Constantin von Alvensleben

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Constantin von Alvensleben
Constantin von Alvensleben, portrayed by Anton Alexander von Werner (1903)

Reimar Constantin von Alvensleben (born August 26, 1809 in Eichenbarleben , † March 28, 1892 in Berlin ) was a Prussian infantry general .

Life

origin

Constantin von Alvensleben came from the Low German noble family von Alvensleben . His parents were Lieutenant Colonel Gebhard Johann von Alvensleben and his wife Caroline Friederike Eleonore von Alvensleben. He had four brothers, of whom Werner and Gustav also became generals.

Military career

Like his older brothers, Alvensleben was brought up in the Berlin Cadet House and in 1827 transferred as a second lieutenant to the Kaiser Alexander Grenadier Regiment of the Prussian Army . By 1858 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and in 1860 became head of the department for army affairs in the War Ministry , in the same year he was colonel and in 1861 commander of the Kaiser Alexander Garde Grenadier Regiment. Alvensleben was reassigned to the troops as early as 1861 and he took on various command positions in the period that followed. After the German-Danish War in 1864 he became major general , after the German War of 1866, in which he initially led the 2nd Guard Brigade and from July 3rd the 1st Guard Division , he advanced to Lieutenant General . During the battle of Königgrätz he had to continue the attack of the fallen general Wilhelm Hiller von Gaertringen on the Austrian positions near Chlum and was awarded the order Pour le Mérite for this.

At the beginning of the German-Prussian War Alvensleben was appointed on July 18, 1870 Commanding General of III. Army Corps ordered. The 5th and 6th Divisions , subordinate to the corps, were assigned to the army of Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia advancing against the fortress of Metz . In the Battle of Mars-la-Tour on August 16, he made the decision, with serious consequences for the French army, to attack the explored enemy troops at Vionville with his corps so vigorously that the enemy army west of Metz could be brought to a standstill. Two days later, on August 18, his troops also intervened in the battle of Gravelotte , then remained as a siege corps on the left bank of the Moselle and achieved the surrender of the Metz fortress by October 26. At the end of October 1870, Alvensleben led his corps against the newly established Loire Army , on November 28th saved the beleaguered Xth Army Corps from the looming defeat in the battle of Beaune-La-Rolande against General Crouzat and still attacked on December 3rd and 4th in the battle of Orléans . Finally, from January 6 to 12, 1871, the enemy troops under General Alfred Chanzy were defeated in the battle of Le Mans . General Alvensleben received an endowment of 150,000 thalers for his services . On March 26, 1873 he gave command of the III. Army Corps and retired from military service.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the decisive battle of Le Mans, Alvensleben was awarded the Black Eagle Order on January 12, 1892, as well as the Grand Cross of the Red Eagle Order with Oak Leaves and Swords on the Ring. On the day of his funeral ceremonies, Wilhelm II issued the AKO on March 30, 1892 , that the 6th Brandenburg Infantry Regiment No. 52 stationed in Cottbus should be renamed the Infantry Regiment "von Alvensleben" (6th Brandenburg Infantry) No. 52 in honor of the deceased 52 have to wear. A memorial designed by the sculptor Emil Cauer was erected there in 1912 , which disappeared after 1945. After the fall of the Wall in 1990, the barracks in Cottbus were renamed "Alvensleben barracks". His grave is still in Ballenstedt .

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Alvensleben, Constantin von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Alvensleben, Reimar Constantin von (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian general of the infantry
DATE OF BIRTH August 26, 1809
PLACE OF BIRTH Oak bar life
DATE OF DEATH March 28, 1892
Place of death Berlin