Ludwig Karl von Kalckstein

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Ludwig Karl von Kalckstein (1725–1800)

Ludwig Karl von Kalckstein (born March 10, 1725 in Berlin ; † November 12, 1800 in Magdeburg ) was a Prussian field marshal and most recently chief of the infantry regiment of the same name and governor of Magdeburg. He was also a knight of the Order of St. John and canon in the monastery of Magdeburg .

Life

origin

Ludwig Karl was the youngest son of the future Prussian Field Marshal Christoph Wilhelm von Kalckstein and his wife Christophera Erna Lukretia Brandt von Lindau (* September 24, 1700 - † January 25, 1729).

Military career

He grew up in his parents' house, was a cadet in Berlin and joined the Prussian Army in 1742 at the request of his father . He received his baptism of fire at the battle of Chotusitz as an adjutant to his uncle. Generalfeldzeugmeister von Schmettau noticed his courageous behavior during this battle . On his advice, Kalckstein became an ensign in his father's infantry regiment in 1744 . In the same year he marched with the army to Bohemia, where he took part in the siege of Prague and then with the army of Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau in Upper Silesia occurred. In 1745 he fought again as an adjutant at the side of his father in the battles of Hohenfriedberg , the battle of Soor and the battle of Hennersdorf .

After the Peace of Dresden he came to Berlin and became a second lieutenant . In 1747 he was transferred to Regiment No. 16 in Prussia , where he was promoted to Prime Lieutenant in 1752 . At the Seven Years' War Kalckstein took in the army of Lehwaldt as an officer in part and survived the Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf . Subsequently, his regiment was moved to Swedish Pomerania , where he also took part in the fighting for Demmin .

1758 he came as captain for free battalion of Hordt . Lieutenant General von Manteufel became aware of his fighting skills and recommended the king to promote him to major. Kalckstein then continued his career as an officer in General von Manteuffel's army in Swedish Pomerania. During the Swedish attack on the Anklam bridge , the defensive major was captured for the first time. After only 14 days his captivity ended and he was exchanged. He was then assigned further negotiations on the prisoner exchange. Later he was involved in further heavy fighting with the Swedes near Taschenberg in the Uckermark , when the Swedish cavalry was able to put a Prussian company of 132 men under Kalckstein. Only after 53 men had been wounded and fallen did the major surrender again. This captivity was also rather short, and Kalckstein was exchanged after just a few months.

He continued his military career under the Eugen von Württemberg regiment , which at that time commanded the Prussian Army in Pomerania. Kalckstein was the commander of a battalion in the army, which was formed from all field regiments. With this battalion he fought u. a. before Kolberg. After the battalion was disbanded again, he took over a grenadier regiment that had been put together from the grenadiers of regiments No. 13 (Syburg) and No. 26 (Linden). With this regiment he moved to Mecklenburg in 1761 and stormed Malchin with it on December 23, 1761. After the Russians and Swedes had made peace, he joined Prince Heinrich's army in the corps of General Seydlitz in 1762 . The army moved to Bohemia under the leadership of Generals Seydlitz and Kleist. The Kalckstein Regiment led the first attack on the Teplitzer Höhe, losing 270 men in the process (August 2, 1762). Kalckstein, whose horse was shot away, was taken prisoner again. After two months it was exchanged again through the mediation of his financially strong benefactor Prince Heinrich. He came to Oschatz where his battalion was now stationed.

After the peace he personally led the regiment to Berlin, where it was disbanded and the grenadiers returned to their original regiments. in April 1763 he became the commander of the second battalion in Prince Heinrich's regiment. On October 1, 1764, he was made Knight of St. John, and there were further promotions in 1767 to lieutenant colonel and in 1771 to colonel. In 1772 he became the regiment commander. On April 2nd, he was given upper responsibility for regiment No. 20 . In the War of the Bavarian Succession he was reassigned to Prince Heinrich's army . Kalckstein led the avant-garde from five grenadier battalions. In 1779 he returned to his quarters in Magdeburg. In 1784 he asked for his release, which he was granted. King Friedrich Wilhelm II gave him the prebend in the monastery of Magdeburg and he was appointed lieutenant general with a patent from March 6, 1786 and chief of regiment No. 28 .

He became governor of Magdeburg in 1789 and was appointed chief of regiment no.5 there . On September 26, 1790 he was awarded the Order of the Black Eagle . After the death of Duke Ferdinand von Braunschweig, Domdechant von Magdeburg, he was appointed General of the Infantry on January 6, 1794 and finally Field Marshal on May 21, 1798. In 1800 he died in Magdeburg and was buried in the local cathedral.

family

Kalckstein was married to Henriette Anguste von Borcke (born February 14, 1745 - March 23, 1792 in Magdeburg) since May 23, 1764. She was the daughter of State Minister Friedrich Wilhelm von Borcke . After her death, he married Ferdinande Adolhine Henriette Eleonore Sophie in Magdeburg on February 25, 1795, widowed von Meyerinck, née von Biedersee (born March 28, 1764 in Berlin; † April 3, 1820 there). Heinrich Eugen von Meyerinck thus became his stepson. Kalckstein left no children of his own.

literature
personal data
SURNAME Kalckstein, Ludwig Karl von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kalkstein, Ludwig Karl von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian Field Marshal General, Governor of Magdeburg
DATE OF BIRTH March 10, 1725
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH November 12, 1800
Place of death Magdeburg