caption serviceyears death_place death_date birth_place image_size birth_date rank image article_title name
generaloberst von plessen in 1914 1861 -- 1918 potsdam , germany 28 january 1929 berlin-spandau , kingdom of prussia 250 26 november 1841 25px generaloberst hans georg von plessen.jpg hans von plessen
 hans von plessen
hans von plessen

hans georg hermann von plessen -lrb- 26 november 1841 - 28 january 1929 -rrb- was a prussian colonel general -lrb- -rrb- and canon of brandenburg who held the honorary rank of generalfeldmarschall in his role as commandant of the german general staff during world war i. general von plessen also held the office of his majesty 's orderly adjutant general -lrb- -rrb- to kaiser wilhelm ii , thus making him one of the emperor 's closest confidants .
by 1918 he was the oldest serving officer in the imperial german army , although paul von hindenburg falsely claimed this for himself .
in 1918 , von plessen was awarded the pour le mérite , germany 's highest military honor .
he remained devoted to the kaiser until the collapse of the monarchy in november , 1918 .
