Franz von Wittken

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Franz von Wittken (born November 28, 1767 in Jezow, † October 20, 1811 in Beuthen ) was a Prussian major and knight of the order Pour le Mérite .

Life

origin

Franz Matthias von Wittken came from the noble Wittken family . He belonged to the 2nd line of tribe A (Jesow B) of his family, which is extinct today, while the family is still flourishing in other tribes and lines.

Military career

Wittken became a career officer and entered a dragoon regiment of the Prussian army as an officer candidate . When the First Coalition War against revolutionary France broke out, he was transferred to the Palatinate with the “von Schmettau” dragoon regiment . Here he took part in the battle near Flamersheim on August 29, 1794 , meanwhile promoted to staff captain . The current captain distinguished himself in such a way that the commander-in-chief, Field Marshal Wichard von Möllendorf , recommended him to King Friedrich Wilhelm II. To be awarded the order Pour le Mérite. With the highest cabinet order of September 11, 1794, the king complied with Möllendorf's suggestion: “… I am particularly pleased that Generals v. Blücher and v. Wolffradt once again used the opportunity to punish the boldness of the enemy and that the engagements continued to be to our advantage; therefore I confer with the recommended officers, namely the Captain von Wittken and ... the medal plm ... "

Franz Matthias von Wittken's further career is not recorded. It is possible that he retired from active service in the wake of the army reduction imposed on Prussia in the Peace of Tilsit .

family

He was married to Sophie Helmich (1774–1807) since April 2, 1800. The marriage resulted in two sons, of whom the older, Heinrich, also became an officer, while the younger, Karl, studied law and became a royal Prussian appellate judge and secret judge. Heinrich's son George von Wittken was promoted to lieutenant general in the Prussian army.

literature

  • Genealogical manual of the nobility. Volume A XXIX, CA Starke-Verlag, Limburg 2007.
  • Gustav Lehmann: The knights of the order pour le mérite. Volume 1, ES Mittler & Sohn . Berlin 1913.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Genealogical Handbook of the Nobility , Volume A XXIX, CA Starke-Verlag, Limburg 2007, p. 435ff.
  2. ↑ a b Gustav Lehmann: The knights of the order pour le merite. Volume 1, awards under King Friedrich Wilhelm II. III, p. 354f.
personal data
SURNAME Wittken, Franz von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian major, knight of the order Pour le Mérite
DATE OF BIRTH November 28, 1767
PLACE OF BIRTH Yezov
DATE OF DEATH October 20, 1811
Place of death Bytom