Alexander von Falkenhausen

Alexander von Falkenhausen
Falkenhausen in uniform, 1940
Birth name	Alexander Ernst Alfred Hermann Freiherr von Falkenhausen
Born	(1878-10-29)29 October 1878 Gut Blumenthal, Province of Silesia, German Empire
Died	31 July 1966(1966-07-31) (aged 87) Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  China (to 1938)  Nazi Germany
Years of service	1897–1930, 1934–1944
Rank	General der Infanterie
Awards	Pour le Mérite

Alexander Ernst Alfred Hermann Freiherr von Falkenhausen (29 October 1878 – 31 July 1966) was a German general and a war criminal. He was an important figure during the Sino-German cooperation to reform the Chinese Army. During World War II Germany ended its support for China and Falkenhausen was forced to withdraw from China. Back in Europe he later became the head of the Nazi military government of Belgium from 1940–44 during its German occupation. He was responsible for ordering the execution of hostages and deportations of Jews in Belgium.

He was married twice, firstly to Paula von Wedderkop (8 October 1879 – 3 March 1950) and then in 1960, to Cecile Vent (16 September 1906 – 1977), both without issue. He was a nephew of Ludwig von Falkenhausen, who was the governor-general of Belgium during the German occupation, from 1917–1918, in the First World War and a direct male line descendant of Karl Wilhelm Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, by his mistress Elisabeth Wünsch.

Alexander von Falkenhausen was born at Blumenthal, near Neisse (now Nysa, Poland) in the Prussian province of Silesia, one of seven children of Baron Alexander von Falkenhausen (1844–1909) and his wife, Elisabeth. He attended a Gymnasium in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) and then the cadet school at Wahlstatt (now Legnickie Pole). In his youth, Falkenhausen showed an interest in Eastern Asia and its societies. He travelled and studied in Japan, northern China, Korea and Indochina from 1909–1911.