Hans von Plessen

Hans Georg Hermann von Plessen (26 November 1841 – 28 January 1929) was a Prussian Colonel General with the rank of Generalfeldmarschall and Canon of Brandenburg. He held the office of His Majesty's Orderly Adjutant General to Kaiser Wilhelm II, thus making him one of the Emperor's closest confidants. During World War I he simultaneously served as Commandant of the Imperial Grand Headquarters.

By 1918, he was the oldest serving officer in the Imperial German Army, although Paul von Hindenburg falsely claimed this for himself. Von Plessen also was a recipient of the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military honor. He remained devoted to the Kaiser until the collapse of the monarchy in November 1918.

On 17 November 1918, after accompanying the emperor into exile, he was retired with the rank of Generaloberst mit dem Range als Generalfeldmarschall.

Awards German honours Knight of the Order of the Red Eagle, 4th Class with Swords, 1866; 2nd Class with Oak Leaves, Swords on Ring and Crown, 1893; with Star, 12 September 1896; Grand Cross Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, with Collar and in Diamonds 23.09.1911 Knight of the Order of the Prussian Crown, 1st Class Grand Commander's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, with Swords Iron Cross, 2nd Class 1870; 1st Class, 1914 Pour le Mérite (military), 24 March 1918 Grand Cross of the Order of the Zähringer Lion, with Oak Leaves, 1899 Grand Cross of the Order of Berthold the First, 1901 Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, 1905 Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown, 1902 Knight of the Order of Saint Hubert, 1906 Grand Cross of the Military Merit Order, with Swords Grand Cross of the Order of Henry the Lion, 1896 Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order Grand Cross of the Order of Philip the Magnanimous, 15 October 1894 Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, 22 August 1904 Grand Cross of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, 1899 Grand Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph, 1893 Knight of the Order of the Iron Crown, 1st Class, 1895 Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Leopold, 1897; in Diamonds, 1900 Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Stephen, 1903; in Diamonds, 1908 Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Alexander Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog, in Diamonds, 3 July 1907 Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav, 15 December 1906 Order of the Lion and the Sun, 1st Class in Diamonds Grand Cross of the Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz Knight of the Order of Saint Andrew Knight of the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, in Diamonds Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, 2 November 1905 Knight of the Order of the Seraphim, 6 August 1908 Honorary Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 23 November 1899

Dates of rank Fähnrich—1 September 1861 Leutnant—11 November 1862 Oberleutnant—22 March 1868 Hauptmann—16 April 1872 Major—18 May 1879 Oberstleutnant—14 July 1885 Oberst—4 August 1888 Generalmajor—9 February 1891 Generalleutnant—14 May 1894 Generaloberst—19 September 1908 Generaloberst mit dem Rang als Generalfeldmarschall—17 November 1918