Karl Wilhelm Georg August von Einem genannt von Rothmaler (1 January 1853 – 7 April 1934) was the commander of the German 3rd Army during the First World War and served as the Prussian Minister of War responsible for much of the German military buildup prior to the outbreak of the war.
Life and career
Born in Herzberg am Harz, Einem served in the Prussian army for much of his life when he was appointed Minister of War in 1903. During his six years of service, Einem oversaw the reorganization of the German army building much of the military's heavy armament in preparation for modern warfare, specifically the introduction of the machine gun and modern heavy artillery.
Einem's right wing units would also participate in Gen. Erich Ludendorff's Champagne-Marne offensive on 15–17 July 1918 supporting the east flank of the German 1st Army. After suffering severe casualties in battle with Gen. John J. Pershing's Allied Expeditionary Force from 26 September to 11 November in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, he was forced to retreat northward shortly before the war's end. On 10 November 1918, only one day before the declaration of the Armistice, command of Prince Wilhelm's Army Group German Crown Prince fell to Einem who would oversee Germany's demobilization. Retiring from the army in 1919, Einem lived in retirement until his death in Mülheim on 7 April 1934.
^"Verdienst-Orden Philipps des Großmütigen", Großherzoglich Hessische Ordensliste (in German), Darmstadt: Staatsverlag, 1907, p. 168 – via hathitrust.org
Buchan, John. History of the Great War, 5 vols., Boston, 1922.
