August von Gneisenau
October 27, 1760 – August 23, 1831
Place of birth	Schildau, Saxony
Place of death	Poznań, Grand Duchy of Posen
Allegiance	Prussia
Years of service	1779-1831

August Wilhelm Antonius Graf^[1] Neidhardt von Gneisenau (27 October 1760 – 23 August 1831) was a Prussian field marshal. October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (959x1200, 365 KB) Description: engraving of August von Gneisenau (1760-1831). ... Schildau is a town in the district Torgau-Oschatz, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. ... The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen; Sorbian: Swobodny Stat Sakska) is the easternmost federal state of Germany. ... PoznaÅ„ ( ; full official name: The Capital City of PoznaÅ„, Polish: StoÅ‚eczne Miasto PoznaÅ„ (Latin: , German: , Yiddish: פּױזן Poyzn) is a city in west-central Poland with over 578,900 inhabitants (2002). ... Flag The Grand Duchy was administrated as the Province of Posen, within the Kingdom of Prussia. ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ...

Early life

Gneisenau was born at Schildau, near Torgau. He was the son of the Saxon lieutenant of artillery August William Neidhardt and his wife Maria Eva Neidhardt, née Müller. He grew up in great poverty at Schildau, and subsequently at Würzburg and Erfurt. In 1777 he entered the University of Erfurt, but two years later joined an Austrian regiment there quartered. In 1782, taking the additional name of Gneisenau from some lost estates of his family in Austria, he entered as an officer the service of the Margrave of Bayreuth-Ansbach. With one of that prince's mercenary regiments in British pay, he saw active service and gained valuable experience in the War of American Independence. Returning in 1786, he applied for Prussian service, and King Frederick the Great gave him a commission as first lieutenant in the infantry. Schildau is a town in the district Torgau-Oschatz, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. ... Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. ... The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen; Sorbian: Swobodny Stat Sakska) is the easternmost federal state of Germany. ... Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. ... Mariendom and the Severikirche. ... The University of Erfurt is one of the oldest universities in Germany. ... The Principality of Ansbach (German: ) or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries French Monarchy Spanish Empire Dutch Republic Oneida and Tuscarora tribes Polish volunteers Prussian volunteers Kingdom of Great Britain Iroquois Confederacy Hessian mercenaries Loyalists Commanders George Washington Nathanael Greene Gilbert de La Fayette Comte de Rochambeau Bernardo de Gálvez Tadeusz KoÅ›ciuszko Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben Sir... Frederick II (German: ; January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740–1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty. ...

Made Stabskapitän (staff captain) in 1790, Gneisenau served in Poland from 1793-1794. Ten years of subsequent quiet garrison life in Jauer enabled him to undertake a wide range of military studies. In 1796 he married Caroline von Kottwitz. Jawor is a town in south-western Poland with 25,700 inhabitants (1998). ...

Napoleonic Wars

In 1806 Gneisenau served as one of Prince Hohenlohe's staff-officers, fought at Jena, and a little later commanded a provisional infantry brigade which fought under Lestocq in the Lithuanian campaign. Early in 1807, the Prussian Army sent Major von Gneisenau as commandant to Kolberg, which, though small and ill-protected, succeeded in holding out against Napoleonic forces until the Peace of Tilsit. The commandant received the much-prized order Pour le Mérite and promotion to lieutenant-colonel. Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen Friedrich Ludwig Fürst zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen (en: Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen) (1746 - February 15, 1818), Prussian general, was the eldest son of Prince Johann Friedrich (d. ... The Battle of Jena was fought on October 14, 1806, in Jena, in todays Germany, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte against the Prussians under General Hohenlohe. ... A standard of the Prussian Army. ... Kolberg is the German name for the Polish town of Kołobrzeg. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... The Treaties of Tilsit were two agreements signed by Napoleon I of France in the town of Tilsit in July, 1807. ... The Order Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max (German: Blauer Max), was Prussias highest military order until the end of World War I. The award was a blue-enameled Maltese Cross with eagles between the arms, the Prussian royal cypher, and the French legend Pour...

A wider sphere of work now opened to Gneisenau. As chief of engineers, and a member of the reorganizing committee, he played a great part, along with Scharnhorst, in the work of reconstructing the Prussian army. A colonel in 1809, he soon drew upon himself, by his energy, the suspicion of the dominant French, and Stein's fall (January 1809) was soon followed by Gneisenau's retirement. But, after visiting Imperial Russia, Sweden and England, he returned to Berlin and resumed his place as a leader of the patriotic party. Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst (November 12, 1755 - June 28, 1813) was a general in Prussian service, Chief of the Prussian General Staff, noted for both his writings and his leadership during the Napoleonic Wars. ... Heinrich Friedrich Karl, Baron vom und zum Stein Heinrich Friedrich Karl Reichsfreiherr vom und zum Stein (Baron vom und zum Stein), October 26, 1757 - June 29, 1831), was a German statesman, of an old Franconian family. ... Anthem God Save the Tsar! The Russian Empire in 1914 Capital Saint Petersburg Language(s) Russian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1721-1725 Peter the Great (first)  - 1894-1917 Nicholas II (last) History  - Established 22 October, 1721  - February Revolution 2 March, 1917 Area  - 1897 22,400,000 km2 8,648,688 sq... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ...

In open military work and secret machinations his energy and patriotism were equally tested, and with the outbreak of the Wars of Liberation, Major-General Gneisenau became Blücher's quartermaster-general. Thus began the connection between these two soldiers which has furnished military history with one of the best examples of the harmonious co-operation between a commander and his chief-of-staff. With Blücher, Gneisenau served in the capture of Paris; his military character perfectly complemented Blücher's, and under this happy guidance the young troops of Prussia, often defeated but never discouraged, fought their way into the heart of France. The plan for the march on Paris, which led directly to the fall of Napoleon, was specifically the work of the chief-of-staff. In reward for his distinguished service, Gneisenau in 1814 - along with Yorck, Kleist and Bülow - was elevated to count, while at the same time Blücher became Prince of Wahlstatt. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. ... The Battle of Paris was fought during the Napoleonic Wars in 1814. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Napoléon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, became Napoléon I, Emperor of the French)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from 11 November 1799... Johann David Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg (September 26, 1759 - October 4, 1830) was a Prussian Field Marshal of alleged English ancestry. ... Friedrich Emil Ferdinand Heinrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (April 9, 1762 - February 17, 1823), born and died in Berlin, was a Prussian field marshal and a member of the old junker family von Kleist. ... Freiherr Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow, Count of Dennewitz (February 16, 1755 - February 25, 1816), Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars, born at Falkenberg in the Altmark; he was the elder brother of the foregoing. ... A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... Legnickie Pole (German Wahlstatt) is a small village near Legnica in Lower Silesia, Poland. ...

In 1815, once more chief of Blücher's staff, Gneisenau played a very conspicuous part in the Waterloo campaign. Senior generals such as Yorck and Kleist had been set aside in order that the chief-of-staff should take command in case of need, and when on the field of Ligny the old field marshal was disabled, Gneisenau assumed command of the Prussian army. He rallied the army, directed it towards Wavre from where part of it marched to join Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, where the flanking attack by the Prussians decided the battle. Combatants France Seventh Coalition: United Kingdom Prussia United Netherlands Hanover Nassau Brunswick Commanders Napoleon Bonaparte Michel Ney Duke of Wellington Gebhard von Blücher Strength 73,000 67,000 Coalition 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 dead or wounded; 7,000 Captured; 15... The Battle of Ligny, fought June 16, 1815, was a French victory under Napoleon against the Prussian army under Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in the Napoleonic Wars. ... Wavre is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant, of which it is the capital. ... Combatants France Seventh Coalition: United Kingdom Prussia United Netherlands Hanover Nassau Brunswick Commanders Napoleon Bonaparte Michel Ney Duke of Wellington Gebhard von Blücher Strength 73,000 67,000 Coalition 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 dead or wounded; 7,000 Captured; 15... June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ...

On the field of Waterloo, Gneisenau carried out a pursuit that resulted in the capture of Napoleon's carriage. In the days following the battle, Gneisenau saw that the Prussian forces reached Paris before Wellington. In reward Gneisenau gained further promotion and the insignia of the Black Eagle.

Statue of August von Gneisenau, Unter den Linden, Berlin

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (881x1305, 270 KB) Summary Photo by User:Adam Carr, May 2006 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (881x1305, 270 KB) Summary Photo by User:Adam Carr, May 2006 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... A view of Unter den Linden, showing the linden trees for which it is named Unter den Linden (in English: Under the Lindens), is a street in the centre of Berlin, the capital of Germany. ...

Later life

In 1816 Gneisenau was appointed to command the VIII Prussian Corps, but soon retired from the service, both because of ill health and for political reasons.

For two years Gneisenau lived in retirement at his estate, Erdmannsdorf in Silesia, but in 1818 he became governor of Berlin, as successor to Kalkreuth, and member of the Staatsrath (Council of State). In 1825 he was promoted to General Field Marshal. In 1831 he was appointed to the command of the Army of Observation on the Polish frontier, with Clausewitz as his chief-of-staff. At Poznań he was struck down by cholera and died on 24 August 1831, soon followed by his chief-of-staff, who fell a victim to the same disease in November. Silesia (Czech: ; German: ; Latin: ; Polish: ; Silesian: Åšlónsk) is a historical region in central Europe. ... Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz (June 1, 1780 – November 16, 1831) was a Prussian soldier, military historian and influential military theorist. ... PoznaÅ„ ( ; full official name: The Capital City of PoznaÅ„, Polish: StoÅ‚eczne Miasto PoznaÅ„ (Latin: , German: , Yiddish: פּױזן Poyzn) is a city in west-central Poland with over 578,900 inhabitants (2002). ... Cholera (frequently called Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Legacy

As a soldier, Gneisenau proved the greatest Prussian general since Frederick the Great. As a man, his noble character and virtuous life secured him the affection and reverence not only of his superiors and subordinates in the service, but of the whole Prussian nation. A statue by Rauch was erected in Berlin in 1855, and in memory of the siege of 1807, the Kolberg grenadier regiment received his name in 1889. One of his sons led a brigade of the VIII Army Corps in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. Christian Daniel Rauch (January 2, 1777 - December 3, 1857), German sculptor, was born at Arolsen in the principality of Waldeck. ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with south German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III Otto Von Bismarck, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at the beginning of the war 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000 dead or wounded 284,000 captured 350,000 civilian...

Several German navy ships, including the World War I armored cruiser SMS Gneisenau, the World War II battlecruiser Gneisenau, and a post-war frigate were named after him. This article is about the WWI armored cruiser Gneisenau; for the World War II battlecruiser of the same name, see German battlecruiser Gneisenau. ... Gneisenau was a 31,100 ton Scharnhorst class battlecruiser of the German Kriegsmarine. ...

Additionally, several German cities have streets named "Gneisenaustrasse" (Gneisenau Street), including Berlin (which has an U-bahn stop in his name), Leipzig, Hamburg, and Heidelberg. Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ...   [] (Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk) is the largest city in the federal state of Saxony in Germany with a population of over 504,000. ... Hamburg from above Hamburgs motto: May the posterity endeavour with dignity to conserve the freedom, which the forefathers acquired. ... Heidelberg and the other cities of the Neckar valley The castle (Schloss) above the town Main Street (Hauptstrasse) Shopping district View from the so called alley of philosophers (Philosophenweg) towards the Old Town, with Heidelberg Castle, Heiliggeist Church and the Old Bridge Heidelberg is a city in Baden-Württemberg...

Notes

Graf is a German noble title equal in rank to a count (derived from the Latin Comes, with a history of its own) or a British earl (an Anglo-Saxon title derived from the Viking title Jarl). ... A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... Graf (from the Latin Grafio scribe from the Greek) is a German noble title equal in rank to a count (derived from the Latin Comes, with a history of its own) or a British earl (an original Anglo-Saxon title). ...

References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

Further reading

• G. H. Pertz: Das Leben des Feldmarschalls Grafen Neithardt von Gneisenau. 5 vols. Berlin, 1864 - 1880 (Vols. 4 and 5 were edited by Hans Delbrück. An edition in 2 vols. appeared in 1882)
• Hans Delbrück: Das Leben des Feldmarschalls Grafen Neidhardt von Gneisenau. Berlin, 1894 2 vols. 2nd ed. This is based on Pertz's work, but takes account of "more recent research". A third edition, thoroughly revised, appeared in 1908, and a fourth in 1920.
• Heinrich von Béguelin: Denkwürdigkeiten von Heinrich und Amalie Béguelin aus den Jahren 1807-1813. Berlin, 1892
• Joseph von Hormayr: Lebensbilder aus dem Befreiungskriege. 2 vols. Jena, 1841-1844
• Gneisenau: Aus der Zeit der Noth, 1806-1815: Schilderungen zur Preußischen Geschichte aus dem brieflichen Nachlasse des Feldmarschalls Neidhardt von Gneisenau; hrsg. von Albert Pick. Berlin, 1900
• Gneisenau: Der Feldzug von 1813 bis zum Waffenstillstand. Glatz, 1813

Georg Heinrich Pertz Georg Heinrich Pertz (March 28, 1795 - October 7, 1876), was a German historian born at Hanover. ... Hans Delbrück, 1848-1929 Hans Delbrück (November 11, 1848 - July 14, 1929), German historian, was born at Bergen on the island of Rügen, and studied at the universities of Heidelberg and Bonn. ...

External links

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August Neidhardt von Gneisenau

• Gneisenau.de (German)