Mackensen, August von [key], 1849–1945, German field marshal. In World War I he defeated the Russians in the battle of the Masurian Lakes (1914–15), conducted successful operations in Galicia, Serbia, and Romania, and in 1917 occupied Romania. Held by the French until Dec., 1919, he retired (1920) from military service and became a leader of the Stahlhelm, a monarchist veterans' organization. He later supported Adolf Hitler, although he protested against the murder (1934) of Kurt von Schleicher.
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