Hermann von Eichhorn



Hermann Emil Gottfried von Eichhorn (February 13, 1848 – July 30, 1918) was a Prussian officer, later Generalfeldmarschall during World War I. He was a recipient of Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves.

Biography
Eichhorn was born in Breslau in the Province of Silesia. A veteran of the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War, he had risen through the ranks of the Prussian Army, being appointed chief of the staff of the VI Army Corps at Breslau in 1897, commanding the 9th Division from 1901 to 1904 and the XVIII Army Corps from 1904 to 1912. In 1912 he took command of the 7th Army Inspection, the peacetime headquarters for the Imperial German XVI, XVIII, and XXI Army Corps.

At the outbreak of World War I, Eichhorn was incapacitated in consequence of an accident, but was able to play a part in the Battle of Soissons. He became the commanding general of the 10th Army on January 21, 1915, which he would command until March 5, 1918. This Army engaged in the great battle of the Masurian Lakes in February 1915. In August, he took Kovno and afterwards the fortresses of Grodno and Olita, and continued his advance into Russia. He received the Pour le Mérite on August 18, 1915 and the oakleaves to the Pour le Mérite on September 28, 1915. On July 30, 1916, while remaining in command of the 10th Army, Eichhorn became supreme commander of Army Group Eichhorn (Heeresgruppe Eichhorn) based around 10th Army, which he would command until March 31, 1918. On December 18, 1917 Eichhorn was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall. On April 3, 1918, Field Marshal von Eichhorn became supreme commander of Army Group Kiev (Heeresgruppe Kiew) and simultaneously military governor of Ukraine.

He was assassinated in Kiev on July 30, 1918 by Boris Mikhailovich Donskoy of Left Socialist-Revolutionaries. He is buried at the Invaliden Friedhof in Berlin.

Awards

 * Iron Cross II Class (1870)
 * Iron Cross I Class
 * Pour le Mérite (18 August 1915) with Oak Leaves (28 September 1915)
 * Order of the Crown
 * Order of Saint Stanislaus
 * Military Order of St. Henry
 * Order of the Red Eagle

Legacy
In his memory the main street in Kiev, Khreshchatyk Street, carried his name during the Nazi occupation.