Karl Heinrich von Kurssel

Karl Heinrich von Kurssel

Karl Heinrich Adolf von Kurssel (born September 20, 1780 in Költschen , † April 10, 1853 in Neisse ) was a Prussian lieutenant general and commandant of the Neisse fortress .

Life

origin

He was the son of Karl Ludwig Heinrich von Kurssel (* December 9, 1748 - September 12, 1799) and his first wife Ernestine Henriette Charlotte, born von Prittwitz and Gaffron (* July 7, 1758; † May 18, 1787). His father was a captain in the cuirassier regiment "von Seydlitz" and heir to Költschen.

Military career

On October 1, 1794, Kurssel joined the cuirassier regiment "von Mengden" of the Prussian Army as an Estandartenjunker and was promoted to second lieutenant until October 1797 . As Prime Lieutenant he received the Order of St. Vladimir IV Class for the Battle of Prussian Eylau during the Fourth Coalition War . Kurssel fought at the Gollau cannonade and took part in the retreat across the Memel . After the Peace of Tilsit , he was on May 12, 1807 staff officer in the Silesian Cuirassier Regiment . On June 17, 1808, Kurssel received the cockade for the Order of St. Vladimir. In mid-September 1808 he was granted a four-month leave to Silesia without a salary.

During the Wars of Liberation , Kurssel fought in the battles near Großgörschen and Bautzen . In the battle near Haynau he acquired the Iron Cross 2nd class. He later fought at Montmirail and Champaubert , where he was wounded and taken prisoner by the French. At that time he was appointed on June 28, 1813 initially surplus Rittmeister and on August 26 as squadron chief. On July 31, 1814, he was promoted to major .

After the war, from August 12, 1816, Kurssel also served as President of the Examination Commission for Portepee Ensigns of the 8th Brigade. On September 16, 1816, he was promoted to regular staff officer and on June 23, 1818, he was appointed commander of the 7th Uhlan Regiment . In this position, Kurssel advanced to lieutenant colonel on March 30, 1824 , received the service cross on July 18, 1825 and was accepted into the Order of St. John on January 18, 1826 . On March 30, 1829 he became a colonel and in this capacity was appointed commander of the 5th Cavalry Brigade in Frankfurt (Oder) on March 30, 1835 , and on April 9, 1835, aggregated to the 7th Uhlan Regiment . On March 30, 1836, he was promoted to major general. On June 8, 1838, he received the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, First Class. On April 7, 1842, he was transferred to the Neisse fortress as the first commandant. There, Kurssel was promoted to lieutenant general on March 30, 1844 and on the occasion of his 50th anniversary in service on October 16, 1844, he was awarded the star for the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class with oak leaves. With an annual pension of 2,250 thalers, he retired on March 8, 1845.

In his assessment in 1842, General Count Brandenburg wrote : “A thoroughly honorable, good man. As in his previous relationships, he now seeks the best of the most high service whenever possible. Only his age and the increasing incapacity for field work seem to have been against his promotion elsewhere. "

family

Kurssel married on May 9, 1809 in Dittmannsdorf (Waldenburg district) Karoline Luise von Lieres and Wilkau (* December 15, 1785, † August 29, 1868), widowed von Schickfus and Neudorf.

literature

• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldier leadership . Volume 5, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1938], DNB 367632802 , pp. 314-315, no. 1566.
• Deutsche Adelsgenossenschaft (Hrsg.): Yearbook of the German nobility . Volume 3, WT Bruer, Berlin 1899, p. 196.
• General newspaper Munich. 1834, p. 62.