Louis von Gersdorff

Louis Karl Wilhelm Alexander von Gersdorff (born March 5, 1807 in Halle (Saale) , † May 15, 1880 in Dessau ) was a Prussian lieutenant general .

Life

origin

Louis was a son of the Prussian major Heinrich Ferdinand von Gersdorff (1760–1814) and his wife Christiane Luise, born von Belling (1773–1843), widowed von Welchhausen.

Military career

Gersdorff visited the Berlin Cadet House and was then aggregated on April 8, 1824 as a Second Lieutenant in the Kaiser Franz Grenadier Regiment of the Prussian Army, and on April 16, 1825. From 1827 to 1830 he was sent to the General War School for further training . In 1833 he was assigned to carry out measurements on the island of Rügen . In 1834/36 Gersdorff was assigned to the topographical office and during this time he also taught at the division school of the 2nd Guard Division . In 1837 he was assigned to the General Staff . He was promoted to Prime Lieutenant on April 6, 1839, and was transferred to the General Staff. There he rose to captain in early April 1841 . For two years he was then in the General Staff of the VI. Army Corps before he was transferred to the 22nd Infantry Regiment as major and regular staff officer in mid-November 1845 . At the same time, Gersdorff acted from mid-April 1846 to the end of June 1848 as director of the divisional school of the 12th division and president of the examination committee for porterage officers . He then received command of the Fusilier Battalion. In position à la suite of his regiment, Gersdorff was appointed second in command of the Glogau fortress on January 25, 1850 . In this position he was also director of the United Divisional Schools of the V Army Corps from July 1850 , before he took over the position of commander of the fortress Glatz on November 19, 1850 . Gersdorff was promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 23, 1852 and transferred to the 27th Infantry Regiment as commander on May 4, 1857 . On July 13, 1854, he was promoted to colonel and on May 4, 1854, was transferred to the 32nd Infantry Brigade as commander . There he was promoted to major general on May 22, 1858 , and on May 17, 1859, he was transferred to the Königsberg fortress as commandant . During his service, the Königsberg fortress was expanded into a 1st class fortress and on June 3, 1860 Gersdorff received the Order of the Red Eagle 2nd class with oak leaves. On May 31, 1861 he was appointed commandant of Danzig , before he was put up for disposal on June 8, 1861 with the character of lieutenant general and pension . He died on May 15, 1880 in Dessau.

family

Gersdorff married Pauline Ehrt (1813-1891) on September 5, 1837, a daughter of the businessman Christian Ernst Ehrt. The couple had several children:

• Paul Louis Richard (* 1838)
• Ulrich Hans (1840–1909) ⚭ Fanny Elisabeth Biber (* 1847)
• Walter (1848–1929), Prussian Lieutenant General ⚭ Hedwig von Blumenthal (1853–1930)

literature

• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldier leadership . Volume 6, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1938], DNB 367632810 , p. 466, no. 2082.
• Gothaisches genealogical pocket book of the noble houses. 1942, p. 175.
• Paul von Scheven: Officer regular roles and rankings of the Royal Prussian Emperor Franz Garde Grenadier Regiment No. 2. 1814–1894. ES Mittler & Sohn, Berlin 1894, p. 149.