Emil von Lessel

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Emil Friedrich Karl von Lessel (born December 12, 1847 in Erfurt , † December 9, 1927 in Coburg ) was a Prussian lieutenant general and during the Boxer Uprising, commander of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps .

Emil von Lessel (1902) Adolph Obst : Germany in China 1900–1901 .

Life

origin

Emil came from the old Silesian noble family von Lessel . He was the son of the Prussian lieutenant colonel a. D. Johann Friedrich August von Lessel (1800–1872) and his wife Wilhelmine Emilie Ulrike, née Vorhauer (1823–1901). His brother Richard Philipp Otto (* 1853) also embarked on a military career in the Prussian Army and made it up to lieutenant colonel.

Military career

Lessel attended high school in his hometown and from May 1859 was initially a cadet in Bensberg , later in Berlin . On April 7, 1866, he was transferred as a second lieutenant to Infantry Regiment No. 27 of the Prussian Army . In the same year he took part with this association during the war against Austria in the battles near Münchengrätz and Blumenau as well as the battle near Königgrätz . After the war, he provided his service again in the garrison in Magdeburg and from 1869 in the Fusilier - Bataillon in Burg .

As a company officer, after the mobilization in 1870 on the occasion of the war against France , Lessel initially took part in the fighting near Beaumont and then became a deputy battalion adjutant. He took part in the Battle of Sedan and fell ill with gastritis during the subsequent advance on Paris , but stayed with the troops. At the end of November the regular battalion adjutant resumed his post and Lessel resigned to the front. For his achievements in the battle at Épinal he was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd class.

After the preliminary peace at Versailles, Lessel fell ill with gastritis again at the end of April 1871 and was ordered to go home early at the instigation of the treating doctors. After a cure in Wiesbaden and restoration of his health, he briefly returned to his regiment, which was still an occupying force in France, in June 1871. In the spring of 1872, Lessel passed the entrance examination to the War Academy , which he completed for three years from the fall of 1872. In the meantime promoted to Prime Lieutenant in September 1873 , he was assigned to the General Staff at the beginning of May 1877 . Lessel was transferred here when he was promoted to captain on April 18, 1878. This was followed by uses from February 3, 1880 to April 17, 1882 in the General Staff of the III. Army Corps in Berlin, and until April 14, 1884 in the General Staff of the 7th Division in Magdeburg. Lessel then worked in Saarlouis as chief of the 10th company in the 4th Rhenish Infantry Regiment No. 30 before he was reassigned to the General Staff on September 22, 1885. As a major , he came to the General Staff of the 20th Division in Hanover on December 4, 1886 and was transferred to the General Staff of the X. Army Corps on January 17, 1888 . From September 21, 1889 to November 17, 1890 he was in command of the III. Battalion in the infantry regiment "Duke Karl von Mecklenburg-Strelitz" (6th East Prussian) No. 43 in Königsberg . Subsequently, Lessel was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the 1st Army Corps , advanced to Colonel by mid-March 1894 and on June 16, 1896 was given command of the Grenadier Regiment "King Friedrich Wilhelm IV." (1st Pomeranian) No. 2 . Under position à la suite of the regiment, he was commissioned on March 22, 1897 to lead the 28th Infantry Brigade . With his promotion to major general on April 17, 1897, he was appointed commander of the brigade . Lessel gave up this command on October 7, 1898 and then acted as chief quartermaster in the general staff. The 1st and 7th departments, which dealt with Russia , were subordinate to him . At the same time he was from November 15, 1898 a member of the study commission of the War Academy. During the autumn exercises in 1899, Lessel was in command as Chief of the General Staff to Prince Albrecht of Prussia . In May 1900 he was assigned to lead the 28th Division in Karlsruhe and shortly afterwards on July 9, 1900 he was promoted to Lieutenant General and Commander of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps.

The total strength was initially around 11,000 men and, after Lessel had deregistered from Kaiser Wilhelm II, on August 3, 1900, on the steamer Rhine, set out on the journey to East Asia . After landing in China and organizing his troops, Lessel u. a. at the conquest of the Peitangforts and the battle at Huolu . For this he was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class with oak leaves and swords. After completing the operations, Lessel left China on August 9, 1901 and returned to Germany via Genoa . He was then transferred to the army officers on September 30, 1901. From October 12, 1901 to January 1, 1902, he was given leave to restore his health. An extension was granted until the end of February 1902. Since there is no prospect of improvement was ranged Lessel his farewell , and he was awarded the Crown Order , First Class on February 6, 1902 board for disposition made. The states allied during the Boxer Rebellion honored him several times. Lessel received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy on April 30, 1903, the Russian Order of St. Anne with Swords on June 30, 1903 and the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun on June 11, 1904 .

After his departure, Lessel was involved in the Pan-German Association and the Evangelical Association until his death . He had already worked as a military writer during his active service.

family

Lessel married on July 23, 1870 in Burg with Helene Charlotte Dorothea Haseloff (1850-1910). The following children were born from the marriage:

Fonts

  • The 2nd Magdeburg Infantry Regiment No. 27 in the war against France 1870–71. A contribution to the history of the regiment. ES Mittler & Sohn, Berlin 1875.
  • Walther Hubatsch (ed.): Bohemia, France, China 1866–1901: Memories of a Prussian officer. Grote Verlag, Cologne / Berlin 1981, ISBN 978-3-7745-6455-8 .

literature
personal data
SURNAME Lessel, Emil von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lessel, Emil Friedrich Karl von (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian lieutenant general, commander of the East Asian Expeditionary Corps during the Boxer Rebellion
DATE OF BIRTH December 12, 1847
PLACE OF BIRTH Erfurt
DATE OF DEATH December 9, 1927
Place of death Coburg