Dietrich Gerhard Emil Tappen  
(03.07.1866 - 28.05.1953)
place of birth:  Esens, Ostfriesland  (East Frisia)
Königreich Preußen:  OHL - Chef der Operationsabteilung;  Generalmajor  (Art)


Oberstleutnant Gerhard Tappen headed the German Supreme Command's Operations Bureau during the initial months of the Great War. The son of Theodor Tappan and wife Johanne Schmeding, Gerhard was born in Ostfriesland but grew up in Hannover. He was a quick decision-maker and had good nerves, but most of his subordinates hated him because of his strong will. Ludendorff, who had preceded Tappen in his post at OHL, considered him "an unimaginative man of mediocre intelligence." 

Tappen also served for a couple weeks as General von Heeringen's Seventh Army Chief of Staff in March of 1915, and then spent the last two years of the war as a divisional commander. He and some of his troops were gassed in the Spring of 1918 while serving in Flanders, although General Tappen never left the Front. He retired at the end of the war at the rank of Generalmajor, but was later awarded the brevet rank of General der Artillerie (Charakter) on 27 August 1939 for Tannenberg Remembrance Day.

	Generalmajor .....................	13.09.1912
	Pour le Mérite ....................	11.09.1915  (Eichenlaub:  27.01.1916)