Walter von Schönberg

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Walter von Schönberg
Offizierskorps des II. Seebataillons vor der Abreise nach China.jpg
Officer Corps of the II. Marine Infantry Battalion (Seebataillon) under Major Viktor von Kronheim (sitting, 3rd from left) before departure to China in 1900; Captain Walter von Schönberg in the second row (standing, 2nd from left).
Birth name Walter Felix Wolf von Schönberg
Birth date 13 August 1861(1861-08-13)
Place of birth Naumburg an der Saale, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation
Death date 23 December 1926 (aged 65)
Place of death Bückeburg, Kreis Grafschaft Schaumburg, Province of Hesse-Nassau, 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 1882–1919
Rank Major General
Commands held 33. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars Boxer Rebellion (de)
World War I
Awards Red Eagle Order
Prussian Crown Order
Iron Cross
Relations ∞ 1887 Magda Marie Gräfin zu Rantzau

Walter Felix Wolf von Schönberg (sometimes wrongly Walther; 13 August 1861 – 23 December 1926) was a German officer of the Prussian Army and the Imperial German Army, finally Major General and divisional commander in World War One.

Life

As of 1878, Walter von Schönberg was a student of the elite Gymnasium and boarding school "Ritterakademie zu Brandenburg an der Havel". On 22 January 1882, he joined the 5. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 94 (Großherzog von Sachsen), becoming Second Lieutenant in 1883 in the 10th Company/III. (Fusilier) Battalion (Jena) of his regiment (he later served in the 11th Company in Jena, 3rd Company in Weimar, as adjutant of the I. Battalion and as regimental adjutant) and First Lieutenant in 1892. In the same year, he was transferred to the 5th Company/Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Bose" (1. Thüringisches) Nr. 31 in Altona. In 1895, he was assigned as Adjutant of the 34th Infantry Brigade in Schwerin, where he was assigned to the Großherzoglich Mecklenburgische Füsilier-Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm" Nr. 90. In 1898, he became commander of the 3rd Company/Grenadier-Regiment "König Friedrich Wilhelm IV." (1. Pommersches) Nr. 2 in Stettin.

Captain von Schönberg received leave in 1900 to serve with the East Asian Expeditionary Force (Ostasiatisches Expeditionskorps) during the Boxer Expedition to Imperial China. For this, he was transferred to the II. Seebataillon of the Imperial German Navy in Wilhelmshaven and appointed commander of the 2nd Company. After many battles and operations, the II. Seebataillon boarded the Hamburg steamer "Pisa" on 15 August 1901 and on 29 September 1901, the ship arrived in Bremerhaven. As of 30 September 1901, the men were quarantined at the military training area Lockstedt for five days, as was usual for the time (typhus was a great problem). The men received leave and were transported to the train station, the officers and NCOs, led by Captain von Schönberg, returned to Wilhelmshaven, took care of the administrative duties and then also received leave. When returning to the battalion, von Schönberg was appointed commander of the 3rd Company.

In 1903, he was transferred to the 6. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49. In 1904, he was appointed adjutant of the 5. Division in Frankfurt an der Oder. In 1908/09, he was appointed commander of the II. Battalion/Grenadier-Regiment "König Friedrich Wilhelm I." (2. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 3 in Königsberg. After his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 1912, he was appointed chief of staff of the Anhaltisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 93 in Dessau. From 22 April 1914 to 14 September 1914, he was, as successor to Erich Ludendorff, commander of the Niederrheinisches Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 39.

On 4 July 1916, Colonel von Schönberg was appointed commander of the 229. Infanterie-Brigade. On 20 December 1917, he was appointed leader of the 35. Infanterie-Division, from 23 December 1917, as successor to Wilhelm Groener, until 19 March 1919, when demobilization was complete, he was commander of the 33. Infanterie-Division.

The division was deployed in March/April 1918 during Operation Michael, the beginning of the Germans' final spring offensive. In April 1918, he took part in the fighting at Montdidier and Noyon; on 27 June 1918, his large unit supported the 1st Guards Infantry Division under Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia in storming the Chemin des Dames. At the beginning of July 1918, the 33rd Infantry Division remained briefly on call as a reserve of the OHL and, from mid-July 1918, was involved in defensive fighting between the Marne and Oise. During the retreat from September 1918 onwards, von Schönberg's division was deployed in Champagne and was still on the Meuse front when the war ended in November 1918.

Family

Walter was the son of Regional Court Council Wolf Ferdinand Franz von Schönberg (1825–1911) and his wife (∞ 1855) Henriette Sophie, née Rabe (1833–1885). He had two siblings:[1]

  • Ulrich Wolf Hermann Franz (b. 14 September 1856 in Naumburg), 2nd Lieutenant (ret.)
  • Gabriele Sophie Elisabeth (1858–1928); ∞ Naumburg 19 October 1876 Generalleutnant Rudolf Pabst von Ohain (1846–1911), 7 children

Marriage

On 1 July 1887 in Weimar, 2nd Lieutenant von Schönberg married his fiancée Magda Marie Gräfin zu Rantzau (1869–1954). They would have two children:[2]

  • Jettamaria (b. 30 June 1888 in Weimar); ∞ Dessau 1 July 1912 Ernst Karl Friedrich von Haugwitz (b. 16 September 1884 in Gut Oberneundorf), ⚔ 23 August 1914 near St. Ghislain during the Battle of Mons as 1st Lieutenant and battalion adjutant with the Grenadier-Regiment "Prinz Karl von Preußen" (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 12[3]
  • Wolfheinrich (b. 1 September 1891 in Weimar), officer of the Imperial German Navy, ⚔ 22 March 1916 as 1st Lieutenant at Sea and 1st Watch Officer onboard Unterseeboot U 68 southwest of Ireland off the coast of County Kerry when ambushed by the Q-ship "Farnborough" (Q 5).
    • U 68 under commandant Kapitänleutnant Ludwig Güntzel approached the alleged coal ship to within about 800 meters. Suddenly the British naval ensign appeared on the ship and artillery fired on the submarine. U 68 dived, but was hit by two depth charges, which forced the submarine to surface. The crew of the "Farnborough" noticed significant damage to the bow of the submarine. U 68 was hit by further artillery fire and sank. Oil and wreckage confirmed the sinking. The sinking occurred at approximately ♁51° 54′ N, 10° 53′ W. There were no survivors; 36 men were lost.

Promotions

  • 22 January 1882 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
  • 11 September 1883 Sekondeleutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
  • 1892 Premierleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 27 January 1897 zum Hauptmann (Captain)
  • 27 January 1905 Major
  • 27 January 1912 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • 22 March 1914 Oberst (Colonel)
  • 18 June 1917 Generalmajor (Major General)

Awards and decorations (excerpt)

Walter von Schönberg, Deutscher Ordens-Almanach, 1908.png
Walter von Schönberg, Rangliste de Königlich Preußischen Armee, 1914, p. 205.png
  • Friedrichs-Orden, Knight's Cross 1st Class (WF3a)
  • Prussian Centenary Medal 1897 (Zentenarmedaille)
  • Commemorative Medal for Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg
    • von Schönberg had taken part in the ceremonial funeral of the Grand Duke in Ludwigslust on 21 April 1897
  • Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden on 21 February 1900
  • Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class with Swords (RAO4⚔) on 21 July 1901
  • China Commemorative Medal (China-Denkmünze) for combatants with clasps
  • House and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louis, Knight of Honour 2nd Class with Swords (OV3b⚔)
  • Order of the White Falcon (Hausorden vom Weißen Falken), Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords (GSF3b⚔/SF3b⚔)
  • Order of the Crown of Italy, Officer's Cross (JK4)
  • Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)
  • Prussian Order of the Crown (Preußischer Kronenorden), 3rd Class
  • Southwest Africa Commemorative Medal (Südwest-Afrika Denkmünze) in Steel for non-combatants in 1907
  • Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden (as of Rank List 1908)
  • Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • Prussian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class with Star and Swords in March 1917
  • Red Eagle Order, 2nd Class with Swords on the two black and three white striped ribbon in June 1918

References

  1. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, Teil A, 1912, p. 754
  2. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, Teil A, 1941, p. 484
  3. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, Teil A, 1916, p. 288
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