Erich Ludendorff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General of the Infantry
Erich Ludendorff
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(b).jpg)
Ludendorff in 1915
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| Member of the Reichstag | |
| In office 24 June 1920 – 13 June 1928 |
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| Constituency | National list |
| First Quartermaster General of the Great General Staff |
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| In office 29 August 1916 – 26 October 1918 |
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| Senior | Paul von Hindenburg (as Chief of the German General Staff) |
| Preceded by | Hugo von Freytag-Loringhoven |
| Succeeded by | Wilhelm Groener |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff
9 April 1865 Kruszewnia, Province of Posen, Kingdom of Prussia, (now Kruszewnia, Poland) |
| Died | 20 December 1937 (aged 72) Munich, Nazi Germany |
| Political party | NSDAP |
| Other political affiliations |
DVFP NSFB |
| Spouses |
Margarethe Schmidt
(m. 1909; div. 1925)Mathilde von Kemnitz
(m. 1925) |
| Relatives | Hans Ludendorff (brother) Heinz Pernet (stepson) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire |
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| Years of service | 1883–1918 |
| Rank | General der Infanterie |
| Battles/wars | World War I German Revolution |
| Awards | Pour le Mérite Iron Cross First class |
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff (born April 9, 1865 – died December 20, 1937) was a very important German general and politician. He became famous during World War I for his key role in major German victories. These included the battles of Liège and Tannenberg in 1914.
In 1916, he became the First Quartermaster-General of the German Army. This made him a top leader in a military government that controlled Germany for the rest of the war. After Germany lost the war, Ludendorff also played a part in the rise of the Nazi party.
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Erich Ludendorff: A German General
Erich Ludendorff came from a noble family in Kruszewnia, which was then part of Prussia. He was a very bright student. He was especially good at mathematics. He joined a special cadet school and always did very well. This school trained many German officers, including Heinz Guderian who became famous in World War II.
After finishing his training, Ludendorff became a junior officer in 1885. He quickly moved up in rank. In 1893, he joined the important German War Academy. A year later, he was part of the General Staff Corps. By 1904, he was a senior officer. He helped develop the Schlieffen Plan, which was Germany's main war plan.
Ludendorff was sometimes removed from the General Staff because he got involved in politics. However, his success as a commander in World War I brought him back into favor.
Ludendorff's Role in World War I
When World War I began in 1914, Ludendorff was a key leader. He was made Deputy Chief of Staff for the German Second Army.
The Battle of Liège
On August 5, 1914, Ludendorff led a successful attack on Liège, a city in Belgium. He helped capture the city and its forts. For this victory, he received Germany's highest military award, the Pour le Mérite.
Command on the Eastern Front
Ludendorff was then sent to the Eastern Front. He worked under General Paul von Hindenburg. Together, they won major battles against the Russians. These included the famous Battle of Tannenberg and the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. These victories were very important for Germany.
By August 1916, Ludendorff had convinced leaders to make Hindenburg the Supreme Commander of the German Army. Ludendorff himself was promoted to Quartermaster General. He and Hindenburg then led Germany's entire war effort. They secured Russia's defeat in the east. They also launched new attacks on the Western Front. These attacks made big advances, which hadn't been seen since the war started.
However, by late 1918, Germany's luck changed. They lost key battles like the Second Battle of the Marne. The Allies then launched their Hundred Days Offensive. Germany's war effort began to collapse. There was also a growing revolution at home. Because of this, the German Emperor, Wilhelm II, forced Ludendorff to resign.
Ludendorff and the Home Front
Ludendorff believed that the army should control everything. He wanted to oversee Germany's economy, including supplies, raw materials, and labor. He set very high goals for military production.
He also supported unrestricted submarine warfare. This decision brought the United States into the war. This was a big mistake for Germany.
Ludendorff even helped Lenin return to Russia. He arranged for Lenin and other revolutionaries to travel through Germany by train. This helped the Bolsheviks take power in Russia.
Ludendorff insisted on harsh terms for Russia in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. This meant many German soldiers had to stay in the east. He also wanted Germany to expand its borders greatly after the war. He believed Germans were a "master race" and planned to settle German soldiers in conquered lands.
Later War Years and Downfall
On the Western Front, Ludendorff's armies were very good at defense. They developed new tactics to protect against enemy attacks. These tactics were taught to all German soldiers.
In 1917, the Germans helped the Austro-Hungarians in Italy. They won a big victory at Caporetto.
By 1918, Russia was out of the war. This meant Germany had more soldiers than the Allies on the Western Front. Ludendorff planned a series of attacks to try and win the war. The first attack, Operation Michael, was on March 21, 1918. The Germans made big advances. However, they lost many soldiers. Ludendorff's oldest stepson was killed in the fighting.
The Germans continued to attack, but their army became weaker. On August 8, 1918, the British surprised the Germans at Amiens. Ludendorff called this the "black day in the history of the German Army."
Ludendorff became very stressed and difficult to work with. On September 29, 1918, he told the Kaiser that Germany needed an immediate armistice (a ceasefire). The Kaiser then accepted Ludendorff's resignation. Ludendorff was blamed for Germany's defeat. He left Germany disguised and went to Sweden.
After World War I
After the war, Ludendorff wrote many books. He created the "stab-in-the-back myth" (Dolchstosslegende). This idea claimed that Germany lost the war because of traitors at home, not because the army was defeated. He blamed Marxists, Freemasons, and Jews. He ignored that he himself had asked for the armistice.
Ludendorff believed Germany fought a defensive war. He felt the Kaiser did not lead well enough. He was very suspicious of Social Democrats and left-wing groups. He thought they were responsible for Germany's humiliation after the Treaty of Versailles.
Political Life in the Republic
Ludendorff returned to Germany in 1919. He became involved in right-wing politics.
The Kapp Putsch
In March 1920, Ludendorff took part in the Kapp Putsch. This was an attempt by right-wing groups to overthrow the government. The attempt failed because of a general strike. Ludendorff then fled to Bavaria.
The Beer Hall Putsch
In May 1923, Ludendorff met Adolf Hitler. He soon had regular contact with the Nazis. On November 8, 1923, Ludendorff joined Hitler in the Beer Hall Putsch. This was another attempt to overthrow the government, this time in Munich. Hitler announced that Ludendorff would command the army.
The next morning, armed Nazis marched into central Munich. There was a shootout with the police. Ludendorff was arrested. He was later acquitted (found not guilty) in court. His stepson, Heinz Pernet, was convicted.
In 1924, Ludendorff was elected to the Reichstag (German parliament). He served until 1928. In 1925, he started a German nationalist group called the Tannenbergbund. This group was against Jews, Catholics, and Freemasons.
Ludendorff's ideas became more extreme. He began to disagree with Hitler. In 1925, he ran for President of Germany but received very few votes. His old friend Hindenburg was elected instead. Ludendorff was very upset and broke off his friendship with Hindenburg.
Ludendorff believed that war was the "foundation of human society." He thought that a military government was the best way to run a country. He also became a follower of the old Norse god Wotan (Odin). He disliked Christianity, Judaism, and Freemasonry.
Later Years and Death
In 1926, Ludendorff married his second wife, Mathilde von Kemnitz. They wrote books claiming that the world's problems came from Christianity, Jews, and Freemasons. They founded a small religious group.
By the time Hitler came to power, Ludendorff no longer supported him. The Nazis started to distance themselves from Ludendorff because of his unusual ideas.
Ludendorff died of liver cancer in Munich on December 20, 1937. He was 72 years old. Hitler organized a state funeral for him, even though Ludendorff did not want one.
Decorations and Awards
Ludendorff received many military honors, including:
- Pour le Mérite (Germany's highest military award)
- Iron Cross First Class
- Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
Writings
Ludendorff wrote many books and articles. Some of his most famous works include:
- 1919: Meine Kriegserinnerungen 1914–1918 (My War Memories 1914–1918)
- 1933: Mein militärischer Werdegang (My Military Career)
- 1937: Auf dem Weg zur Feldherrnhalle (On the Way to the Feldherrnhalle)
- 1939: with Mathilde Ludendorff: Die Judenmacht, ihr Wesen und Ende (The Power of the Jews, its Nature and End)
Images for kids
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Ludendorff at the age of 17 in 1882
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Hindenburg (seated) and Ludendorff. Painting by Hugo Vogel
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Ludendorff in his study at the General Headquarters, 1918
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Hindenburg and Ludendorff (pointing), 1917
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Hindenburg, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Ludendorff, January 1917
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Hindenburg and Ludendorff in 1918
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Ludendorff (center) with Hitler and other early Nazi leaders, April 1924
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Ludendorff's grave
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Erich Ludendorff – Meine Kriegserinnerungen – Ernst Mittler und Sohn – Berlin 1919
See also
In Spanish: Erich Ludendorff para niños
