1914 26th August
Battle of Tannenberg
Later gives him Hindenburg & Ludendorf a legendary status during the Weimar Republic. Decisive victory against Russia in east Prussia
First World War · permanent subject timeline
Paul von Hindenburg
German field marshal and Chief of the General Staff. This page combines historical context with 13 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database World War I battle archive.
Historical context
Paul von Hindenburg: overview and significance
What happened?
Paul von Hindenburg was recalled to command in East Prussia in 1914 and became closely associated with the victory at Tannenberg. He later became Chief of the German General Staff, working with Erich Ludendorff.
Why was it important?
Hindenburg's wartime prestige gave him enormous influence within Germany. The Hindenburg-Ludendorff command shaped strategy, manpower policy and the increasingly militarized direction of the German war effort.
World History Database records
Paul von Hindenburg timeline
The records below are selected from the 572-record World War I battles archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1914
1914 27th August
Battle of Tannenberg
Gathers a force 100,000 against the threat posed by Samsonov & Rennekamps armies
1914 27th August
Battle of Tannenberg
Only 60,000 Russian troops escape. Hindenburg takes 90,000 prisoners & several hundred guns
1914 27th August
Battle of Tannenberg
Hindenburg defeats Samsonov & turns on Rennenkampf who retreats to the Niemen River
1914 August
Battle of Tannenberg
Hindenburg drives Samsonovs army back to Hohenstein
1914 9th October
Battle of Masurian Lakes
Hindenburg reaches the Vistula
1914 9th October
Battle of Vistula River
General Nikolai Ruzsky, commander of the Russian Northwest Front, brings up significant reinforcement against the Ninth Army, att this time Hindenburg learned of a planned Russian offensive into Silesia from a captured Russian soldier
1914 31st October
Battle of Vistula River
The Germans were unfamiliar with the land and unable to bring sufficient reinforcements to the Ninth Army, allowing Ruzsky to concentrate his front against Mackensen. On October 17, Hindenburg orders a retreat, and by the 31st the battle is over
1914 11th November
Battle of Lodz
Hindenburg had intercepted Russian reports of the proposed invasion into Silesia, and sees an opportunity to repeat his crushing victory at the Battle of Tannenberg, by hitting the Russian flank at Lodz as it moves into Silesia.
1914 11th November
Battle of Lodz
Hindenburg moves the German Ninth Army, under General August von Mackensen, to the Polish sector.
1914 11th November
Battle of Lodz
Pressure on Lodz continues until December but the Germans are unable to break the Russian lines, short on ammunition, the Russians withdraw to form a new and stronger line closer to Warsaw.
1914 4th December
Battle of Augustov
The Russians regroup, counterattack & recapture Augustov & move into East Prussia
1914 6th December
Battle of Lodz
The Russians had repulsed the Germans and saved Warsaw, which had been the objective of the original German offensive, the Germans, for their part, had caused the Russians to abandon their offensive into Silesia
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database First World War records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Imperial War Museums · Commonwealth War Graves Commission · Australian War Memorial
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