Count Alfred von Waldersee | |
|---|---|
.png) Alfred von Waldersee in 1902 | |
| Chief of the German General Staff | |
| In office 10 August 1888 – 7 February 1891 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm II |
| Chancellor | |
| Preceded by | Helmuth von Moltke |
| Succeeded by | Alfred von Schlieffen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 April 1832 Potsdam, Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia in the German Confederation |
| Died | 5 March 1904 (aged 71) Hanover, Province of Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia in the German Empire |
| Relations | Georg von Waldersee |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Prussia (1850–1871) German Empire (1871–1904) |
| Branch/service |  Prussian Army Imperial German Army |
| Years of service | 1850-1904 |
| Rank | .gif){kind=small} Generalfeldmarschall |
| Battles/wars | Austro-Prussian War Franco-Prussian War Boxer Rebellion |
Alfred Ludwig Heinrich Karl Graf von Waldersee[1] (8 April 1832 – 5 March 1904) was a German field marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) who became Chief of the Imperial German General Staff.
Born into a prominent military family, von Waldersee saw distinguished service as an artillery officer, and became Prussian military attaché at the Paris embassy in 1870. This gave him insight into the French defences that would prove crucial in the upcoming Franco-Prussian War, in which he played a significant role. Later, as principal assistant to Field-Marshal Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, von Waldersee gained influence with the future Kaiser Wilhelm II, who promoted him Chief of Staff on his accession.
When the Peking legation compound was besieged by the Boxer insurgents in 1900, von Waldersee was appointed as head of an eight-nation relief force. Although he arrived too late to take part in the fighting, he conducted punitive expeditions, which succeeded in pacifying the Boxers, and took a Chinese mistress, Sai Jinhua.