Nephew of Field Marshal Count von Moltke of Franco-German War fame, Helmuth von Moltke was born in Mecklinburg-Schwerin in 1848. He became Chief of the German General Staff in 1906. He commanded at the Marne Campaign. His health took a turn for the worse following that campaign, and Erich von Falkenhayn succeeded him. He died in Berlin on June 18, 1916.