Baptist by Stephan

Baptist Stephan , since 1869 Ritter von Stephan (born November 12, 1808 in Schwarzhofen , † August 29, 1875 in Schlehdorf ) was a Bavarian general of the infantry .

Life

family

He was the son of the geometer Johann Baptist Stephan and his wife Maria Anna, née Bauriedl. Stephan himself remained unmarried.

Military career

Stephan joined the 7th Infantry Regiment "vacant Löwenstein" of the Bavarian Army on July 9, 1824 as a volunteer and was promoted to vice corporal on November 1, 1824 and to corporal on January 1, 1825. On August 13, 1831 appointed Junker in the 11th Infantry Regiment "vacant Kinkel" , Stephan was promoted to sub-lieutenant in the 7th Infantry Regiment on June 27, 1832 . On July 18, he switched to the 3rd Infantry Regiment "Prince Karl" through an exchange . From June 18, 1833, Stephan was assigned to the formation of the troop corps destined for Greek service and therefore released from military service on July 21, 1833. He then joined the Greek Army as a first lieutenant .

At his request he was dismissed from the Greek service in 1837 and after his return on August 20, 1837 he was employed again as a second lieutenant in the 11th Infantry Regiment "Delamotte" of the Bavarian Army. From September 23, 1837 as a result of an exchange with the 5th Infantry Regiment "Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse" , he was transferred to the Infantry Body Regiment on March 30, 1838 . On 25 October 1842 he was promoted at the 3rd Infantry Regiment to first lieutenant, on December 4, 1842 adjutant of Major General and Brigadier Friedrich knight of old appointed and body Regiment Infantry enabled this function on 22 May 1842. On October 31, 1845, he was transferred to the Quartermaster General . Characterized as captain on April 7, 1847 , Stephan was promoted to captain on March 31, 1848 and at the same time transferred to the war ministry . On December 21, 1848, he was selected as a characterized major as adjutant to Prince Karl of Bavaria . As such promoted to major on June 30, 1851, he was transferred to the 3rd Infantry Regiment "Prince Karl" on October 9, 1852, there on April 17, 1853 to lieutenant colonel and on March 31, 1855 to colonel in the 3rd infantry -Regiment "Prinz Karl" promoted. On January 1, 1860, he received the Knight's Cross First Class of the Order of Merit from St. Michael .

Promoted to major general on August 4, 1861, he took command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade . During the war against Prussia in 1866, Stephan received temporary command of the mobile 1st Infantry Division and took part in the battles near Nüdlingen (July 10, 1866) and Helmstadt (July 25, 1866). After being promoted to Lieutenant General on August 17, 1866, Stephan was awarded the Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of Military Merit on August 20, 1866 . On August 29, 1866, he was appointed General Commander of Nuremberg , and on January 8, 1869, Commander of the 1st Division . On December 29, 1869 he was honored with the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown , with which the elevation to the personal nobility was connected.

Stephan took part in the Franco-German War as commander of the 1st Division / 1st Army Corps in 1870/71 and distinguished himself particularly in the battles near Wörth , Sedan and on the Loire. For his military services in the Battle of Wörth on August 6, 1870, he was already expressly praised in the army order of August 30, 1870 and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class and the Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit on October 18, 1870. In addition, the Chapter of the Order held on November 2, 1870 under the chairmanship of the General of the Infantry and Commanding General of the II. Army Corps Jakob Ritter von Hartmann unanimously agreed that, because of the excellent leadership of his division in the Battle of Wörth, he would support the Is worthy of admission to the order. By army order of November 15, 1870, he was appointed a Knight of the Military Max Joseph Order . In addition, he received the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Military Merit Cross 1st Class during the campaign . At Villepon he was so badly wounded on December 1, 1870 by a Chassepot ball in the abdomen and by a shrapnel in the chest that he had to give up command of the division and be brought back to Germany.

On April 11, 1873, his resignation was approved and given the character of a general of the infantry because of his many years of loyal service.

Awards

Stephan were awarded the following medals in addition to the above:

• Knight's Cross of the Redeemer Order
• Commander II class of the Order of Merit of Philip the Magnanimous
• Knight's Cross of the OK Leopold Order
• Order of the Red Eagle II class
• Russian Order of Saint Anne II Class
• Commander II. Class of the Albrecht Order

Others

In his will of December 1, 1874, with a share capital of 20,000 florins , he decreed  the establishment of a prebend foundation, which was intended for non-commissioned officers of the Bavarian army who attend the war school or a similar military facility intended for the training of officers. With the highest resolution of December 12th, 1875, this foundation was confirmed as the "Military Foundation of the General of the Infantry von Stephan".

literature

• Baptist Schrettinger: The Royal Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order and its members. R. Oldenbourg, Munich 1882.
• Max Spindler (ed.), Walter Schärl: The composition of the Bavarian civil service from 1806 to 1918. Michael Lassleben publishing house, Kallmütz / Opf. 1955, p. 269.
• Bernhard von Poten :  Stephan, Baptist von . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 36, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1893, pp. 83-85.