Erich von Gündell

Erich von Gündell
Birth name	Theodor Wilhelm Gustav Erich Gündell
Birth date	13 April 1854(1854-04-13)
Place of birth	Goslar, Province of Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation
Death date	23 December 1924 (aged 70)
Place of death	Göttingen, Province of Hanover, Free State of Prussia, German Reich
Allegiance	Prussia German Empire
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army
Years of service	1873–1918
Rank	General of the Infantry
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Pour le Mérite
Relations	∞ 1888 Auguste von Jacobi
Other work	Philosopher, author

Theodor Wilhelm Gustav Erich Gündell, since 1901 von Gündell (13 April 1854 – 23 December 1924), was a German officer of the Prussian Army and the Imperial German Army, finally General der Infanterie and Knight of the Order "Pour le Mérite" in World War I as well as an academic with a doctorate in philosophy and an author. The estate of Erich von Gündell is located in the Federal Archives of Germany (Bundesarchiv).

Life

Erich's mother Aeone (left) at a young age and stepmother Molly Gündell (right) with two of her four children with Adolf Gündell.

Signature

Rangliste 1901

Rangliste (Dienstaltersliste) Oktober 1912

Rangliste (Dienstaltersliste) 1913, p. 528

Officer's sword: Infantry sword M 1889 with Damascus blade of General of Infantry von Gündell

Military career (chronology)

• 1.4.1873 Joined the 5. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 94 (Großherzog von Sachsen) as an officer candidate
  • 1912 renamed in „Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen“ (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94
• 15.10.1874 Sekonde-Lieutenant in the 5th Company
• 1.10.1881 to 2.7.1884 Student of the War Academy (Königlich Preußische Kriegsakademie)
• 1.4.1887 Commanded for one year, then transferred to the Great General Staff (Großer Generalstab) in Berlin
• 16.2.1889 Transferred to the General Staff of the Army (Generalstab der Armee)
• 24.3.1890 General Staff Officer with the 6. Division in Berlin
• 5.5.1891 Commander of the 10th Company/Füsilier-Regiment „Fürst Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern“ (Hohenzollernsches) Nr. 40
• 27.1.1893 Return to the Generalstab der Armee
• 1.10.1894 Teacher at the War Academy
• 14.12.1897 Commander of the I. Bataillon/5. Badisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 113 in Freiburg
• 13.9.1899 Department head (2. Abtheilung) in the Great General Staff
• 9.7.1900 Ostasiatisches Expeditionskorps in China (East Asian Expedition Forces, Emil Friedrich Karl von Lessel's Chief of Staff)
• 5.11.1901 I. Armeekorps in Königsberg (on General der Infanterie Finck von Finkenstein's general staff)
• 14.11.1901 I. Armeekorps in Königsberg (Karl Alexander Ferdinand August Graf Finck von Finckenstein's Chief of Staff, as of January 1902 under Colmar von der Goltz)
• 24.4.1904 Commander of the Infanterie-Regiment „Prinz Louis Ferdinand von Preußen“ (2. Magdeburgisches) Nr. 27
• 22.2.1906 Oberquartiermeister (Senior Quartermaster) in the General Staff of the Army of the Great General Staff
  • his adjutant was Otto von Wegerer
• 27.1.1910 Commander of the 20. Infanterie-Division in Hannover
• 1.4.1913 Director of the Prussian War Academy in Berlin (replaced General der Infanterie Kurt Ernst August Friedrich Freiherr von Manteuffel)
• 4.9.1913 Put to disposal with the Charakter als General der Infanterie and the uniform of the Infanterie-Regiment „Prinz Louis Ferdinand von Preußen“ (2. Magdeburgisches) Nr. 27

WWI

• 2.8.1914 Reactivated as Commanding General of the V. Reserve-Korps subordinated to the 5. Armee under Wilhelm, German Crown Prince (de)
  • With the mobilization on 2 August 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War, the corps was set up. The commanding general was Infantry General von Gündell, and Lieutenant Colonel von Stockhausen acted as Chief of Staff. The assigned 9th Reserve Division was under Lieutenant General von Guretzky-Cornitz, the 10th Reserve Division was under Lieutenant General von Wartenberg. In association with the 5th Army, the corps marched through neutral Luxembourg to France. During the further course of the war, the corps remained exclusively on the Western Front. The corps fought in the Battle of Longwy from 22 August 1914 – the 10th Reserve Division fought for the town of Ville de Montois and reached the Crusnes River at Pierrepont. The 9th Reserve Division, together with the 34th Division, forced a march through Fillieres and pursued the enemy at Joppecourt. After further battles, the corps was on the east bank of the Meuse on the Wöevre plain in trench warfare in front of Verdun. At the end of February 1916, the corps went on the offensive in the Battle of Verdun. During the fighting for the village and Fort Vaux, this large formation suffered heavy losses and finally had to be pulled out of the front in mid-June. It was then moved to Champagne for rest and refreshment.
• 3.9.1916 Commander-in-chief of the Armee-Abteilung Gaede / Armee-Abteilung B (Army Detachment B) in Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen; replaced Hans Gaede
• 23.12.1918 Retired (außer Dienst; a. D.)

Studies

In 1914, the general and his wife moved to the Villa Waldstrasse 4/6 (Beletage), 1916 renamed Villa Merkelstrasse 3, in Göttingen, where he began his summer semester studies with Prof. Dr. Edmund Husserl. His fellow student Edith Stein later wrote, how humble this battle experienced general was:

"He was very modest in demeanor, but his questions still came out in a strong, military tone."

In 1919, he resumed his studies in Göttingen. In 1922, he received a doctorate (Dr. Phil.) with the doctoral thesis (Dissertation) Neuzeitliche Klassifikationen der philosophischen Systeme.

Family

Erich was the son of Oberstleutnant z. D. Adolf Friedrich Gündell (1820–1898) and his first wife (∞ 21 May 1853) Henriette Amalie Aeone "Oeni", née von Quistorp (b. 26 May 1826 in Göttingen), who died on 10 September 1854 in Goslar, five months after Erich's birth. Her adoring brother Barthold von Quistorp wrote:

"Her keen, logical mind, her interest in all things of science and art, combined with the virtues of female beauty, made her conversation equally welcomed by professors and the older part of the society as well as by the youth who searched for their higher education at university. And Aeone, in turn, had used these relationships to expand further, successfully devoted with zeal especially to languages, beautiful literature and music. [...] Aeone excelled in beauty and already attracted everyone's attention as a child.” Barthold also reports that King Ernst August von Hanover asked about her at a ball in 1844.

Erich's stepmother Molly, née Deichmann, whom his father had married in autumn of 1863, raised him lovingly as her own. He had four half-siblings.

Marriage

On 1 May 1888 in Hannover, Hauptmann Gündell married his fiancée Auguste "Uga" Dora Frieda Marie von Jacobi (1867–1958), daughter of deceased Oberstleutnant Bernhard Friedrich Ernst von Jacobi (1823–1881), a veteran of the war against Denmark in 1848 and the Battle of Langensalza (1866) against the Prussians during the German Brothers War. The marriage produced six children:

• Erich (b. 16 July 1890 in Brandenburg an der Havel), Leutnant zur See of the Kaiserliche Marine, ⚔ on 16 June 1915, when the plane he was in crashed near Wilhelmshaven.
• Helmuth (b. 13 March 1893 in Hannover; d. 7 June 1989 in Göttingen), Oberleutnant in the Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1 during WWI, later Dr. med. and Oberstabsarzt of the 22. Infanterie-Division of the Wehrmacht (Sanitäts-Kompanie 1/22) in WWII.
• Günther (b. 29 May 1894 in Berlin; d. 15. June 1961), officer in the Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 10 during WWI; ∞ Susanne "Susi" Vosberg, four children
• Werner (b. 20 August 1896 in Berlin), Leutnant in the Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 10 during WWI, ⚔ on 6 October 1915 on the Western Front
• Aeone (b. 17 March 1901 in Zehlendorf; d. c. 1985); ∞ 1923 Edward Arthur Theodor Hay (1901–1993), one son
• Hildegard (b. 10 November 1902 in Königsberg; d. 30 March 1978 in Berlin), Dr. phil. and academic author; ∞ 30 March 1926 Ortwin Adolf von Deines (1889–1935), two children (17-year-old Peter Adolf Gustav von Deines was ⚔ during the Battle of Berlin on 1 May 1945); II ∞ 1939 Kurt Erdmann (1901–1964)

Generalleutnant Walter von Gündell

Oberleutnant of the Imperial Army, Major of the Reichswehr and Generalleutnant of the Wehrmacht Adolf August Henry Walter von Gündell (1892–1973) was not a son of Erich von Gündell, although this is repeatedly claimed. He was the son of Hauptmann a. D. Karl Adolf Thomas Hounsell von Gündell (b. 18 March 1852 in Hannover).

Promotions

• 1.4.1873 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
• 15.11.1873 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 15.10.1874 Sekonde-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant)
• 17.10.1883 Premier-Lieutenant (1st Lieutenant)
• 22.3.1888 Hauptmann (Captain)
• 15.8.1893 Major
• 18.4.1900 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 22.4.1902 Oberst (Colonel)
  • 22.2.1906 additionally with the rank as Brigadekommandeur
• 14.6.1906 Generalmajor
• 17.9.1909 Generalleutnant
• 4.9.1913 Charakter als General der Infanterie at Disposal (zur Disposition; z. D.)
• 2.9.1914 General der Infanterie (patent as an active officer, now entitled to be addressed as "Excellence")

Awards, decorations and honours

• Order of the White Falcon (Hausorden vom Weißen Falken), Knight's Cross 2nd Class (GSF3b)
• Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class
• Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 3rd Class
• Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)
• Russian Order of Saint Anna (St.-Annen-Orden), II. Class (RA2)
• Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)
• Red Eagle Order, 3rd Class with the Bow and with Swords
• Military Merit Order (Bavaria), Officer's Cross with Swords (BMV3⚔)
  • as of rangliste 1906, new abbreviation BMV.O⚔
• Saxon Albrechts-Orden, Officer's Cross with the War Decoration (SA3.KD/SA3⚔)
• Württemberg Order of the Crown (Ehrenkreuz des Ordens der Württembergischen Krone), Honour Cross with Swords (WK2c⚔)
• China Commemorative Medal (China-Denkmünze) for combatants
• Commander's Cross of the Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (JM3)
• Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class (JVAS3/JV3)
• Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class
• Franz-Joseph-Orden, Grand Cross (ÖFJ1)
• Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring
• Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 2nd class (BMV2)
• Star to his Prussian Order of the Crown 2nd Class
• Orden vom Zähringer Löwen, Commander 1st Class (BZ2a)
• Star to his Bavarian Military Merit Order 2nd class (BMV2mSt)
• Chinese Order of the Double Dragon, 2nd Class, 1st Grade (CDII.1)
• Star to his Red Eagle Order 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring
• Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class
• Order of Henry the Lion, 1st Class (BrH1)

WWI

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
• Cross for Faithful Service (Fürstlich Schaumburg-Lippisches Kreuz für treue Dienste 1914; SLK)
• Hamburg Hanseatic Cross (Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz; HH)
• Lippe War Honour Cross for Heroic Deeds (LKEK/LKEKr)
• Lippe War Merit Cross (LK)
• Pour le Mérite on 28 August 1916
• Princely House Order of Hohenzollern, Cross of Honour 1st Class with Swords (HEK1⚔)
• Order of Berthold the First (Großherzoglich-Badischer Orden Berthold des Ersten), Grand Cross with Swords (BBI1⚔) on 20 June 1917
• Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 1st class with Swords (BMV1⚔)
• Albrechts-Orden of Saxony, Grand Cross with the Golden Star and Swords (SA1gSt⚔)
• Württemberg Order of the Crown, Grand Cross with Swords (WK1⚔)

Honours

• Gündell was raised to hereditary nobility by Kaiser Wilhelm II on 28 November 1901 for his brilliant service in China.

Further reading

• Walther Obkircher (Oberstleutnant a. D.): General Erich von Gündell. Aus seinen Tagebüchern – Deutsche Expedition nach China 1900–1901 / 2. Haager Friedenskonferenz 1907 / Weltkrieg 1914–1918 und Zwischenzeiten, Hanseatische Verlagsanstalt, Hamburg 1939