August Encke

August Encke (born July 9, 1794 in Hamburg , † June 26, 1860 in Berlin ) was a Prussian lieutenant general .

Life

origin

He was the son of the archdeacon at the main church Sankt Jacobi August Johann Michael Encke (1749–1795) and his wife Maria Elisabeth, née Misler (1755–1811). She was the daughter of the senior secretary Johann Gottfried Misler (1720–1789). Friedrich Encke , pastor in Eutin , and Franz Encke , astronomer and director of the Berlin observatory , were his brothers.

Military career

When the Russian troops had moved into his hometown in March 1813, Encke joined the riding artillery of the Hanseatic Legion and took part in the campaign on the Lower Elbe under General von Wallmoden . When the Paris Peace Treaty was passed in 1814, Encke received the Silver Hanseatic Medal. On September 1, 1814, he was retired from military service as a first lieutenant.

When Napoleon returned from Elba , Encke entered Prussian service . He passed the required test and did so well that he was employed as a prime lieutenant in the artillery. He first learned the practical service in Graudenz and then came to the 1st Artillery Brigade in Königsberg . Promoted to captain in 1818 , he was transferred to the 6th Artillery Brigade in Silesia . In 1834 he went to the War Ministry in Berlin , was promoted to major in 1837 and as such from 1839 department commander in Luxembourg . In 1844 he was deployed as a brigadier in the 1st Brigade and soon afterwards in 1845 made a lieutenant colonel . Two years later he was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the General Inspection of the Artillery to Berlin and promoted to Colonel in 1848 . Appointed major general in 1852 , he became inspector of the 4th Artillery Inspection in Koblenz , in 1854 inspector of the 2nd Artillery Inspection in Berlin and at the same time President of the Artillery Inspection Commission , which was investigating the introduction of rifled artillery at the time. After long theoretical investigations and practical tests, which took place under Encke, these were introduced in the Prussian army in 1858. The year before, Encke was promoted to lieutenant general. In recognition of his services, Encke was awarded the star for the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves, on January 11, 1859 .

In 1860 Encke was found dead at his desk in Berlin. After his death on June 29, 1860, he was buried in the Invalidenfriedhof .

On January 27, 1889, Kaiser Wilhelm II gave the foot artillery regiment No. 4 the name "Encke". The Enckekaserne in Magdeburg , built in 1912/13, is named after him.

literature

• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldier leadership . Volume 6, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1938], DNB 367632810 , pp. 315-318, no. 1937.
• Bernhard von Poten :  Encke, August . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 48, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1904, p. 356 f.
• Hermann von Müller: The development of field artillery in terms of material, organization and tactics, from 1815 to 1892 . Mittler, Berlin 1893.
• Wilhelm Bussler: Prussian generals and heroes . tape IV . Gustav Schloeßmann, Gotha 1896.
• Wilhelm Sillem: Biographical . In: Association for Hamburg history (Hrsg.): Messages of the association for Hamburg history . tape 8 , vol. 24. W. Mauke Sons, Hamburg 1905, p. 479 .
• Wilhelm Sillem: General August Encke. 1794-1860 . In: Association for Hamburg history (Hrsg.): Messages of the association for Hamburg history . tape 9 , vol. 25. W. Mauke Sons, Hamburg 1906, p. 124-128 .
• Bernhard Koerner (ed.): German gender book . tape 27 . Starke, Görlitz 1914, p. 114–115 (Zgl. Hamburg gender book. Volume 5. Starke, Görlitz 1914.).