Richard von Bergmann

Richard Emil Bergmann , von Bergmann since 1864 (born January 9, 1819 in Erfurt , † September 3, 1877 in List ) was a Prussian lieutenant general and inspector of the 3rd field artillery inspection.

Life

origin

Richard was a son of the War and Domain Councilor Theodor Bergmann (1768-1826) and his second wife Wilhelmine, née Werdermann (* 1788). After his father's death, his mother moved to Liegnitz, where his uncle, Professor Werdermann, was the rector of the knight academy's grammar school . He had two brothers who also served in the artillery. His nephew Julius von Bergmann (1834-1908) became general of the infantry and in 1887 was raised to the nobility .

Military career

Bergmann attended high school in Liegnitz and joined the 5th Artillery Brigade of the Prussian Army on January 11, 1836 as a gunner . From October 1, 1836 to September 30, 1839, he graduated from the United Artillery and Engineering School and has since advanced to become an aggregate second lieutenant . On January 7, 1840, Bergmann was assigned with a patent from October 1, 1838 as an artillery officer in the 5th Artillery Brigade. For further training he attended the General War School for three years from October 1842 . During that time, he was in command of the Emperor Franz Grenadier Regiment for three months and the 5th Engineer Division for two months.

From October 1, 1845, Bergmann worked as an examiner for French at the Examination Commission for Portepeef Ensigns of the 9th and 10th Divisions and rose to brigadjutant the following year. In 1850 he was transferred to the topographical department of the Great General Staff . During the mobilization he was from November 1, 1850 to February 1, 1851 as a general staff officer in the 20th Infantry Division . Promoted to prime lieutenant on November 20, 1851 , he served as regimental adjutant in 1853/55 and became captain in this capacity on May 20, 1854 . On February 1, 1856 he was company commander and on December 1, 1856 battery commander. He was then transferred to the General Staff of the 5th Division on June 3, 1858 and promoted to major on November 2, 1858 . During the mobilization on the occasion of the Sardinian War , Bergmann was again General Staff Officer of the 5th Division on November 19, 1859. On January 3, 1862, he joined the Great General Staff and in the summer of 1862 he was commanded for reconnaissance purposes in Bavaria and Tyrol as well as on to France and Switzerland. In 1862/63 he worked briefly as a teacher at the war school and taught war history. He was repeatedly sent by the Chief of the General Staff, General von Moltke, to explore abroad and was able to fulfill all orders to satisfaction. On March 5, 1863 he stepped in with the appointment as commander of the III. Division of Artillery Brigade No. 3 returned to service and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in mid-March 1863 .

During the war against Denmark in 1864 Bergmann was the commander of the artillery of the 6th Division , with which he took part in the fighting at Lehmsiek, Windbye, Eckernförde, Missunde , Wielhoi and the storming of the Düppeler Schanzen and the transition to Alsen . For his "brave behavior in front of the enemy" he was raised to the hereditary Prussian nobility on March 10, 1864 by King Wilhelm I and awarded the order Pour le Mérite on June 7, 1864 . For Alsen he received a commendation and the Order of the Iron Crown 2nd class with war decorations.

On August 26, 1864, he was entrusted with the management of business as Chief of the General Staff of the General Inspection of the Artillery . At the same time, from February 25, 1865, Bergmann was also a member of a commission for assessing the award tasks for artillery officers and, from February 28, 1865, also a voting member of the General Artillery Committee. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the General Inspectorate of Artillery on April 18, 1865 and promoted to Colonel on June 8, 1866 . During the German War , Bergmann was in the main headquarters in 1866 and received the Order of the Red Eagle, IV class with swords , after the peace treaty on September 20, 1866 . With a position à la suite , he was appointed commander of the 1st Artillery Brigade on May 2, 1868 , awarded the Order of the Crown of the Second Class in mid-September 1869 and promoted to Major General on July 26, 1870.

During the Franco-Prussian War he was the commander of the artillery of the 1st Army Corps. He earned the Iron Cross 2nd class at Colombey , took part in the Battle of Noisseville , the Siege of Metz and the battles at Flanville, Bellecroix, Sevigny, Villers l'Ormes, Vantoux, Lauvallier, Grand-Touronne, Moulineaux and La Londe part. For his work in the Battle of Amiens he received the Iron Cross 1st Class on October 18, 1870. From December 31, 1870 to January 8, 1871 he was the leader of the 1st Infantry Division.

On February 11, 1871, he was awarded the Mecklenburg Military Merit Cross, 1st Class, and on May 23, 1871, he was reassigned to the 1st Artillery Brigade as commander. At the 100th anniversary of Field Artillery Regiment No. 1 on July 28, 1872, he was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class, with oak leaves and swords on the ring. He was given command of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade on October 26, 1872. He became inspector of the 3rd Artillery Inspection on January 6, 1874 and inspector of the 3rd Field Artillery Inspection on June 9, 1874. On January 18, 1875 he was promoted to lieutenant general and during the Great Autumn Maneuver of IX. Army Corps appointed arbitrator. On the occasion of the order festival in January 1877 Bergmann received the star for the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class with oak leaves and swords on the ring. During an exploratory ride he died on September 3, 1877 in the village of List near Hanover.

In a letter on his Pour le Mérite, Lieutenant General von Manstein wrote : “Was attached to me as an artillery officer on April 18, 1864. Under his command were 4 field batteries, which he brought into battle after storming the entrenchments so appropriately that the fierce enemy fire from Alsen and from the bridgeheads was paralyzed. "

family

Bergmann married Luise Ordelin (1827–1915) on November 6, 1848 in Posen. The couple had several children:

• Richard (* 1851 - 29 October 1906), Prussian major a. D. ⚭ 1882 Louise von Korn (* 1861), daughter of Heinrich von Korn
• Friedrich (* 1854), Prussian captain
• Kurt (* 1859)
• Marie (* 1863)

literature

• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldier leadership . Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1939], DNB 367632829 , Volume 8, pp. 31-33, No. 2467.
• Königliches Heroldsamt (Ed.), Marcelli Janecki : Handbook of the Prussian Adels. First volume, ES Mittler & Sohn, Berlin 1892, p. 56.