Hermann von Rantzau

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Hermann von Rantzau
Bildnis von Hermann von Rantzau (1815-1891).jpg
Birth name Hermann Karl Dietrich von Rantzau
Birth date 13 November 1815(1815-11-13)
Place of birth Testorf near Zarrentin, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Confederation
Death date 13 April 1891 (aged 75)
Place of death Görlitz, Regierungsbezirk Liegnitz, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Allegiance Germany Prussian Eagle.jpg Kingdom of Prussia
Wappen des Deutschen Bundes.jpg German Confederation
Coat of arms of North German Confederation.png North German Confederation
 German Empire
Service/branch War and service flag of Prussia (1895–1918).png Prussian Army
Years of service 1833–1872
Rank Lieutenant General
Battles/wars Baden Revolution (1848/49)
German-Danish War (1864)
German War of Brothers (1866)
Franco-German War
Awards Iron Cross
Red Eagle Order
Relations ∞ 1844 Auguste von Barner
∞ 1862 Marie Schulze

Hermann Karl Dietrich von Rantzau (13 November 1815 – 13 April 1891) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, finally Lieutenant General and commander of a brigade.

Military career (chronology)

  • 1 October 1829 Entered the Prussian Cadet Corps
  • 5 August 1833 Transferred to the 5. Ulanen-Regiment (5th Uhlan Regiment) and at the same time commissioned as an officer because of his outstanding performance as a cadet.
  • 1846 Commanded to the cavalry troop of the 3rd Battalion/17. Landwehr-Regiment in Geldern[1]
  • 1848 Adjutant of the 14. Division in Düsseldorf[2]
    • He took part in the campaign in Baden in 1848/49 and the battles of Ludwigshafen, Waghäusel, Bruchsal and Durlach.
  • June 1853 Return to the 5. Ulanen-Regiment
  • 18 April 1854 to 25 June 1856 Commander of the 4th Squadron (Eskadron) of the 5. Ulanen-Regiment (5th Uhlan Regiment)
  • July 1856 Transferred to the 4. Ulanen-Regiment and commanded as adjutant to the Generalkommando of the IV. Armee-Korps in Magdeburg
  • 12 March 1859 Transferred to the Staff of the 3. Ulanen-Regiment (Kaiser von Rußland) in Fürstenwalde
    • For the duration of the mobile situation during the Sardinian War, von Rantzau was commander of the mobile 3rd Landwehr Uhlan Regiment in June/July 1859.
  • 2 June (another source states 2 July) 1862 Commander of the 1. Westfälisches Husaren-Regiments Nr. 8 in Paderborn
    • In this capacity, he led his regiment in the war against Denmark in 1864 in the battles at Missunde, the advance through Schleswig and the occupation of Jutland.
    • In the Main campaign during the German War in 1866, he led his unit in the battles at Dermbach, Kissingen, Laufach, Aschaffenburg, Waldüren, Tauberbischofsheim and Gerchsheim as well as in the bombardment of Würzburg.
  • 18 April 1868 Briefly entrusted with the command of the 13th Cavalry Brigade in Münster
  • 28 July 1868 Appointed commander of the 16th Cavalry Brigade in Trier
    • With the beginning of the Franco-German War, von Rantzau was initially assigned to the staff of the 3rd Cavalry Division and promoted to Major General on 26 July 1870.
  • 18 August 1870 Appointed commander of the 25th Cavalry Brigade (Grand Ducal Hessian)
    • Von Rantzau led this large unit as part of the Grand Ducal Hessian (25th) Division in the battles of Noisseville, Beaune-la-Rolande and Orléans as well as the siege of Metz.
  • 23 May 1871 Appointed commander of the 8th Cavalry Brigade in Halle (Saale)
  • 15 August 1872 Retired with pension
    • Due to his short-sightedness, von Rantzau submitted his resignation, which he was granted on 15 August 1872, with a pension and the award of the Order of the Red Eagle, Second Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring. He was placed at disposal of the army (zur Verfügung; z. D.) on 28 November 1872 but without being activated again.

Family

Hermann von Rantzau came from the Mecklenburg, non-Graf branch (House of Pancker and Trahlau) of the Schleswig-Holstein noble family (Equites Originarii) von Rantzau. Hermann was the son of the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg-Schwerin chief forestry master (Oberforstmeister) Adolf Johann Karl von Rantzau (1786–1861) and his first wife Bernhardine, née von Dorne (1787–1836) from the House of Pannekow (Altkalen).[3] He had three siblings:

  • Marianne Friedericke Susette Sophie (1811–1855), deaconess and the first superior of the Deaconess and Hospital Bethanien (Berlin)[4]
  • Frida Luise Elisabeth Auguste (1812–1861), Grand Ducal lady-in-waiting; ∞ Testorf 5 March 1836 Lord of the Manor (Herr auf Dreilützow mit Pogreß, Parum, Luckwitz, Neu-Luckwitz sowie Harst) Hermann Georg August Christian Friedrich Magnus Graf von Bernstorff (1804–1876), 11 children (9 daughters, 2 sons)[5]
  • Woldemar Friedrich Ludwig (1813–1877), Grand Ducal Mecklenburg-Schwerin bailiff (Amtmann zu Gadebusch und Rehna); ∞ 25 September 1845 Emma Luise Auguste Erika Gräfin von Bernstorff (1819–1851; died seven days after the birth of her foruth child),[6] 4 children
    • Kurt (1846–1854)
    • Nandine Auguste Eleonore Luise Marianne Hertha (b. 30 June 1847)
    • Albrecht Karl Friedrich Chlotar Bertold (b. 12 July 1849)
    • Anna Henriette Adelgunde Thekla Hermine (b. 1 May 1851), deaconess in Eutin, later in Altona; adopted by her aunt Clotilde Friederike Auguste Gräfin von Bernstorff (1811–1874) and her husband Lieutenant General Wilhelm Johann Heinrich Ludwig Freiherr von der Horst (1786–1874)

Marriages

On 19 July 1844 in Trebbow, 2nd Lieutenant von Rantzau married his fiancée Auguste Ida Charlotte von Barner (1823–1851),[7] daughter of Lieutenant General Ulrich Friedrich Johann Gottlieb von Barner (1786–1846). They had one son:[8]

  • Herrmann Friedrich Wilhelm Karl August (1849–1927), Major General

On 18 November 1862 in Berlin, Major von Rantzau married Marie Ida Sophie Schulze (b. 17 February 1843 in Berlin). They would have three children:

  • Margarete Josephine Johanna Marie (b. 10 November 1865 in Paderborn)
  • Cajus Herrmann Ludwig Karl (b. 6 November 1869 in Trier), Senior Governing Council (Oberregierungsrat)
  • Werner Ulrich Alfons Oskar Julius (b. 3 March 1879 in Görlitz), ⚔ 3 May 1915 near Langemarck as 2nd Lieutenant of the Reserves with the Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 15

Promotions

  • 5 August 1833 Seconde-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant)
  • 13 April 1847 Premier-Lieutenant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 22 June 1852 Rittmeister (Captain)
  • 15 June 1858 Charakter als Major (Honorary Major)
    • 18 January 1859 received Patent as Major
  • 17 March 1863 Oberst-Lieutenant (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • 8 June 1866 Oberst (Colonel)
  • 26 July 1870 General-Major (Major General)
  • 26 November 1887 Charakter als Generalleutnant z. D. (Honorary Lieutenant General at disposal)

Awards and decorations

  • Military Commemorative Medal of 1849 (Baden)
  • Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion (Orden vom Zähringer Löwen), Knight's Cross (GBZL3/BZL3)[9]
    • later classified as Knight's Cross I. Class with Oak Leaves (BZL3a/BZ3a)
  • Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class with Swords (PRAO4⚔/PrA4⚔)
  • Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz; DA)
  • Imperial Russian Sankt-Stanislaus-Orden, II. Class (RSt2)
  • Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar Order of the White Falcon (Hausorden vom Weißen Falken), Knight's Cross 1st Class (GSF3a)
  • Red Eagle Order, 3rd Class with the Bow (Schleife) and Swords on Ring
  • War Commemorative Medal of 1864 (Kriegs-Denkmünze für 1864; KD64)
  • Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden (PStJO)
  • Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 3rd Class with Swords on 20 September 1866
  • Princely Schaumburg Lippe Military Merit Medal (SLVM/SLMV)
  • Commemorative Cross for the Campaign of 1866 (Erinnerungs-Kreuz für den Feldzug von 1866)
  • Order of Saint Michael (Bavaria), Commander (BStMV2b/BM2b)
  • Iron Cross (1870), 2nd Class
  • Grand Ducal Hessian Military Merit Cross for 1870/71 (GHMV)
  • War Commemorative Medal of 1870–1871 (Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71; KD70/71)
  • Grand Ducal Hessian Ludwig (Ludewig) Order, Commander's Cross 1st Class (GHL2a/HL2a) on 14 December 1871
  • Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring on 15 August 1872
  • Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden in 1878

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee, 1846, p. 268
  2. ↑ Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee, 1849, p. 54
  3. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, 1905, p. 673
  4. ↑ She died of cancer at the age of 43. Her successor was Anna zu Stolberg-Wernigerode, who had been her deputy since 1854. Since 2006, Marianne von Rantzau has been remembered by Marianne von Rantzau Street in the Berlin district of Friedrichshain near the East Side Gallery. Mariannenplatz in front of the former deaconess and hospital and the Mariannenstrasse leading to it were named after the Princess of Prussia of the same name (Maria Anna Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, 1785–1846) in 1849.
  5. ↑ Die Familiengeschichte von den Anfängen bis 1982, pp. 322 f.
  6. ↑ Die Familiengeschichte von den Anfängen bis 1982, pp. 314
  7. ↑ Beiträge zur Geschichte der Familie von Barner, Schwerin 1910, Tafel J (XVI.)
  8. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, Teil A, 1921, pp. 667 f.
  9. ↑ Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee, 1850, p. 161
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