Wilhelm von Ploetz

Wilhelm Albert von Ploetz (born January 10, 1825 in Wriezen , † April 30, 1885 in Charlottenburg ) was a Prussian lieutenant general .

Life

origin

Wilhelm came from the Neumark noble family von Ploetz . He was the eldest son of the Prussian major Otto von Ploetz (1792–1867) and his wife Julie, née Dahlhoff (1803–1884). His brother Otto (* 1834) became a Prussian major and, after his departure, advanced to general in the Egyptian army.

Military career

After attending the French grammar school and the cadet houses in Potsdam and Berlin , Ploetz was transferred to the 24th Infantry Regiment of the Prussian Army as a second lieutenant on August 9, 1842 . For further training, he completed the general war school from October 1846 to March 1848 and was then briefly assigned to the rifle factory in Sömmerda . In 1849, Plotz took part as a battalion adjutant in the suppression of the Iserlohn uprising as well as in the battles near Hornburg, Iffezheim and Muggensturm in Baden . At the beginning of April 1853 he became a regimental adjutant, rose a year later to prime lieutenant and in March 1858 was commanded to the 3rd combined reserve battalion. At the end of the month he was transferred to the Guard Jäger battalion . As a captain, Ploetz advanced to company commander at the end of June 1860 and was transferred in this capacity to the Rhenish Jäger Battalion No. 8 in Wetzlar on November 9, 1860 . In 1866, when he was promoted to major , Ploetz was given command of the III during the mobilization on the occasion of the German War . Battalion in the Westphalian Fusilier Regiment No. 37 that he led at Nachod , Skalitz , Schweinschädel and Königgrätz . For his work with the Crown Order III. Awarded swords in the class, he was commander of the 2nd battalion stationed in Schrimm from November 1866 to mid-June 1869 after the peace treaty . This was followed by a position as commander of the East Prussian Jäger Battalion No. 1 in Braunsberg . After the mobilization of the war against France promoted to lieutenant colonel, he took part with his association in the battles at Colombey , Noisseville and Amiens as well as the siege of Metz .

From late January to early March 1871, Ploetz was the leader of the 7th East Prussian Infantry Regiment . In addition to both classes of the Iron Cross , he was awarded the Mecklenburg Military Merit Cross, 2nd class. After the Peace of Frankfurt he was transferred to Stettin on November 4, 1871 as commander of the grenadier regiment "King Friedrich Wilhelm IV." (1st Pomeranian) No. 2 and promoted to colonel in mid-January 1872 . Ploetz was promoted to major general on June 29, 1877, and was assigned to the officers of the army on August 14, 1877 to lead the 25th Infantry Brigade in Münster . On September 8, 1877 he was appointed brigade commander and from the end of August 1878 he was also entrusted with the management of business as commander of Münster. On the occasion of the festival in January 1880, he received the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class with oak leaves. Due to an eye disease that led to the blindness of one eye, he had to arrange his departure . Ploetz was then under presentation of the Crown Order II. Class with star and swords on April 15, 1882 Board for disposition made. After his departure, Kaiser Wilhelm I gave him the character of Lieutenant General on September 20, 1884 .

After his death on May 3, 1885, he was buried in the Luisenfriedhof in Charlottenburg.

family

Ploetz married Marie von Rheinbaben (1829-1923) in Spandau on June 21, 1855 . The children Marie (* 1856), Friedrich (1858–1888) and Luise (* 1858) emerged from the marriage.

literature

• Gothaisches genealogical pocket book of the primeval noble houses. The nobility born in Germany (primeval nobility). 1913. Fourteenth year, Justus Perthes, Gotha 1912, p. 509.
• Kurt von Priesdorff : Soldier leadership . Volume 9, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1941], DNB 986919780 , pp. 501-503.