Alexander von Medem (General)

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Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Eberhard Freiherr von Medem (born February 12, 1814 in Charlottenburg , † February 15, 1879 in Dresden ) was a Prussian lieutenant general .

Life

origin

Alexander was a son of the quaestor at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin Heinrich Philipp von Medem and his wife Henriette, née von Winanko and Weitenstein.

Military career

Medem graduated from the Friedrichswerder high school in Berlin and joined the Kaiser Franz Guard Grenadier Regiment of the Prussian Army on October 24, 1832 . There he was promoted to secondary lieutenant in April 1835 and from April 1847 worked as an investigative officer of the 1st Battalion. In March 1848 Medem was used in the suppression of the barricade uprising in Berlin. He rose to prime lieutenant in May and took part in the battle near Schleswig during the campaign against Denmark in the same year . As a captain , he was appointed company commander in mid-February 1853 . By March 1859 Medem was promoted to major and regular staff officer , was transferred to the 1st Guards Regiment on foot in June 1859 and was entrusted with the command of the training infantry battalion. After completing this command, he became commander of the 1st battalion on July 1, 1860, and in this capacity in mid-March 1863, a lieutenant colonel . This was followed on April 3, 1866 by his appointment as commander of the 1st Magdeburg Infantry Regiment No. 26 and his promotion to colonel on June 8, 1866. As such, Medem led his association during the war against Austria in the battles near Münchengrätz and Königgrätz as well as in front of Pressburg . For his work, especially in the Battle of Königgrätz , he was awarded the Order Pour le Mérite , the Cross of Honor II. Class of the Princely House Order of Hohenzollern and the Mecklenburg Military Merit Cross, II. Class.

After the peace treaty Medem returned on May 18, 1867 with the appointment as regimental commander in the Kaiser Franz Garde Grenadier Regiment No. 2. His regiment chief, Emperor Franz Joseph I , awarded him the Commander's Cross of the Order of Leopold on March 8, 1870 . With the beginning of the war against France on July 16, 1870 Medem was appointed commander of the 2nd Guard Infantry Brigade for the duration of the mobile relationship and a few days later promoted to major general. He was slightly wounded in the Battle of Gravelotte , and then led his large formation in the battles near Sedan and the sieges of Montmédy and Paris . After the imperial proclamation , Medem acted from January 29 to May 30, 1871 as the commandant of Saint-Denis .

Awarded both classes of the Iron Cross , Medem was transferred to Mainz as a commander on June 17, 1871, after the peace treaty and was promoted to lieutenant general on November 4, 1875. With the award of the star for the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves, he was put up for disposal on February 22, 1876 with the statutory pension . On the occasion of his adoption Medem received by Grand Duke Ludwig III. the Grand Cross of the Order of Philip .

He spent his twilight years in Dresden, where he died in February 1879.

family

Medem married Agnes von Puttkamer (1817–1899) in Berlin on October 30, 1839 . The sons Oskar Alexander (* 1843) and the later Prussian infantry general Kurt von Medem (1848–1920) emerged from the marriage.

literature
personal data
SURNAME Medem, Alexander von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Medem, Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Eberhard Freiherr von (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian lieutenant general
DATE OF BIRTH February 12, 1814
PLACE OF BIRTH Charlottenburg
DATE OF DEATH February 15, 1879
Place of death Dresden