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Paul von Hindenburg

Prussian-German field marshal of the German Empire, statesman and president of Weimar Germany and Nazi Germany (1847–1934)

  • Fame70.5
  • Momentum2.1
  • Germany rank#207
Source-basedStable
  • Fame70.5
  • Momentum2.1
  • Germany rank#207
  • Wikipedia153.4K
Lived 1847–1934, aged 87Germany
Germany flagGermanyPoliticiansPolitician
  • Wikipedia
    90 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Rank in Germany
    #207
    Politicians
  • Era
    1847–1934
    Aged 87
  • Known for
    Berlin: Symphony of a …
    1927
Summary
Updated 2026-08-29

The aging Prussian field marshal who defeated Russia at Tannenberg became Germany's president — then handed the keys to Hitler. His appointment of the Nazi leader as chancellor in 1933, despite his personal opposition, opened the door to dictatorship.

Biography

About

Hindenburg was born in 1847 to minor Prussian nobility and fought in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars before rising through the General Staff to lieutenant general. He retired in 1911 but was recalled when World War I began, winning the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914 and becoming a national hero. By 1916 he and deputy Erich Ludendorff had established a de facto military dictatorship, securing Russia's defeat before Germany's fortunes collapsed in 1918. He returned as Weimar Republic president in 1925, and after twice dissolving the Reichstag in 1932, reluctantly appointed Hitler as c…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Paul von Hindenburg

Paul von Hindenburg
said
Interview of 1929, as quoted in "Nations are greatly concerned over death of German President" in Berkeley Daily Gazette (1 August 1934)
— Variant translation:
Paul von Hindenburg
said
I thank Providence for allowing me, in the evening of my life, to see the hour of recuperation.
— Testament (11 May 1934), quoted in W. W. Coole (ed.), Thus Spake Germany (London: George Routledge & Sons, 1941), p. 116
Paul von Hindenburg
said
I have always been a Monarchist. In sentiment I still am. Now it is too late for me to change. But it is not for me to say that the new way is not the better way, the right way.
— As quoted in TIME magazine (13 January 1930)
Paul von Hindenburg
said
You are all young men and you have played to me the “March of Entry into Paris” well.
— Address to the Stahlhelm of Gross-Schwülper, Correspondance de Genève (19 September 1927), quoted in W. W. Coole (ed.), Thus Spake Germany
Paul von Hindenburg
said
An English general has said, with justice: ‘The German Army was stabbed in the back.’ No blame is to be attached to the sound core of the Army.
— Remarks to the National Assembly's committee of inquiry into the responsibility for the First World War (18 November 1919), quoted in
via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA
Where to find them

Platforms

By the numbers

Score breakdown

The six component signals behind the Fame score, and their ranks across the leaderboards.

Fame
Stable
70.5
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Momentum2.1
Historical29.5
Now attention11.1
Source confidence65.0
Completeness75.0
Global rank
—
Country rank
#207
Category rank
—
Receipts

Sources

  • Wikipedia
    wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
    High confidence
  • Wikidata
    wikidata · wikidata.org
    High confidence
  • Pantheon 2.0
    database · pantheon.world
    High confidence