Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander von Tschammer and Osten

Friedrich Wilhelm Alexander von Tschammer und Osten (born January 1, 1737 ; † July 29, 1809 in Berlin ) was a Prussian major general and most recently in command of the Invalidenhaus in Berlin . Tschammer's importance lies in the field of military education, in which he achieved extraordinary achievements and was exemplary.

Life

At the age of about 20 he joined the Infantry Regiment No. 34 (Prince Ferdinand), to which he had belonged for most of his entire service. He became a captain in the War of the Bavarian Succession and a major in the campaign in Holland in 1785. During the Rhine campaign during the First Coalition War , he was first lieutenant colonel and then a colonel. For his bravery in the siege of Mainz (1793) he received the Pour le Mérite . He also became the commander of the 34th Infantry Regiment . On June 2, 1801, he was promoted to major general and became chief of Infantry Regiment No. 27 .

After the Prussian defeat in the battle of Jena and Auerstedt , Tschammer became the commandant of the Invalidenhaus in Berlin on March 1, 1809. However, he died on July 29, 1809 at the age of 72 and was buried in the Invalidenfriedhof . The tomb has not been preserved.

Military education

The military and school training of officers and men was the task of the regiments in Prussia under Frederick II . The heads of the regiments therefore had their own schools, some of which became very well known. After the Seven Years War , the school of Prince Ferdinand's regiment in Neuruppin was in a bad state. The responsible regimental sexton improved his livelihood by educating citizens 'children and did not ensure that the soldiers' children went to school. Tschammer repeatedly complained about the condition, but it took until 1780 before a remedy was possible. A decree of the War Consistory of September 20, 1780 called on the field preachers to give the schools under their control a strict supervision. Together with Feldprediger Müller and based on the model of the Potsdam garrison school, a new school was planned. The sexton retired and two trained teachers were hired. A sergeant's wife was even hired to teach the girls how to knit and sew. The exams became public, which caught the attention of officers and citizens to the school. In 1786 there was a fire in the city, which also destroyed the school, but Tschammer's care ensured its continued existence. In 1795 he was the regiment commander and was able to change more. The number of students per class was limited, the surplus were sent to city schools, and company commanders had to ensure regular school attendance.

In 1796 he was able to expand his concept. In addition to the knitting and sewing school, he founded a spinning school and an institute for processing wool. In 1797 a lace school was added with the help of a Berlin merchant. These activities caused quite a stir and were written about in many newspapers of the time. Even in the military administration they did not want to stand back and supported the industrial establishment, as it was called, with 200 thalers a year. On August 31, 1799, a new ordinance was issued: "Circular ordinance of August 31, 1799 to all regiments and battalions relating to instruction in the garrison schools". It referred to the exemplary work of Colonel Tschammer and recommended that they be imitated.

Together with Major von Sydow and Feldprediger Merz, he set up a junior school for future officers . She was for the ensigns and private corporals of the regiment. Mathematics and history were taught there. The language lessons took place in the Friedrich Wilhelmsschule, the local high school.

To organize the various schools, a commission of officers, the field chaplain, the auditor and the collaborator of the regimental school was formed, which met every first Monday of the month. The school also had the support of the monarch, who promised to go back on all attempts to undo the achievements. Thus, with the cabinet order of December 19, 1799, “About teaching in the Junker schools”, the Junker School was also declared the official model.

After the lost war of 1806/07 , the regiment and all associated facilities were disbanded. But Tschammer's ideas continued to have an effect through the Prussian military constitution.

literature

• Friedrich Wienecke:  Tschammer-Osten, Alexander von . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 54, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1908, pp. 712-715.
• Theodor Fontane, Walks through the Mark Brandenburg , digitized
• Yearbooks of the Prussian Monarchy '. Under the government of Friedrich Wilhelm the Third , Volume 3, p. 161 digitized "Circular Ordinance of August 31, 1799 to all regiments and battalions, concerning instruction in the garrison schools"
• Yearbooks of the Prussian Monarchy. Under the government of Friedrich Wilhelm the Third , Volume 3, p. 259, digitized regulations for the Junk School of the Prince Ferdinand Regiment in Neu-Ruppin.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Joseph Marx von Liechtenstern, On the silk construction in the Prussian states and northern Germany , p. 7, digitized