Holm Levin von Metzsch

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Holm Levin von Metzsch
Holm Levin von Metzsch.jpg
Birth name Johann Heinrich Holm Levin von Metzsch
Birth date 26 April 1859(1859-04-26)
Place of birth Penig, Amtshauptmannschaft Rochlitz, Kreisdirektion Leipzig , Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire
Death date 22 October 1935 (aged 76)
Place of death Dresden, Gau Saxony, German Reich
Allegiance  German Empire
Service/branch Military Order of St. Henry (Saxony 1916), Grand Cross.jpg Royal Saxon Army
Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
Rank Oberst z. D.
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Iron Cross
Relations ∞ 1890 Erna von Lewinski

Johann Heinrich Holm Levin von Metzsch (26 April 1859 – 22 October 1935) was a German officer of the Royal Saxon Army (Königlich Sächsische Armee) and the Imperial German Army, finally Oberst (Colonel) during World War I.

Life

Nordfriedhof ("Northern Cemetery") in Dresden

Von Metzsch joined the Royal Saxon 7. Infanterie-Regiment „Prinz Georg“ Nr. 106 in Leipzig as Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate) in 1879 and, serving in the 4th Company, was promoted to Portepee-Fähnrich (Officer Cadet) on 30 May 1880. On 12 October 1880, now serving in the 1st Company, he was commissioned as an active duty 2nd Lieutenant. As of 1884, he served in the 4th Company of the 6. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 105 (renamed 6. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 105 „König Wilhelm II. von Württemberg“ on 3 May 1892) in Straßburg (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen). In 1885, he became adjutant of the 3rd Battalion. On 1 April 1887, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and transferred to the 10th Company.

On 24 November 1892, von Metzsch was promoted to Hauptmann 2. Classe (Captain) and given command of the 9th Company. As of the Rangliste 1897, now Hauptmann 1. Classe, he was commander of the 9th Company/4. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 103 in Bautzen. On 14 January 1903, he was promoted to Major and given command of the 2nd Battalion of the 5. Infanterie-Regiment „Kronprinz“ Nr. 104 in Chemnitz. On 16 April 1907, von Metzsch was put to disposal (zur Disposition gestellt) and named commander of the Landwehrbezirk Zwickau. On 19 August 1907, he received the Charakter als Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel). On 14 July 1909, he finally retired.

In World War I, Holm von Metzsch was reactivated. From November 1914 until mid-1915, he served with the Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 102, which was subordinated to the V. Reserve-Korps under General der Infanterie Erich von Gündell. Von Metzsch finished his war service as Oberst z. D. of the Imperial Army.

Family

Holm was the son of lawyer, notary and Gerichtsrat (councilor of a court of justice at the Bezirksgericht Leipzig) Hugo Alexander von Metzsch (1828–1907) and his wife Klara Rosalie Elsabeth von Metzsch (1829–1908). One of his older siblings was sister was Olga Marianne Felicitas (b. 1853), married to steel mill manager (Eisenwerke „Königin Mariahütte“) Alfred Heinrich Rühle von Lilienstern (d. 1 July 1910 in Zwickau). His younger brother was Regierungsbaumeister (government builder), later Finanz- und Baurat (finance and building council) Hugo Leopold Walther von Metzsch (b. 5 May 1862 in Penig; d. 1921).

Marriage

On 21 October 1890 in Baden-Baden, Oberleutnant von Metzsch married his fiancée Erna von Lewinski (1868–1960). They had three children:[1]

  • Irene Erna Olga Klara Lisbeth (b. 26 September 1891 in Straßburg); ∞ 19 December 1912 in Dresden Hauptmann Bernhard Ludwig von Rabenhorst (b. 13. November 1878 in Dresden; ⚔ 28. August 1914 in Sorinnes).
  • Hertha Lisbeth Esther Olga (b. 10 September 1893 in Straßburg)
  • Horst August Werner Holm Levin (b. 23 June 1895 in Straßburg), law student and officer in WWI
    • After his Abitur, Horst started to study law and then joined the Royal Saxon Army as a war volunteer. He served with the Garde-Reiter-Regiment as well as with the Reserve-Kavallerie-Abteilung Nr. 53 (106. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade/3. Königlich Sächsische 53. Reserve-Division), became an officer candidate (Fahnenjunker) and then officer cadet (Fähnrich). In June 1915, he was wounded during the trench battles in the month after the Second Battle of Ypres. After recovery, he joined the Fliegertruppe as a 2nd Lieutenant, was trained as an observer and commanded to the course for photo officers (Lichtbild-Offiziere). He served with the Fliegerabteilung 23 Lb (Lb = Lichtbild) und with the Fliegerabteilung 46 b Lb under Fritz Todt. He flew frontline missions (Feindflüge) until November 1918. On 10 November 1918, one day before the armistice, he was killed in action. The two-seater machine (Rumpler C.VII with Maybach motor) with the crew of pilot Unteroffizier Johann "Hans" Dauenhauer[2] (1895–1961) and observer Horst von Metzsch came under anti-aircraft fire over the US lines at Fontenoy sur Moselle near the French city of Toul. The plane fell from 7,500 m uncontrollably to the ground and Leutnant von Metzsch fell out. Dauenhauer (picture) got back control of the damaegd plane at 3,500 m but had to save himself with a parachute and landed in a field southwest of Tontenoy. He was taken prisoner and was released in autumn 1919. Horst von Metzsch rests in the Gerbéviller German War Cemetery; Final grave location: Block 7, Grave 57. The tombstone of the parents contains a dedication in remembrance.[3]

Awards and decorations

References

  1. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Uradeligen Häuser, 1917, p. 558
  2. ↑ Hans Dauenhauer (Archive)
  3. ↑ Horst von Metzsch 1895–1918 (Archive)
  4. ↑ Rangliste der Königlich-Sächsischen Armee, 1904, p. 216
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