Ernst Gustav Martin Köpke

Ernst Gustav Martin Köpke (born February 19, 1845 in Berlin , † November 30, 1918 in Erfurt ) was the royal Prussian infantry general and most recently the commander of the 5th division.

origin

His parents were Dr. phil Ernst Siegfried Köpke (* December 8, 1813 - March 19, 1883) and his wife Ida Bernheim (* July 31, 1816 - October 19, 1875). His father was canon and director of the knight academy in Brandenburg an der Havel . His brother Dr. Reinhold Köpke (* July 18, 1839, † December 16, 1915) was a real Privy Councilor and department director in the Prussian Ministry of Culture.

Life

He received his education at the Knight Academy in Brandenburg. After graduating, he joined the 35th Infantry Regiment as a fusilier on October 1, 1863. He was appointed sergeant there on January 1, 1864 and on February 25, 1864 portepeefähnrich. During the German-Danish war he took part in the assault on the Düppeler Schanzen and the cannonade near Eckernförde . He fought in the battle of Missunde and took part in the transition to Alsen . At that time he was appointed Portepeefähnrich for Missunde on February 25, 1864 and Seconde Lieutenant for Düppel on May 22, 1864 . During the German War of 1866 he fought near Münchengrätz and Königgrätz .

After the war he was posted to the Central Gymnasium from October 15 to November 15, 1866 . Immediately afterwards he came on November 16, 1866 as adjutant in the III. Battalion transferred. He was then posted to the Military Academy from October 1, 1868 to June 30, 1870. During the mobilization for the Franco-Prussian War he left the War Academy, was transferred to the 2nd Landwehr Division as an adjutant on July 18, 1870 and promoted to Premier-Lieutenant on September 2, 1870. During the campaign he was at the sieges of Metz , Soissons and Mezieres as well as in the battle of Noisseville . For this he received the Iron Cross 2nd class .

After the war he was transferred back to the 35th Infantry Regiment on March 20, 1871. From October 1, 1871 to July 31, 1872 he returned to the Military Academy. On his return he was posted to the General Staff in May 1, 1873 . During that time he was transferred to the 113th Infantry Regiment on November 15, 1873, leaving his command with a patent on November 20, 1868. He was then promoted to captain on April 16, 1874 and transferred to the 113th Infantry Regiment at the company commander. As early as December 12, 1874, he was transferred to the war school in Hanover as a teacher and was placed in the regiment's suite . He returned to the General Staff on December 14, 1878, and was promoted to major on April 18, 1882 . Shortly afterwards - on June 13th, 1882 - he joined the General Staff of the 15th Division . He then came to the General Staff of the VII Army Corps on December 13, 1883 , and on January 15, 1887, he was transferred to Grenadier Regiment No. 9 , where he came as a commander in the II Battalion. From there he came on September 19, 1888 as chief of the General Staff of the VIII Army Corps . On November 13, 1888, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and on February 14, 1891 to colonel . From there he was transferred to the 36th Infantry Regiment on June 16, 1891 as commander. On August 23, 1894, he was transferred to the command of the 25th Infantry Brigade and placed a la suite of the regiment, on September 12, 1894 he was confirmed as brigade commander and at the same time promoted to major general. On April 18, 1895, he was transferred to the General Staff, and on May 13, 1895, he became a member of the study commission of the War Academy. On January 19, 1896, he received the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves, and on June 17, 1897, he was transferred to the 58th Infantry Brigade as commander.

On June 15, 1898, he was promoted to lieutenant general, and he was also given the rank of division commander. On June 16, 1898 he also received the crown medal 2nd class with a star , on July 25, 1898 he was sent to the 5th division to represent the sick commander , and on September 10, 1898, he was confirmed as division commander. In addition, on January 21, 1900 he received a star for the Order of the Red Eagle. On June 8, 1901, he was then put on the disposition with a pension , in addition he received the crown medal, 1st class . Still on 13 September 1912 he was with the character as General of Infantry excellent. He died in Erfurt on November 30, 1918.

family

Köpke married on July 6, 1874 in Bankau in Schwetz district Margarete Auguste Gerlich (* July 14, 1853, † October 16, 1897), a daughter of Gustav Gerlich . The couple had several children:

• Ursula (born July 9, 1875 - † July 20, 1880)
• Anna Dorothea (born July 27, 1881), superior in the Oliva forest sanatorium near Danzig

literature

• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldatisches Führertum , Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1939], DNB 367632829 , Volume 10, pp. 60-61, No. 3080

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Priesdorf: January 16, 1898