Grand Cross (Großkreuz) of the Militär-Max Joseph-Orden on November 30, 1914
Personal Information:
Birth: 2 October 1849, Posen, Prussia
Death: 2 August 1934, Gut Neudeck, West Prussia
Father: Robert von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg
Mother: Luise née Schwickart
Spouse: Gertrud von Sperling, married 21 November 1896
Children: 2 daughters, Irmengard Pauline and Annemaria, and 1 son, Oskar
Career Highlights:
Entered the Kadettenanstalt Wahlstatt as a cadet: 1859
Entered the Hauptkadettenanstalt Berlin: April 1863
Officer candidate in the 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß: 1865
Commissioned a Sekonde-Lieutenant: April 1866
Service in the Austro-Prussian War, including the Battle of Königgrätz: 1866
Service in the Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71
Assigned to the Great General Staff (Großer Generalstab) in Berlin: 15.5.1877
Assigned to the General Staff of the II. Armee-Korps: 9.7.1878
Assigned to the General Staff of the 1. Division: 5.5.1881
Company commander, 3. Posensches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 58: 15.4.1884-13.7.1885
Assigned to the Great General Staff: 14.7.1885
Assigned to the General Staff of the III. Armee-Korps: 1.10.1888
Assigned to the Great General Staff: 21.10.1888
Assigned to the War Ministry with the authority of an Abteilungsleiter: 19.11.1888 Kriegsminister
Commander, Oldenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 91: 17.6.1893-13.8.1896
Chief of the General Staff, VIII. Armee-Korps: 14.8.1896-8.7.1900
Commander, 28. Division: 9.7.1900-26.1.1903
Commanding General, IV. Armee-Korps: 27.1.1903-18.3.1911
à la suite to the 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß: 24.12.1908
Retired from active duty: 18.3.1911
Recalled to active duty and assigned to command the 8. Armee: 22.8.1914
Commanding general, 9. Armee, with 8. Armee subordinated: 18.9.1914
Commanding general, combined German forces on the Eastern Front: 1.11.1914
Named regimental Chef of the 2. Masurisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 147: 23.2.1915
Chief of the General Staff of the Army: 29.8.1916-3.7.1919
à la suite to Oldenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 91: 2.10.1917
Left active duty: 3.7.1919
Reichspräsident of the Weimar Republic: 12.5.1925-2.8.1934 (died in office)
Promotions:
Sekonde-Lieutenant: 7.4.1866
Premier-Lieutenant: 13.4.1872
Hauptmann: 18.4.1878
Major: 12.11.1885
Oberstlieutenant: 14.2.1891
Oberst: 17.3.1894
Generalmajor: 22.3.1897 (Patent 17.06.1897)
Generalleutnant: 9.7.1900
General der Infanterie: 22.6.1905
Generaloberst: 26.8.1914 (Patent 02.10.1912)
Generalfeldmarschall: 27.11.1914
Decorations and medals:
Prussia: Order of the Black Eagle
Prussia: Pour le Mérite with Oakleaves (23.2.15)
Prussia: 1870 Iron Cross 2nd Class
Prussia: 1914 Iron Cross 1st Class (for the victory at Tannenberg on 25/27.8.14)
Prussia: Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (9.12.16)
Prussia: Star to the Iron Cross (1918)
Prussia: Order of the Red Eagle, Grand Cross with Oakleaves and Swords on Ring
Prussia: Order of the Red Eagle, 4th Class with Swords
Prussia: Crown Order 2nd Class
Prussia: Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Grand Commander with Star and with Swords (14.8.17)
Prussia: Merit Cross for War Aid
Prussia: Johanniter Order
Prussia: Dienstauszeichnungskreuz (officers' 25-year long service cross)
Prussia: 1866 Königgrätz Cross
Prussia: 1870-71 War Commemorative Medal
Prussia: Centenary Medal
Germany: German Southwest Africa Commemorative Medal in steel
Hohenzollern: Princely House Order of Hohenzollern, Cross 1st Class with Swords (8.11.16)
Bavaria: Military Merit Order, Grand Cross
Saxony: Order of the Rue Crown (7.5.18)
Saxony: Military Order of St. Henry, Knight's Cross (21.12.14)
Saxony: Military Order of St. Henry, Commander's Cross 1st Class (both 21.12.14)
Saxony: Military Order of St. Henry, Grand Cross (27.12.16)
Saxony: Albert Order 1st Class
Württemberg: Military Merit Order, Grand Cross (21.1.15)
Württemberg: Order of the Württemberg Crown, Grand Cross with Swords
Württemberg: Friedrich Order, Grand Cross
Baden: Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order (5.9.15)
Hesse-Darmstadt: General Honor Decoration "for Bravery"
Mecklenburg Grand Duchies: Order of the Wendish Crown, Grand Cross with Swords and with Golden Crown
Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Military Merit Cross 1st Class
Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Military Merit Cross 2nd Class
Mecklenburg-Strelitz: Cross 1st Class for Distinction in War
Mecklenburg-Strelitz: Cross Class for Distinction in War, "for Bravery"
Oldenburg: House and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louis, Golden Grand Cross with Swords and Laurel Wreath (Grand Cross, prewar; Golden Grand Cross with Swords, 17.7.15; Laurel Wreath, 29.10.18)
Oldenburg: Friedrich-August Cross 1st Class
Oldenburg: Friedrich August Cross 2nd Class
Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: House Order of Vigilance or the White Falcon, Grand Cross with Swords
Anhalt: House Order of Albert the Bear, Grand Cross with Crown and Swords
Anhalt: Friedrich Cross
Braunschweig: War Merit Cross 1st Class
Braunschweig: War Merit Cross 2nd Class
Saxon Duchies: Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Grand Cross with Swords and with Chain (14.12.14)
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha: Carl Eduard War Cross (30.9.16)
Saxe-Meiningen: Honor Cross for Merit in War
Lippe-Detmold: House Order of the Honor Cross, Honor Cross 2nd Class
Lippe-Detmold: War Honor Cross for Heroic Deeds (11.10.16)
Lippe-Detmold: War Merit Cross
Schaumburg-Lippe: House Order of the Honor Cross, Honor Cross 1st Class
Schaumburg-Lippe: Cross for Loyal Service (17.2.16)
Reuss Junior Line: Princely Reuss Honor Cross 1st Class with Crown and Swords
Reuss Principalities: War Merit Cross, "1914"
Waldeck: Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords (9.5.16)
Bremen: Hanseatic Cross
Hamburg: Hanseatic Cross
Lübeck: Hanseatic Cross
Bulgaria: National Order "For Military Merit", Grand Cross
Bulgaria: Order of St. Alexander, Grand Cross with Swords and with Chain
Finland, Order of the Cross of Liberty, Grand Cross
Austria-Hungary: Military Order of Maria Theresa, Grand Cross (26.3.18)
Austria-Hungary: Order of St. Stephan, Grand Cross (1914)
Austria-Hungary: Military Merit Cross 1st Class with War Decoration and Diamonds (22.1.17, Diamonds 5.11.17)
Austria-Hungary: Large Military Merit Medal on the ribbon of the Bravery Medal (5.8.17)
Ottoman Empire: Order of Osmania, Grand Cross with Diamonds
Ottoman Empire: Nishan-i-Iftikhar with Swords and Diamonds
Ottoman Empire: Order of Medjidie, Grand Cross with Swords and Diamonds
Ottoman Empire: Imtiaz Medal in Gold
Ottoman Empire: Turkish War Medal (AKA Iron Half-Moon or "Gallipoli Star")
Italy: Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, Grand Officer
Spain: Military Merit Order 4th Class (Grand Cross)
