Wilhelm Heinrich von Kleist

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Wilhelm Heinrich von Kleist (born June 30, 1735 in Potsdam , † April 9, 1806 in Berlin ) was a Prussian colonel and knight of the order Pour le Mérite .

Life

Wilhelm Heinrich was a member of the Stavenow branch of the Pomeranian noble family von Kleist . It was on June 30, 1735 in Potsdam as a ninth of eleven children of the Prussian Supreme Andreas Joachim von Kleist , Lord on Stavenow and Amtshauptmann of Trebbin and Zossen born and Marie Elisabeth von Hacke.

In keeping with family tradition, Wilhelm Heinrich also chose the officer profession. On June 24, 1753 , he joined the renowned Gensdarmes regiment as a cornet , with which he also took part in the Seven Years' War . Since December 23, 1757 promoted to lieutenant , he distinguished himself in the battle of Zorndorf so that he was awarded the order Pour le Mérite at the suggestion of his commander.

After the end of the war, Kleist continued to serve in the Prussian army, was promoted to company commander in 1764 and finally to colonel on June 8, 1788, before being retired from military service in 1788 with a pension of 600 thalers. Kleist died unmarried in Berlin on April 9, 1806.

literature

  • Gustav Kratz : The history of the Kleist family. Volume III: Biographies. Schindler, Berlin 1878.
  • Gustav Lehmann: The knights of the order Pour le Mérite. Volume 1, Mittler, Berlin 1913.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Gustav Kratz: The story of the Kleist family. Volume III: Biographies. Schindler, Berlin 1878, p. 371, no.497.
  2. ^ So the cabinet order of Frederick the Great of October 23, 1758, cf. Gustav Lehmann: The knights of the order Pour le Mérite. Volume 1: Awards under Frederick the Great. No. 492, p. 76.
personal data
SURNAME Kleist, Wilhelm Heinrich von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian colonel, knight of the order Pour le Mérite
DATE OF BIRTH June 30, 1735
PLACE OF BIRTH Potsdam
DATE OF DEATH April 9, 1806
Place of death Berlin