Alexander von Knobelsdorff

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Field Marshal General Alexander Friedrich von Knobelsdorff

Alexander Friedrich von Knobelsdorff (born May 13, 1723 in Cunow near Crossen , † December 10, 1799 in Stendal ) was a Prussian field marshal .

Life

origin

Alexander came from the first noble family von Knobelsdorff . He was the son of Johann Friedrich von Knobelsdorff (* 1693; † June 27, 1760 in Berlin), Prussian forest master and heir to Kunow, Bobersberg and Kuckedel and his wife Wilhelmine Charlotte, née von Kalkreuth from the Ogersitz family (* March 23 1705 in Ogersitz; † March 29, 1761 in Berlin). His brothers August Rudolf (1727–1794) and Kurd Gottlob (1735–1807) also became Prussian generals.

Military career

Knobelsdorff attended the Joachimsthaler Gymnasium in Berlin and was on January 14, 1737 Page with the Crown Princess Elisabeth Christine . With Friedrich II's accession to the throne at the end of May 1740, Knobelsdorff entered his service in the same capacity.

On March 1, 1741 Knobelsdorff was then employed as a private corporal in the Dragoon Regiment "von Möllendorf" No. 7 of the Prussian Army and in August of the same year was appointed ensign . He fought with the regiment in the 1741/42 campaign near Münsterberg , Troppau , Austerlitz and Olmütz . In March 1743 he became second lieutenant and in 1750 prime lieutenant . In 1745 he fought at Landeshut and Hohenfriedberg , in 1757 he took part in the battle of Groß-Jägersdorf , where he led his own squadron. On April 5, 1758 Knobelsdorff became captain and squadron chief and had already been transferred to the Hordt Free Regiment as a major for two months . He fought in Swedish Pomerania and near Driesen. In 1759 he was involved in a push against the Russian magazines. He was also involved in all other battles of the Hordt Free Regiment until 1762. In 1762 he drafted an agreement with the Austrians in Silesia , which was ultimately concluded.

When the Seven Years' War ended, the Free Regiment was also disbanded and Knobelsdorff was employed on March 20, 1763 with the 8th Infantry Regiment "Queis" . Three months later he was transferred to the “Braunschweig-Bevern” regiment on foot . There he was in 1765 Lieutenant Colonel 1767 Colonel and as such on February 12, 1771 regimental commander. The regiment was in command of Knobelsdorff for more than two and a half years and then became the commander of the “von Schwartz” infantry regiment No. 49 . The king finally appointed him on October 20, 1776 as head of the "Stojentin" regiment on foot in Stendal. In the War of the Bavarian Succession in 1778 he led a brigade in Prince Heinrich's army and distinguished himself in the battle near Gabel . His Altmark regiment was also involved. After the Peace of Teschen he built schools for soldiers' children and future officers.

In the campaign against Holland in 1787 he led the division on the left wing. The army leader was the Duke of Braunschweig at the time. The general was sent to Kleve with his troops. From there on September 13th he led the third column through the county of Zülphen to Haag. At the end of the year the soldiers marched back to their standing quarters. On the occasion of the revue near Magdeburg Knobelsdorff was knighted on May 28, 1789 for his long service to the Knight of the Black Eagle .

When the war against France broke out in 1792 , he initially stayed in Stendal while his regiment joined the corps of the Duke of Brunswick. When, however, after the worsening war situation in March 1793, the duke had to leave the coalition army due to illness, Knobelsdorff took over the command of the Prussian troops for him. In the summer of 1793 Knobelsdorff distinguished himself with his corps, which also included the Altmark regiment, at Valenciennes so that he was promoted to general of the infantry and was given special praise from the king . In addition, Friedrich Wilhelm II also appointed him governor of Küstrin.

As a frequent guest of the king, the general, promoted to field marshal in May 1798, took part in maneuvers in Potsdam in autumn 1799 . A stroke that he suffered on December 10, 1799 in Stendal ended his soldier life in the garrison town of his regiment. He was buried in the St. Jacobi Church in the city.

Knobelsdorff was the lodge master of the Stendal Freemason lodge Zur Golden Krone for many years . He was considered universally educated and, as a great hunter and nature lover, knew the Stendal area and the Letzlinger Heide very well, which he used for hikes and hunting trips. One of his most famous students is General Ernst von Rüchel , Inspector General of Prussian Military Education and one of the losers in the Battle of Jena on October 14, 1806.

Between 1741 and 1787 he took part in all of Frederick II's campaigns and was fortunate enough not to be wounded or captured. On September 14, 1762 he was made a Knight of St. John . On July 5, 1797 he became Commander of the Johanniterkommende in Wietersheim.

family

Knobelsdorff was married to Dorothea Ulrike Charlotte von Ramin (born January 16, 1748 - October 17, 1822 in Stendal) since December 26, 1771. The marriage remained childless.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld: History of the Knightly Order of St. Johannis from the Hospital in Jerusalem: with special consideration of the Brandenburg Balli or the Sonnenburg Lordship. Berendt, Berlin 1859, online at Google Books , p. 785
personal data
SURNAME Knobelsdorff, Alexander von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Knobelsdorff, Alexander Friedrich von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian Field Marshal General
DATE OF BIRTH May 13, 1723
PLACE OF BIRTH Cunow at Crossen
DATE OF DEATH December 10, 1799
Place of death Stendal