Hindenburg, Paul von (1847-1934) (German Field Marshal and statesman) 4

Today is August 2 and on this day, in 1934, Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg, known universally as Paul von Hindenburg died in Germany.



A Prussian nobleman, Hindenburg served his life in the army of Prussia and then in the Imperial German Army. He was retired, but when WWI, broke out, he was recalled to duty. His early victories over the Russians at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes in 1914 established his reputation and he rose to the top command by the end of the war.



After the war, Hindenburg again retired from public life, but circumstances ensued that made him run for the Presidency of the German Republic in 1925. He won the race, and for the first few years of his term, served with dignity and grandeur, becoming, almost, a constitutional monarch.



He was able to steer an acceptable course, but as Germany went down hill, Hitler and the depression started to undermine the country.



Hindenburg intensely disliked Hitler, but when Hindenburg's term was to expire, in 1932, he was slipping into senility. The only problem was that Hindenburg was the only man who could defeat Hitler for the Presidency.



The pols talked the old man into running again and Hindenburg defeated Hitler. The problem of government further developed when the Nazis won a plurality of seats in the Reichstag elections soon thereafter. However, Hindenburg refused to appoint Hitler as Chancellor and the governmental crisis continued.



Finally some "sharp" German pols decided that they could "control" Hitler and convinced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor. The rest is history.



Hitler hated Hindenburg but used him as a symbol of the old Prussia melding with the new Germany. He had Hindenburg appear at many functions, and the senile old man, indeed, was at many ceremonial functions. So great was the prestige of Hindenburg, however, that he still acted as a brake on Nazi ambitions and was able to preserve at least the appearances of republican rule.



He finally died at his estate in 1934, and with him gone, Hitler was able to establish absolute control over the government.



A good article on Hindenburg appears at:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_von_Hindenburg