Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German military officer and statesman who led the Imperial German Army during World War I and served as President of Germany from 1925 until his death in 1934. Hindenburg was born into a family of minor Prussian nobility in the Grand Duchy of Posen. He enlisted in the Third Regiment of Foot Guards after completing his education as a cadet and saw combat in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars. In 1873, he entered the War Academy in Berlin and subsequently joined the General Staff Corps. He rose through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant general by 1900 and retiring in 1911.With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Hindenburg was recalled to service and gained fame for his victories on the Eastern Front, particularly at the Battle of Tannenberg, where he and General Erich Ludendorff achieved a decisive victory against the Russian army. Hindenburg's success led to his appointment as Chief of the Great General Staff in 1916, where he and Ludendorff effectively established a military dictatorship. They oversaw significant military operations that initially favored Germany, but the entry of the United States into the war and subsequent defeats led to a decline in German fortunes. Hindenburg stepped down as Chief of Staff after the armistice in 1918 and retired again in 1919.In 1925, Hindenburg was elected as the second president of the Weimar Republic. Although he opposed Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, he played a significant role in their rise to power by appointing Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933. Following the Reichstag fire in February 1933, Hindenburg approved the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties, and later signed the Enabling Act, granting the Nazi regime emergency powers. Hindenburg's presidency was marked by political instability, and after his death in 1934, Hitler merged the presidency with the chancellery, declaring himself Führer of Germany.Hindenburg was born in Posen, Kingdom of Prussia, to Hans Robert Ludwig von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg and Luise Schwickart. He entered the Cadet Corps School at Wahlstatt at age 11 and later served as a page to the widow of King Frederick William IV of Prussia. He participated in the Austro-Prussian War, where he was wounded at the Battle of Königgrätz, and later fought in the Franco-Prussian War, where he was involved in the siege of Paris. After his promotion to major in 1885, he joined the General Staff and taught tactics at the War Academy.During World War I, Hindenburg was appointed to command the German Eighth Army in East Prussia, where he achieved significant victories against the Russians. His partnership with Ludendorff proved effective, leading to further successes on the Eastern Front. Hindenburg was promoted to field marshal and appointed Ober Ost, overseeing operations in the east. He played a crucial role in the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive and the capture of significant territories from Russia. However, the war's tide turned against Germany, leading to Hindenburg's eventual retirement from military service.As president, Hindenburg faced challenges in stabilizing the Weimar Republic. He dissolved the Reichstag multiple times and ultimately appointed Hitler as Chancellor, believing he could control him. Hindenburg's approval of the Reichstag Fire Decree and the Enabling Act facilitated the Nazi consolidation of power. He died in 1934, and his death marked the end of the presidency as a separate office, with Hitler assuming total control over Germany.

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Paul von Hindenburg