Falkenhayn, Erich Georg Anton Sebastian von (1861-1922)

German soldier. Falkenhayn served on the expedition to China 1900 and became minister of war 1913. On the outbreak of World War I he became chief of the general staff and remained in this post until he was removed by the Kaiser August 1916 after the failure of the German attacks on Verdun. He was sent to the Eastern Front where he succeeded in subduing Romania before handing over his command to General von Mackensen 1917. He then took up an unsuccessful command in support of the Turks against the British in the Middle East and was recalled March 1918.

Considered by many to be the German Army's finest strategist, Falkenhayn was less successful as a field commander.