Wilhelm von Spitz

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Wilhelm Spitz , von Spitz since 1900 (born August 21, 1836 in Bonn , † August 7, 1910 in Hanover ) was a Prussian lieutenant general .

Life

origin

He was the son of Josef Spitz († 1861) and his wife Eleonore, née Lippe (1800–1871). His father was a councilor and quaestor at the University of Bonn . The later Prussian general of the infantry Alexander von Spitz (1832-1910) was his older brother.

Military career

Spitz attended high school in his hometown and from May 1849 was first a cadet in Bensberg , then in Berlin . On May 9, 1855, he was transferred as a fusilier to the 29th Infantry Regiment of the Prussian Army in Trier , where he was promoted to Portepeefähnrich on January 17, 1856 . In the middle of September of the same year, Spitz was released from the reserve , but a few months later he rejoined the army and on February 16, 1857 was employed in the 17th Infantry Regiment . As a second lieutenant , he attended the military shooting school from April to September 1861 and became prime lieutenant on October 11, 1865 . In 1866, Spitz took part in the Battle of Münchengrätz during the war against Austria .

On September 15, 1869 he was promoted to captain and company commander . As such, he fought with his regiment during the war against France in the battles of Vionville , Gravelotte , Noisseville and Le Mans in 1870/71 . He also took part in the siege of Metz . In the battle at Danzé , he and his company captured three French guns . For this, Spitz received the Iron Cross 1st Class.

After the peace treaty , he was transferred to the Hanoverian Fusilier Regiment No. 73 on April 30, 1877 with a patent from September 15, 1868 . Here he initially commanded the 11th Company and on January 20, 1878, transferred to the regimental staff. In this position, promoted to major on August 15, 1878 , Spitz was made a regular staff officer on September 14, 1880 . This was followed from April 1, 1881 as a commander of the III. Battalions. In position à la suite of the regiment, he was appointed director of the Hanover War School on August 20, 1885 . In this capacity, Spitz was on March 11, 1886, for the lieutenant colonel , and on September 19 in 1888 Colonel promoted.

When he fell from his horse , Spitz broke his foot and was unable to work for several months. Despite several spa stays, his suitability for the troops could not be restored. He continued to rely on a cane to walk for the rest of his life . With the rank and fees of regimental commander, Spitz was appointed commander of Landwehr district II Berlin on April 16, 1889. On April 18, 1891, he was charged with running the business as inspector of the Berlin Landwehr Inspectorate. With his promotion to major general , Spitz was appointed inspector on May 16, 1891. For his services he received the star for the Order of the Crown, 2nd class on January 20, 1895 . In addition, on April 18, 1895, he was given the character of Lieutenant General. One month later, Spitz was put up for disposition with the statutory pension in approval of his resignation request.

In subsequent appreciation of his achievements, he received the star for the Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class with oak leaves, on March 22, 1897 . On the occasion of the turn of the century , Wilhelm II raised Spitz to hereditary nobility on January 1, 1900 . He died of a heart attack in Hanover in 1910 .

family

Spitz had married Marie Konstanze Karoline Henriette von Hugo (1849-1903) on May 12, 1870 in Celle . The marriage remained childless.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Kurt von Priesdorff: Soldatisches Führertum. Volume 10, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt Hamburg, undated [Hamburg], undated [1942], DNB 986919810 , p. 417, no. 3300.
  2. ^ Military weekly paper . No. 3 of January 6, 1900, p. 37f.
personal data
SURNAME Spitz, Wilhelm von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Spitz, Wilhelm
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian lieutenant general
DATE OF BIRTH August 21, 1836
PLACE OF BIRTH Bonn
DATE OF DEATH August 7, 1910
Place of death Hanover