Eberhard Graf von Schmettow

From Metapedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Eberhard Graf von Schmettow
Eberhard Graf von Schmettow.jpg
Birth name Bernhard Gottfried Max Hugo Eberhard Graf von Schmettow[1]
Birth date 17 September 1861
Place of birth Halberstadt, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation
Death date 31 January 1935 (aged 73)
Place of death Görlitz, Province of Lower Silesia, Free State of Prussia, German Reich
Allegiance  German Empire
Service/branch War and service flag of Prussia (1895–1918).png Prussian Army
Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
Years of service 1881–1919
Rank Lieutenant General z. D.
Commands held 1st Life Cuirassiers "Great Elector"
5th Cavalry Brigade
Guards Hussar Brigade
9th Cavalry Division
8th Cavalry Division
Cavalry Corps Schmettow
65th Corps z. b. V.
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Order of the Red Eagle
Prussian Order of the Crown
Saxon Albrechts-Orden
Order of the Iron Crown
Iron Cross
Pour le Mérite
Relations ∞ 1888 Hermine von Rundstedt

Bernhard Gottfried Max Hugo Eberhard Graf von Schmettow (17 September 1861 – 31 January 1935) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, Generaladjutant of Kaiser Wilhelm II (as of 31 August 1916) and Lieutenant General of the Imperial German Army in World War I.

Life

Bernhard Gottfried Max Hugo Eberhard Graf von Schmettow I.jpg
Eberhard Graf von Schmettow, Großer Bilderatlas des Weltkrieges, Band 3, S. 111.png
Eberhard Graf von Schmettow, Ehrenmitglied 1931.jpg

On 16 April 1881, Count von Schmettow joined the 2nd Guards Uhlan Regiment of the Prussian Army stationed in Berlin (Tiergarten) as a second lieutenant, leaving the cadet corps. He had already commissioned as an officer on this day due to his outstanding achievements as a military cadet. He would serve the next years in the 1st Squadron and receive extensive training as an uhlan, a type of light cavalry, primarily armed with a lance.

  • Rank list 1886 Commanded to the Military Riding Institute Hannover
  • Rank list 1888 Once again with the 1st Squadron/2. Garde-Ulanen-Regiment
  • Rank list 1889 Regimental adjutant
  • March 1891 Commanded to the 4. Garde-Kavallerie-Brigade in Potsdam as adjutant under Colonel/Major General Adolf August Albert Karl Wilhelm von Michaelis (1837–1898)
  • Rank list 1893 Subordinated to the 1. Garde-Ulanen-Regiment in Potsdam and commanded to the General Staff of the Army, subordinated to the Great General Staff (Großer Generalstab)
  • Rank list 1894 Transferred back to the 2. Garde-Ulanen-Regiment but still commanded to the General Staff of the Army for service
  • Rank list 1895 Quartermaster adjutant under Senior Quartermaster Major General Karl von Stünzner with the General Staff of the Army à la suite of the 2. Garde-Ulanen-Regiment
  • Rank list 1896 Officially transferred to the General Staff of the Army
  • Rank list 1898 Transferred to the Kürassier-Regiment „Kaiser Nikolaus I. von Rußland“ (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 6 in Brandenburg an der Havel as commander of the 1st Squadron
  • Rank list 1900 Transferred back to the General Staff of the Army and commanded to the General Staff of the 29th Division in Freiburg/Baden under Moritz Ferdinand Freiherr von Bissing and from Mai 1901 under Joseph von Fallois
  • 7 July 1901 Appointed 1st Adjutant of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army Alfred Graf von Schlieffen à la suite of the General Staff of the Army and member of the Cavalry Commission
  • 14 August 1902 Diensttuender Flügeladjutant (active Wing Adjutant) of Kaiser Wilhelm II
  • 13 September 1906 to 1 April 1912 Commander of the Leib-Kürassier-Regiment "Großer Kurfürst" (Schlesisches) Nr. 1 in Breslau
    • His predecessor was Wilhelm von Vollard-Bockelberg, his successor was Lieutenant Colonel Egmont Polydor von Websky
  • 2 April 1912 to 6 August 1914 Commander of the Leib-Husaren-Brigade in Danzig with the uniform of the 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 1

WWI

Prior to the outbreak of War, Graf von Schmettow had worked his way up to Generalmajor and was in command of Leib-Hussar Brigade, headquartered in Danzig. It was with this unit that he went into battle, initially on the Eastern Front in support of Eighth Field Army. The very first week of hostilities, however, saw him transferred West to command 9th Cavalry Division. The division was soon brought back East to fight in support of Ninth Field Army in Poland. In the summer of 1915, Generalmajor Graf von Schmettow was placed in command of 8th Cavalry Division and immediately transferred to Courland, where his troops saw action in the Battle of Šiauliai. After just one month, Graf von Schmettow was dispatched to Transylvania as a newly-promoted Generalleutnant in order to head up 3rd Cavalry Division. In September, OHL leadership formed a corps out of the 6th and 7th Cavalry Divisions and tasked Graf von Schmettow with its command: Kavalleriekorps Schmettow. This unit remained engaged in Romania for the remainder on 1916, and Graf von Schmettow's exemplary leadership during this time merited his receipt of the Pour le Mérite honor. In 1917, he and his general staff were shipped again to the Western Front where they were charged with heading up Generalkommando Nr. 65. They eventually made their way to the Lorraine region of France, where they finished the War defending the left flank of Seventh Army. Graf von Schmettow then accompanied his troops back home for the demobilization process.[2]
  • 7 August 1914 Commander of the 9. Kavallerie-Division
  • 13 June 1915 Commander of the 8. Kavallerie-Division
  • 1 August 1916 Commander of the 195. Infanterie-Division
  • 31 August 1916 After being promoted to Lieutenant General on 18 August 1916, he was ordered to Romania's entry into the war on 31 August and appointed commander of the 3rd Cavalry Division stationed in Transylvania. Its staff was reorganized the following day as Schmettow's Cavalry Corps. His own 3rd Cavalry and the Austro-Hungarian 1st Cavalry Division were assigned to his major unit. During the Battle of Hermannstadt, he successfully covered the left wing of the 9th Army against Romanian attacks. In November 1916, Schmettow's cavalry, now consisting of the 6th and 7th Cavalry Divisions, secured the right flank of Otto Viktor Kühne's Army Group fighting near Targu Jiu and advanced into Wallachia toward Craiova. At the beginning of December, his cavalry engaged in the Battle of Argeș and also participated in the capture of Bucharest. For this, Graf von Schmettow received the Order Pour le Mérite on 11 December 1916.
  • On 11 January 1917, the staff of his corps was transformed into the General Command of the 65th Infantry Division and transferred to the Western Front. In April 1917, his general command, as "Group Sissonne," participated in the Battle of the Aisne with the 1st Army. At the end of May 1918, Schmettow's Group participated in the Third Battle of the Aisne with the 7th Army. Schmettow was awarded the Oak Leaves of the Pour le Mérite on 4 August 1918 for his services in the defensive battle between the Marne and Vesle.
  • After the Armistice of Compiègne, he marched back home with the remnants of his troops, where he submitted his resignation after the demobilization of his general command.
  • 22 February 1919 In approval of his resignation request with the statutory pension placed at disposal

Family

Like his well-known cousin Egon Graf von Schmettow, Eberhard came from the Silesian noble family of Schmettow. His parents were widower Colonel Maximilian Bernhard Gottfried Karl Graf von Schmettow (1824–1886), veteran of the Second Schleswig War (1864), the German War of Brothers and the Franco-German War, lord of the manor (Estates Brauchitschdorf and Ober-Oberau, Silesia) and Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden, and his second wife (∞ 1857) Adele Emilie Klothilde, née von Usedom (1840–1895).[3]

Marriage

On 3 October 1888 at Estate Groß Silber near Reetz (Kreis Saatzig), 2nd Lieutenant Graf von Schmettow married his fiancée Agnes Viktoria Gabriele Hermine „Hermy“ von Rundstedt (1870–1949), daughter of late Rittmeister Rudolf von Rundstedt. Her mother, the widowed Alexandra, née Freiin von Humboldt (1851–1909), had married Colonel and politician Karl Emil Ernst Moritz von Rabe (1843–1921), lord of the manor (Gut Groß Silber) and Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden. They would have five children:

  • Bernhard Gottfried Rudolf Maximilian (b. 29 December 1889 in Berlin), legal trainee, reserve officer in WWI, ⚔ 14 October 1918 in France with the 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 1
  • Bernhard Gottfried Carl Rudolf (1891–1970), professional officer, finally Lieutenant General of the Wehrmacht
  • Alexandra-Hermy (b. 18 March 1892 in Charlottenburg); ∞ Danzig 28 September 1912 Dr. jur. Kuno-Theodosius Bernhard Hermann Otto Wilhelm Karl Ulrich von Levetzow (b. 22 January 1878 in Schwerin; d. 25 August 1914); he had never gotten over the death of his young wife Hermy in childbirth on 7 October 1913.
  • Adele Elisabeth "Elsa" Viktoria (1896–1990), Canoness in Stade
  • Alexandra Alice Clara Helene Clothilde (b. 3 July 1900 in Freiburg/Baden[4]); ∞ 30 October 1922 Carl Adolf Hermann Melchior Freiherr von Canitz und Dallwitz (1886–1952)

Promotions

  • 16 April 1881 Sekonde-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant)
  • 15 February 1890 Premier-Lieutenant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 15 December 1894 Rittmeister
    • renamed Hauptmann (Captain) when officially transferred to the General Staff of the Army
    • renamed Rittmeister when transferred to the Kürassier-Regiment
    • renamed Hauptmann (Captain) upon return to the General Staff of the Army
  • 18 April 1901 Major
  • 10 April 1906 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • 20 April 1909 Oberst (Colonel)
  • 27 January 1913 Generalmajor (Major General)
  • 18 August 1916 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General)

Awards and decorations

  • Imperial Russian Sankt-Stanislaus-Orden, III. Class (RSt3)
  • Saxon Albert Order (Albrechts-Orden), Knight 1st Class (SA3a)
  • Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden on 17 February 1896
  • Knight's Cross of the Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (JMuL5/JM5)
  • Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)
  • Order of the Crown of Italy, Officer's Cross (JK4)
  • Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class (PRAO4/PrA4)
  • Oldenburg House and Merit Order of Duke Peter Frederick Louis (Haus- und Verdienstorden des Herzogs Peter Friedrich Ludwig), Officer's Cross of Honour (Ehrenoffizierkreuz; OV3)
  • Crown to his Red Eagle Order 4th Class (PRAO4mKr/PrA4mKr)
  • Crown to his Saxon Albrechts-Orden Knight 1st Class (SA3a.mKr)
  • Order of the Crown of Italy, Commander (JK3)
  • Prussian Order of the Crown (Kronenorden), 3rd Class (KO3), Hohes Ordensfest 1902
  • Commemorative plaque for the royal princes, general adjutants and adjutants of Kaiser Wilhelm II. (Gedenkzeichen für die Königlichen Prinzen, Generaladjutanten und Flügeladjutanten von Kaiser Wilhelm II.)
  • Danish Order of Dannebrog, Commander 2nd Class (DD2b) on 3 April 1903
  • Order of Philip the Magnanimous (Verdienstorden Philipps des Großmüthigen), Cross of Honour (HP3) on 24 May 1903
  • Saxon Albrechts-Orden, Officer's Cross (SA3)
  • Order of the Iron Crown (Austria), 2nd Class (ÖEK2)
  • Order of Berthold the First, Knight's Cross (BBI.3/BdB3)
  • Mecklenburg Order of the Griffon (Großherzoglich Mecklenburgischer Greifenorden), Honour Cross (MG2c)
  • Bulgarian Order of Saint Alexander, Commander (BA3)
  • Royal Victorian Order, Honorary Commander (GV3) on 27 February 1905
  • House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross (HOH3)
  • Order of Henry the Lion (Herzoglich Braunschweigischer Orden Heinrichs des Löwen), Commander's Cross 2nd Class (BrHL2b/BrH2b)
  • Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Commander 2nd Class (HSEH2b/HSH2b)
  • Schaumburg Lippe House Order, Cross of Honour 2nd Class (SLH.EK2/SLH2)
  • Order of the Crown (Württemberg), Knight's Cross with the Insignia of the Lions (WK3mL)
  • Cross of Military Merit (Spain), White Decoration, 2nd Class (SMV2/SpMV2)
  • Commemorative Badge for the Silver Wedding Anniversary in 1906 (Erinnerungszeichen zur Silbernen Hochzeit 1906)
  • Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz; DA)
  • Red Eagle Order, 3rd Class with the Bow (mit der Schleife) and the Crown
  • Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class
  • Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden

WWI (excerpt)

  • Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords in January 1916[5][6]
  • Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves
    • Pour le Mérite on 11 December 1916
    • Oak Leaves 4 August 1918 as Generalleutnant and Commanding General of the Generalkommando z. b. V. 65
      • The award was given for the mobile defensive battle between Marne and Vesle (26 July to 3 August 1918), in which the troops under his command managed to hold their positions under his energetic leadership.

Possible (but not documented)

Gallery

  • Schmettow, Eberhard Graf von.jpg
  • Eberhard Graf von Schmettow, Deutsche Helden.jpg
  • Eberhard Graf von Schmettow, 22.2.1919.png
  • Eberhard Graf von Schmettow, Geburtstag 1931.jpg

References

  1. ↑ Bernhard Gottfried Max Hugo Eberhard Graf von Schmettow
  2. ↑ Eberhard Graf von Schmettow
  3. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Gräflichen Häuser, 1898, p. 928
  4. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Gräflichen Häuser, 1921, p. 848
  5. ↑ Militär-Wochenblatt, January bis Juni, 1916, p. 281
  6. ↑ Daniel Krause: Verleihungen von Preußischen Kriegs- Orden und Ehrenzeichen im Ersten Weltkrieg
Retrieved from "http://en.metapedia.org/m/index.php?title=Eberhard_Graf_von_Schmettow&oldid=547310"