Falkenhausen, von, Alexander

Date of birth:: October 29th, 1878 (Blumenthal/Silesia, Germany)
Date of death:: July 31st, 1966 (Nassau/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Ernst Alexander Alfred Hermann von Falkenhausen was born October 29th, 1878, in Blumenthal, Silesia in a familiy of Prussian landed nobility. After graduation from the gymnasium in Breslau, he joined Cadet school in Gross-Waltstadt. He started his military career at a young age. 1897, only 19 years old, he had risen to sublieutenant. A member of the International Expeditionary Force three years later, he took part in repelling the Boxer revolt in China. Following his return from China he married Paula von Wedderkop.

During WW I, Von Falkenhausen saw action in Flanders, France and Russia and turned up in Turkey later on, where he was awarded the Prussian Pour le Mérite. After the Armistice, Von Falkenhausen continued to serve in the Reichswehr as commander of an infantryschool. His military career seemed to come to an end there. In 1934 however, he left for Chan Kai Chek's China to act as military advisor. After the outbreak of the Chino-Japanese war, the Foreign Ministry exerted great pressure on him. How could a German general, retired on not, advise to the disadvantage of a potential ally? 1938, Von Falkenhausen returned to Germany.

He returned to active service a year later when WW II broke out. Initially he was assigned to the post of military commander of the Netherlands but in late May 1940, he was replaced by Reichskommissar (State Commissioner) Seys Inquart and General Christiansen who were given civil and military control respectively. June 1st, 1940, Von Falkenhausen was named Militärbefehlshaber für Belgien und Nordfrankreich (Military commander of Belgium and northern France). He held this post until July 15th, 1944. Von Falkenhausen, who had reached the age of 62 in the meantime, was tasked with maintaining law and order and getting the economy back to normal as soon as possible. July 15th, military power under Von Falkenhausen was abolished and a regime, equal to that in the Netherlands was established. A few days later, Von Falkenhausen was arrested, being suspected of having taken part in the military coup that resulted in the failed attempt to assassinate Hitler July 20th, 1944. For lack of evidence, he was not executed but was incarcerated in various concentration camps, including Dachau in Bavaria.

May 4th, 1945, when the Americans liberated the camp, he was taken prisoner and extradited to Belgium a few years later.
September 25th, 1950, his lawsuit began. He was sentenced to 12 years forced labour for his involvement in the deportation of 25.000 Belgian Jews and the execution of Belgian hostages. He was released after just three weeks and expelled.
Von Falkenhausen died, July 31st, 1966, at the age of 87 in Nassau.

Career:
February 1st, 1925: Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 10;
February 1st, 1927 - January 31st, 1930: Kommandeur Infanterie-Schule Dresden, Kriegsschule Dresden;
January 31st, 1930: retired;
1934 - 1939: Militär Instrukteur in National China
September 1st, 1939: Stab IV. Armeekorps;
May 20th, 1940 - July 1st, 1944: Militär Befehlshaber in Belgien-Nordfrankreich;
May 20th, 1940 - May 31st, 1940: Militär Befehlshaber in die Niederlande;
July 29th, 1944: arrested by Gestapo;
? - May 4th, 1945: Concentrationcamp;
May 4th, 1945: liberated by U.S. Forces;
May 1950: on trial in Belgium for execution of hostiges, sentenced to 12 years;
March 27th, 1951: amnesty an released.