Hugo von Winterfeld

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Hugo von Winterfeld
Hugo Hans Karl von Winterfeld II.png
Hugo von Winterfeld was Flügeladjutant and General à la suite of Kaiser Wilhelm I as well as Generaladjutant of Kaiser Friedrich III and Kaiser Wilhelm II until his death.
Birth name Hugo Hans Karl von Winterfeld
Birth date 8 October 1836(1836-10-08)
Place of birth Landsberg an der Warthe, Regierungsbezirk Frankfurt, Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation
Death date 4 September 1898 (aged 61)
Place of death Schreiberhau, Landkreis Hirschberg im Riesengebirge, Province of Silesia, German Empire
Resting place Alter St.-Matthäus-Kirchhof in Berlin, Germany
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 1856–1898
Rank General der Infanterie
Commands held Schloß-Garde-Kompanie[1]
20. Division
Garde-Korps
Commander-in-Chief in the Marches
Battles/wars
Awards Iron Cross
House Order of Hohenzollern
Prussian Crown Order
Red Eagle Order
Relations ∞ 1868 Pauline Elisa Schmidt

Hugo Hans Carl von Winterfeld (also Karl; 8 October 1836 – 4 September 1898) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, finally General der Infanterie (General of the Infantry) and Adjutant General of the German Emperor. Von Winterfeld, who was one of the most decorated generals of his time, is said to be the model for the eponymous character "Count von Winterfeld" in the novel The War in the Air by H. G. Wells. He must not be confused with Lieutenant General Hans Carl von Winterfeldt (1707–1757), who fell (⚔) during the Seven Years' War.

Military career (chronology)

During the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, Captain Hugo von Winterfeld captured Emperor Napoleon III in Sedan and led him to Generalmajor Otto von Bismarck; He later commanded the expansion of Metz (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen) into a fortress against France; Among other things, Major von Winterfeld represented the German Emperor at the funeral of the Empress of Brazil Amélie of Leuchtenberg in São Paulo in 1873.
Complete military career
Prussian rank list (Rangliste) 1898
Winterfeld hugo.jpg
  • Cadet (Kadettenkorps)
  • 2 May 1856 Transferred to the 12th Company/Kaiser Alexander Grenadier-Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant
    • since 1860 renamed Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1
  • 22 September 1863 Adjutant in the 2. Garde-Infanterie-Brigade
  • 1866 Took part in the German War of Brothers (Astro-Prussian War)
  • 16 April 1867 with effect from 1 May 1867 Commanded to service with the General Staff of the Army
  • 22 March 1868 Great General Staff (Großer Generalstab)
  • 1 April 1868 to 1 April 1870 Commanded to Paris to learn French
  • 20 July 1870 Transferred to the Royal Grand Headquarters (Königliche Großes Hauptquartier)
  • 1870/71 Took part in the Franco-German War (eight battles, including Gravelotte–St. Privat and Sedan, and the enclosure of Paris)
  • 16 June 1871 Commanded to serve as Flügeladjutant
  • 6 August 1871 Named Flügeladjutant
  • 31 January 1876 – 24 December 1879 Commander of the Schloß-Garde-Kompanie
  • 24 December 1879 Delegated with the leadership of the Kaiser Alexander Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 1
  • 20 September 1881 Chief of General Staff of the XV. Armee-Korps in Straßburg under Generalfeldmarschall Edwin Karl Rochus Freiherr von Manteuffel
  • 6 March 1884 Chief of Staff of the IV. Armee-Inspektion under Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl von Preußen, who would become King of Prussia and German Kaiser Friedrich III four years later on 9 March 1888
  • 3 August 1887 Named General à la suite of Kaiser Wilhelm I
  • 13 March 1888 Commanded to personal service of Kaiser Friedrich III
  • 22 March 1888 Generaladjutant of Kaiser Friedrich III
  • 10 July 1888 Chief of Staff of the I. Armee-Inspektion under Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Albrecht Prinz von Preußen (1837–1906)
  • 6 May 1893 Delegated with the leadership of the Garde-Korps
    • 22 June 1893 Member of the National Defense Commission (Landesverteidigungs-Kommission)
  • 27 January 1895 Commanding General (Kommandierender General) of the Garde-Korps
  • 20 May 1896 Commander-in-Chief in the Marches (Oberbefehlshaber in den Marken)
  • 11 December 1897 Retired at disposal (z. D.) but still Adjutant General

Family

Hugo came from the Brandenburg noble family Winterfeld. He was the son of the Royal Prussian Master Forester (Forstmeister) Captain (retired) Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld (1793-1869) and his wife Luise Wilhelmine Emilie, née von Waldow (1804-1863). His father was lord of the manor (Gut Klein-Rinnersdorff) until 1859. His oldest brother was the military officer, writer and translator Adolf Wilhelm Ernst von Winterfeld (1824–1889).[2] His second brother was Albert Friedrich Ludwig von Winterfeld (1832–1906), administrator (Verwaltungsbeamter), playwright and novelist.[3]

Marriage

On 11 February 1868 in Berlin, 1st Lieutenant von Winterfeld married his fiancée Pauline Elisa Schmidt (b. 1 November 1839 in New York City; d. 27 September 1904 in Berlin). Their children were:

  • Hans Karl (b. 27 April 1872), Major der Reserve and Chamberlain to Empress Auguste Viktoria
  • Ilse Charlotte "Lotte" (b. 8 November 1876 in Berlin; d. 28 September 1951 in Bächingen an der Brenz); ∞ 19 March 1901 Richard Karl Gottlob Wilhelm Friedrich Philipp Freiherr von Süßkind-Schwendi (1854–1946), General der Infanterie of the Imperial German Army, 4 children[4]

Promotions

  • 2 May 1856 Sekondeleutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
  • 22 September 1863 Premierleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 22 March 1868 Hauptmann (Captain)
  • 18 August 1872 Major
  • 22 March 1877 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • 16 September 1881 Oberst (Colonel)
    • 15 February 1887 Received rank as Brigade Commander
  • 3 August 1887 Generalmajor
  • 24 March 1890 Generalleutnant
  • 27 January 1895 General der Infanterie

Awards and decorations

  • Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class with Swords (PRAO4⚔/PrA4⚔)
  • Commemorative Cross for the Campaign of 1866 (Erinnerungs-Kreuz für den Feldzug von 1866)
  • Saxon Albrechts-Orden, Officer's Cross (SA3)
  • Iron Cross (1870), 2nd Class
  • Order of the Crown (Württemberg), Knight's Cross 1st Class with Swords (WK3a.⚔/WK3a⚔)[5]
  • War Commemorative Medal of 1870–1871 (Kaiserliche Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71; KD70/71)
  • House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (HOH3⚔)
  • Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion (Orden vom Zähringer Löwen), Knight's Cross I. Class with Oak Leaves and Swords (BZL3a.mE⚔/BZ3a.mE⚔)
  • Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus, 2nd Class with Crown and Swords (RSt2mKr⚔)
  • Order of the Iron Crown (Austria), 2nd Class (ÖEK2)
  • Red Eagle Order, 3rd Class with the Bow and Swords on Ring
  • Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion, Commander 2nd Class with Swords (BZL2b⚔/BZ2b⚔)
  • Order of the Crown of Italy, Commander (JK3)
  • Saxon Albrechts-Orden, Commander 2nd Class (SA2b)
  • House Order of the Wendish Crown (Hausorden der Wendischen Krone), Commander (MWK2b/MK2b)
  • Swedish Order of the Sword, Commander 2nd Class (SS2b) on 2 June 1875
  • Order of Albert the Bear, Commander 2nd Class (AAB2b/AB2b)
  • Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Commander (JMuL3/JM3)
  • Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 2nd Class
  • Commander of the Legion of Honour (FEL3/FE3)
  • Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)
  • Russian Order of Saint Anna (Sankt-Annen-Orden), 2nd Class with Diamonds (RA2mBr)
  • Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Commander 2nd Class (HSEH2b/HSH2b)
  • Russian Order of Saint Vladimir, 3rd Class (RW3)
  • Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring
  • Order of Henry the Lion (Herzoglich Braunschweigischer Orden Heinrichs des Löwen), Commander's Cross 2nd Class with Swords (BrHL2b⚔/BrH2b⚔)
  • Friedrichs-Orden, Commander's Cross (Kommenturkreuz) 1st Class with Swords (WF2a⚔)
  • Bavarian Military Merit Order, Commander's Cross (BMV2b)
  • Commemorative plaque for the royal princes, general adjutants and wing adjutants (Gedenkzeichen für die Königlichen Prinzen, Generaladjutanten und Flügeladjutanten S.M. Kaiser und König)
  • Star to his Red Eagle Order 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring
  • Hesse Order of Merit of Philip the Magnanimous (Verdienstorden Philipps des Großmütigen), Grand Cross (GHVP1/HP1)
    • later classified as Grand Cross with Swords (GHVP1⚔/HP1⚔)
  • House Order of Hohenzollern, Commander's Cross with Swords on Ring
  • Order of Henry the Lion (Herzoglich Braunschweigischer Orden Heinrichs des Löwen), Commander's Cross 1st Class with Swords (BrHL2a⚔/BrH2a⚔)
  • Saxon Albrechts-Orden, Commander 1st Class (SA2a)
  • Franz-Joseph-Orden, Grand Cross (ÖFJ1)
  • Military Order of Saint Benedict of Aviz (Militär-Orden San Bento d’Aviz), Grand Cross (PBd’A1)
  • Order of Henry the Lion (Herzoglich Braunschweigischer Orden Heinrichs des Löwen), Grand Cross with Swords (BrHL1⚔/BrH1⚔)
  • Order of Isabella the Catholic, Grand Cross (SJ1)
  • Prussian Order of the Crown, 1st Class
  • House Order of Hohenzollern, Commander's Star with Swords on Ring (Stern der Komture mit Schwertern am Ringe)
  • Red Eagle Order, 1st Class with Oak Leaves and Swords on Ring
  • Anniversary Oak Leaves (Jubiläums-Eichenlaub „25“ 1870/1895) to his Iron Cross (1870), 2nd Class
  • Austrian-Hungarian Imperial Order of Leopold, Grand Cross (ÖL1)
  • Saxon Albert Order, Grand Cross with the Golden Star (SA1mgSt)
  • Bulgarian Order of Saint Alexander, Grand Cross (BA1)
  • Knight of the Russian Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (RAN)
  • Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)
  • House Order of the Wendish Crown, Grand Cross with the Crown in Gold (MWK1b/MK1b)
  • Red Eagle Order, Grand Cross with Oak Leaves, Crown and Swords on Ring

References

  1. ↑ Leo von Pfannenberg: Geschichte der Schloß-Garde-Kompanie Seiner Majestät des Kaisers und Königs 1829–1909, Verlag von Georg Stilke, Berlin 1909, p. 156–157
  2. ↑ He received the Gold Medal of the Swedish Academy for his translation of the poems of Carl Michael Bellman (entitled The Swedish Anacreon, 1856). For the first time he translated works by Sweden's national poet into German and translated 38 epistles and 32 songs. His own work includes well over 100 titles.
  3. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Uradeligen Häuser, Justus Perthes, Gotha 1908, p. 809
  4. ↑ Ilse Lotte VON WINTERFELD, verheiratet Freifrau VON SÜSSKIND-SCHWENDI
  5. ↑ Rang- und Quartier-Liste der Königlich-Preußischen Armee und des XIII. (Königlich-Württembergischen) Armeekorps, 1870/71, p. 12
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