08-02

tation Of the fallacy that "a man is
too old at 40"
Rose to Supreme Command.
He rose to the supreme command
OF the German armies during the
World War and, with the conclusion
of hostilities once more, apparently
with his life's work ended, sought the
seclusion TO which he felt he was en-
titled.
Six years later another emergency
threatened the future Of Germany,
which in the meantime had become
a republic The death Of FREDERICK
Ebert, first President of the republic.
caused grave concern among the pro-
ponents Of that form of government.
They. as well as the conservatives,
received with CONSERVATION the an
nouncement that Won Hindenburg
had consented to run for President.
The old warrior. upon taking office,
and in a short time thereafter, not
only convinced the skeptical that
their fears we're groundless, but proved
a disappointment to the monarchists
and die-hards.
AS President Won Hindenburg he
was the type of man who appealed to
patriotic Germans by reason Of their
belief that he embodied all the stern
Germanic virtues-virile strength
combined with an unswerving devo-
ton to duty and great singleness OF
purpose. 1t was said of him that
not since the days of Bismarck, the
Iron Chancellor, had there been in
German public life a personality so
popular, respected and dominating.
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton Won Ben
eckendorf und Won Hindenberg was
born at Posen, formerly in Prussia,
now Poznan in Poland, october 2,
1847, the son Of Prussian Army ON
Ger and of a family most OF whose
sons had for over 800 years adopted
a military career.
Wife Died in 1921.
Young Paul went to the army as
a matter of course, and when at 81
he received his commission as cap
| tain on the general staff, he married
| Gertrud Won Spering, girl of 18.
The union was happy one, the
youthful bride becoming an ideal off,
| GERS wife. She died in 1921. A son.
| Oscar, and two daughters, Irmengard
! and Annemarie, were born to them.
| Oscar also entered the army, and
both daughters married officers.
President Won Hindenburg was
grandfather many times over.
Won Hindenburg's actual experience
in battle previous to the great world
conflict was gained in the Austro-
Prussian and the Franco-Prussian
Wars.
In addition to the national honors
that were conferred upon him for his
| great victory at Tannenberg in the
| World War, Won Hindenburg received
honorary degrees from nine German
universities and was made freeman
! of as many university towns.
Koenigsberg, the capital of the lib
| Grated province of East Prussia, con-
ferred upon him a doctorate in all
| four faculties for having completely
/ defeated and expelled the Muscovite
hordes, thereby saving the German
/ people from barbarism and achieving
| imperishable fame"
Tannenberg was followed week
later by the Battle of the MaZurian
Lakes which definitely disposed of
| the Russian menace to Germanys
! eastern border. Then by a series of
/ skillful moves, he defeated the Rus
slams again at Lodz, Poland.
German hopes rose high when, in
| 1916, placed in supreme command of
! the German armies. he turned his at
tention TO the Western Front, where
he was to meet his master. His name
| was given to the famous "Hindenberg
| line" a system of communicating
trenches and concrete Notifications
which long withstood assaults by the
| allied armies. But the American sup
| port of the allied offensive after four
| wears of attrition made resistance
! hopeless. On October 3, 1918, Won
/ Hindenburg was called to Berlin and
attended the council at which Prince
Macmillan of Baden was made chan
cellor. There the victor of Tannen-
berg presented the facts that resulted
in the armistice proposal to the al
lies by Germany, and it was he who
conducted the difficult task OF with
drawing the dispirited German forces
back home and placed the army at
the disposal Of the revolutionary gov
ernment.
Little Love for Kaiser.
There has been much gossip about
personal friction between Won Hin
denburg and the ex-KaiSer. A kins-
man. Herbert Won Hindenburg. in an
article. admitted that there was little
love lost between the former war lord
and the peoples idol.
The old field marshal spoke his
mind in plain language which did not
always please the all highest" but
he never shirked responsibility. An
example of this was his dispatch 10
President Ebert: The signing OF
the peace treaty gives me occasion for
declaring that I was responsible for
the decisions and acts Of great head
quarters since August 29, 1916, and
also that all proclamations and orders
of his majesty, the Emperor and King,
concerning the wsging of warfare,
were issued upon my advice and upon
my responsibility. I beg you, there
fore. TO inform the German people
and the allied governments Of this
declaration"
Won Hindenburg resigned command
OF the German Army in June, 1919
and once more retired. at u. No one,
least OF all himself, had the faintest
notion that he would ever be called
upon to succeed Ebert, the saddler
President" who died in February
1925.
After the parties Of the Right hac