Friedrich Volmar Karl Heinrich von Clausewitz

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Friedrich Volmar Karl Heinrich Clauswitz , later Clausewitz , from 1827 von Clausewitz (born March 5, 1771 in Bunzlau in Silesia , † March 23, 1854 in Glogau ) was a Prussian lieutenant general .

Life

origin

His grandparents were Benedikt Gottlieb Clauswitz (1691–1749) and his second wife Juliane Friederike, née Kristen (* 1714). His parents were Friedrich Georg Gabriel von Clausewitz (1740–1802) and his wife Friederike Dorothea Charlotte, née Schmidt (1746–1811). The father was a Prussian lieutenant a. D. in Fusilier Regiment No. 47 and excise collector in Burg. His brothers Karl (1780–1831) and Wilhelm Benedikt (1773–1849) also became generals. The three siblings received confirmation of nobility from the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III on January 30, 1827 .

Military career

Clausewitz came on June 1, 1787 as a private corporal in the fusilier battalion No. 14 of the Prussian Army and was promoted there to second lieutenant on April 20, 1790 . During the campaign in Poland he fought in the battles near Warsaw and Szekoczin. On December 5, 1801, Clausewitz was promoted to Prime Lieutenant . In the Fourth Coalition War he fought in the siege of Schweidnitz, the storming of the camp near Glatz and the battles near Kanth, Glatz, Strehlen and Adelsdorf, where he was wounded.

After the Peace of Tilsit he joined the Silesian light infantry, where he became a staff captain on October 6, 1807 . On December 15, 1807 he received the order Pour le Mérite for Kanth . On July 27, 1808 he was promoted to captain and on February 17, 1809 to major in the Silesian Rifle Battalion. On January 16, 1810 was commissioned Clausewitz with the leadership of East Prussian Rifle Battalion and appointed him on July 25, 1810 Commander of this association . In the campaign of 1812 he took part in the blockade of Riga , fought in the skirmishes near Eckau, Dahlenkrichen, Olai and Schlockhof. For the battle of Olai he was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle III on March 20, 1813 . In addition, on March 26, 1813, he became commander of the 4th East Prussian Infantry Regiment. During the Wars of Liberation Clausewitz fought in the battles near Großbeeren , Dennewitz , Kulm and Laon . He also took part in the assault on Arnhem. Clausewitz also fought in the sieges of Spandau, Wittenberg and Soissons as well as the battles near Luckau , Trebbin, Wittstock, Unna, Koswig, Antwerp and Düren. During that time he was wounded at Kulm and Düren, and on September 15, 1813, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for Dennewitz and the 1st Class Cross on January 2, 1814 for the storming of Arnhem. He was also on 8 December 1813 Lieutenant Colonel and on May 31, 1814. Colonel transported simultaneously he received the Oak Leaves to the Pour le Mérite.

After the war Clausewitz came on March 20, 1815 as a brigade commander in the V Army Corps. From there he was transferred to the infantry brigade in Glogau as commander on November 7, 1816, from which the 9th Infantry Brigade later formed. On March 30, 1818 he was promoted to major general. In this capacity, Clausewitz received a bonus of 500 thalers and was awarded the service cross and the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class. His nobility confirmation he received on January 30, 1827 on March 27, 1830 Clausewitz received his farewell as a Lieutenant General with a pension of 2250 thalers. He died on March 23, 1854 in Glogau.

On October 5, 1807, General von Goetzen wrote to King Friedrich Wilhelm III. : Of the infantry, Lieutenant von Clausewitz distinguished himself very much in the afaires near Strehlen, Breslau and Schweidnitz. With Kanth he decided this affair to our advantage, because, since our infantry was already beginning to give way and his company was already very much melted, he ran into an enemy column with the rest of them and, since only a few of his men, bayonets had penetrated the same with the piston, which gave the others time to follow him. His remaining demeanor and service knowledge are equal to his bravura, and one of his backers should already have companies in the army in Prussia.

family

Clausewitz married Friederike Christiane Stephani (1773–1847) in Brunzlau on December 27, 1794. The couple had several children:

  • Friedrich Karl Theodor (1796–1879), Prussian lieutenant colonel ret. D. ∞ 1836 Franziska Kloch von Kornitz (* August 9, 1805; † May 6, 1884)
  • Mathilde Charlotte Elise Eugenie Karoline (* 1804)

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ by royal prussia. Confirmation of nobility from January 30, 1827.
personal data
SURNAME Clausewitz, Friedrich Volmar Karl Heinrich von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian lieutenant general
DATE OF BIRTH March 5, 1771
PLACE OF BIRTH Bunzlau in Silesia
DATE OF DEATH March 23, 1854
Place of death Glogau