Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Graf
Helmuth von Moltke
the Elder
Graf Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
	Helmuth von Moltke, c. 1889
1st Chief of the German General Staff
	In office; 18 January 1871 – 10 August 1888
Monarchs	Wilhelm I; Frederick III; Wilhelm II;
Chancellor	Otto von Bismarck
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Alfred von Waldersee
11th Chief of the Prussian General Staff
	In office; 7 October 1857 – 18 January 1871
Monarch	Wilhelm I
Minister President	Otto von Bismarck
Minister of War of Prussia	Albrecht von Roon
Preceded by	Karl von Reyher
Succeeded by	Himself (as Chief of the German General Staff)
Personal details
Born	26 October 1800; Parchim, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Holy Roman Empire
Died	24 April 1891 (aged 90); Berlin, Prussia, German Empire
Spouse	Marie Burt (m. 1842; died 1868)
Relatives	Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (nephew)
Signature
Nickname(s)	Moltke the Elder (Moltke der Ältere); The Great Taciturn (Der große Schweiger)
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Prussia; German Empire; Denmark; Ottoman Empire
Branch/service	Prussian Army
Years of service	1819–88
Rank	Second lieutenant (Danish Army); Generalfeldmarschall (German Army)
Battles/wars	Tree-like list Second Egyptian–Ottoman War Battle of Nezib; ; Second Schleswig War; Austro-Prussian War Battle of Langensalza; Battle of Königgrätz; ; Franco-Prussian War Battle of Gravelotte; Battle of Sedan; Siege of Paris; ;
Awards	see below
	Helmuth von Moltke's voice Helmuth von Moltke reciting Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3, "Dein Ohr leih Jedem, Wen’gen deine Stimme" – Give every man thy ear but few thy voice.; (recorded Oct 1889)

Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke (German: [ˈhɛlmuːt fɔn ˈmɔltkə]; 26 October 1800 – 24 April 1891) was a Prussian field marshal.^[1] The chief of staff of the Prussian Army for thirty years, he is regarded as the creator of a new, more modern method of directing armies in the field and one of the finest military minds of his generation. He commanded troops in Europe and the Middle East, in the Second Schleswig War, Austro-Prussian War, and Franco-Prussian War. He is described as embodying "Prussian military organization and tactical genius".^[2] He was fascinated with railways and pioneered their military use.^[3]^[4] He is often referred to as Moltke the Elder to distinguish him from his nephew Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke), who commanded the German army at the outbreak of the First World War. He is notably the earliest-born human whose recorded voice is preserved, being born in the last year of the 18th century (1800). He made four recordings; two that were recorded in October 1889 are preserved to this day.

^ Regarding personal names: Graf was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as Count. Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The feminine form is Gräfin.
^ "Optimism has made wars likelier and bloodier". The Economist. 12 October 2017.
^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Helmuth von Moltke – Prussian General, Strategist, Reformer | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 21 July 2023.

[graf-1] Regarding personal names: Graf was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as Count. Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The feminine form is Gräfin.

[2] "Optimism has made wars likelier and bloodier". The Economist. 12 October 2017.

[:0-3] Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[4] "Helmuth von Moltke – Prussian General, Strategist, Reformer | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 21 July 2023.

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Graf Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Helmuth von Moltke, c. 1889

1st Chief of the German General Staff
In office 18 January 1871 – 10 August 1888
Monarchs	Wilhelm I Frederick III Wilhelm II
Chancellor	Otto von Bismarck
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Alfred von Waldersee
11th Chief of the Prussian General Staff
In office 7 October 1857 – 18 January 1871
Monarch	Wilhelm I
Minister President	Otto von Bismarck
Minister of War of Prussia	Albrecht von Roon
Preceded by	Karl von Reyher
Succeeded by	Himself (as Chief of the German General Staff)

Personal details
Born	(1800-10-26)26 October 1800 Parchim, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Holy Roman Empire
Died	24 April 1891(1891-04-24) (aged 90) Berlin, Prussia, German Empire
Spouse	Marie Burt (m. 1842; died 1868)
Relatives	Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (nephew)
Signature
Nickname(s)	Moltke the Elder (Moltke der Ältere) The Great Taciturn (Der große Schweiger)
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Prussia German Empire Denmark Ottoman Empire
Branch/service	Prussian Army
Years of service	1819–88
Rank	Second lieutenant (Danish Army) Generalfeldmarschall (German Army)
Battles/wars	Tree-like list Second Egyptian–Ottoman War Battle of Nezib Second Schleswig War Austro-Prussian War Battle of Langensalza Battle of Königgrätz Franco-Prussian War Battle of Gravelotte Battle of Sedan Siege of Paris
Awards	see below
Helmuth von Moltke's voice Helmuth von Moltke reciting Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3, "Dein Ohr leih Jedem, Wen’gen deine Stimme" – Give every man thy ear but few thy voice. (recorded Oct 1889)