Heinrich Julius Alexander von Kalb
Heinrich Julius Alexander von Kalb , also known as Henry Jules Alexandre de Kalb (born November 25, 1752 in Jena , † April 8, 1806 in Munich ) was a German officer in the French service.
Life
Kalb was the son of the President of the Chamber of Saxony-Weimar, Karl Alexander von Kalb . His brother was Johann August Alexander von Kalb , who took over the presidency of the father's chamber (June 11, 1776 to June 7, 1782) and who was caricatured by Friedrich Schiller in his tragedy Kabale und Liebe . At the age of 16, von Kalb joined the French German foreign regiment " Royal Deux-Ponts " ( Zweibrücken ) as a sous-lieutenant (August 15, 1770). At the age of 24 he became a second lieutenant and at the age of 26 prime lieutenant. His regiment was part of the 5,000-strong French auxiliary army in the American War of Independence against the English. He was honored for his achievements by George Washington , then general in the Continental Army .
The fact that he served in the same war as Baron Johann von Kalb (also Johann de Kalb) caused confusion between the two officers again and again. When he returned to Germany, his brother married his sister-in-law Charlotte von Marschalk and Ostheim in October 1783 and had a forced marriage with her, during which his wife, now Charlotte von Kalb , fled into an affair with Schiller and later Jean Paul . Since Heinrich was only able to spend the winter months with his family due to his position, there was soon talk of divorce, but since he laid claim to his son, who had now been born, Charlotte formally stayed with him.
The French Revolution ended the career of the Royal French Capitaine von Kalb. He was last in the attempted escape of King Louis XVI. (1791) involved. When he returned to his home town of Thuringia without entitlement to a pension , he tried in vain for a patent in German services. His extravagant brother had meanwhile managed to get the family fortune through. Kalb was worried about impoverishment. He retired to his estate near Trabelsdorf, where he began an affair with the teacher's daughter Barbara Tod, who served as his cook, and from whom three children emerged. On April 8, 1806 he shot himself in the inn "Zum Goldenen Hahn" in Munich .
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Kalb, Heinrich Julius Alexander von |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Calf, Henry Jules Alexandre de |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German major in French service |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 25, 1752 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Jena |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 8, 1806 |
| Place of death | Munich |