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Eugen Georg Nikolaus von Falkenhayn
(04.09.1853 - 03.01.1934)
place of birth: Graudenz,
Westpreußen
(Grydziadz, Poland)
Königreich
Preußen: KG,
General der Kavallerie a.D.
Prussian cavalry officer Eugen
von Falkenhayn commanded XXII. Reserve Corps for the duration of the Great
War. Falkenhayn, who was War Minister Erich von Falkenhayn's
older brother, had retired from active duty in 1910 and was serving as
major domo (Oberhofmeister) to Her Majesty Queen Auguste Viktoria. He
was reactivated within the first month of mobilization and sent to head
up the newly-established XXII. Reserve Corps.
The corps moved to Dixmuiden in Flanders just
in time to join Fourth Army engaged in the October 1914 Battle on the
Yser. They remained in Flanders until early summer of 1915, when the
corps was shipped out to Russia to support General von Mackensen's
offensive. It was for his leadership during the crossing of the River
Bug and taking of Brest-Litovsk that General von Falkenhayn was awarded
the Pour le Merite. At the end of March 1916,
Falkenhayn's corps returned to the Western Front to battle at Verdun.
They remained there only until June, however, when the corps was again
transferred East. This time, they joined forces under Heeresgruppe
Linsingen and took up defensive positions near Kowel during
the Brusilov Offensive.
The entire year of 1918 had Falkenhayn's
troops first participating in the taking of the Ukraine, and then in
serving as occupational forces there. After the Armistice, General von
Falkenhayn personally lead his reserve corps soldiers back to the
German homeland, where he retired from active duty for the second time.
Falkenhayn's granddaughter, Maria von Quistorp, was the spouse of noted
German scientist Wernher von Braun.
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