Friedrich Ferdinand Alexander zu Dohna-Schlobitten
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Ferdinand Alexander zu Dohna-Schlobitten (29 March 1771 – 31 March 1831) was a Prussia
n politician.
(1746–1825). He studied cameralistics at the Universities of Frankfurt (Oder) and Göttingen. In Hamburg
, where he visited a commercial college, Dohna became a friend of Alexander von Humboldt
. In 1790 he joined the Royal Prussian War and Domain Chamber (Kriegs- und Domänenkammer) in Berlin
and was promoted to the Director of the regional chamber in Marienwerder in 1801.
After the Prussian defeat at Jena and Auerstedt in 1806 Dohna did not pay homage to Napoleon but just assured the local authorities wouldn't act against the French troops. Dohna was voluntarily detained as a hostage to secure his pledge.
In April 1807 Dohna negotiated with Napoleon at the Palace of Finckenstein
on a French-Prussian separate peace and achieved a waiver of contribution
payments of the province of West Prussia
.
On 4 August 1807 Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia appointed Dohna to the President of the Royal War and Domain Chamber. On proposal of Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein Dohna became his successor as Prussian minister of Interior after Stein was forced to leave his office on French pressure in 1808. As such Dohna supported the foundation of the University of Berlin by Wilhelm von Humboldt
.
Dohna came into opposition to Karl August von Hardenberg
and left office in November 1810. He returned to his estates in East Prussia
and organized a meeting of the Prussian estates
in Königsberg with Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg on 5 February 1813 after the Convention of Tauroggen
. Here Dohna was elected the Chairman of the Commission of People's Armament and organized the resistance against the retreating French troops after Napoleon's Russian campaign
.
Cooperating with Carl von Clausewitz
he elaborated an adjustment to create the Prussian Landwehr
, which was subsequently approved by the Prussian King on 17 March 1813, and was appointed to the Civil Governor of Prussian territory East of the Vistula
. After this position was abandoned in June 1814 Dohna retired again and returned to his estate of Schlobitten. He was still active in regional politics and was a deputy of the district of Mohrungen in the first East Prussian Parliament in 1824. He also protested against the Karlsbad Decrees in 1820.
Dohna died at Königsberg.
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n politician.
Biography
Dohna-Schlobitten was born at Finckenstein (today Kamieniec, Poland) to Friedrich Alexander Burggraf und Graf zu Dohna-Schlobitten (1741–1810) and Caroline née Finck von FinckensteinFinck von Finckenstein
- Origins :The first representative of this family appeared authentically with 'Nicze of Roghusen' in 1388 in Roggenhausen in East Prussia according to the state archive in Koenigsberg. Under its current name, the house appears authentically in 1451 with 'Michael Fincke' who calls himself 'Finck...
(1746–1825). He studied cameralistics at the Universities of Frankfurt (Oder) and Göttingen. In Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, where he visited a commercial college, Dohna became a friend of Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
. In 1790 he joined the Royal Prussian War and Domain Chamber (Kriegs- und Domänenkammer) in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and was promoted to the Director of the regional chamber in Marienwerder in 1801.
After the Prussian defeat at Jena and Auerstedt in 1806 Dohna did not pay homage to Napoleon but just assured the local authorities wouldn't act against the French troops. Dohna was voluntarily detained as a hostage to secure his pledge.
In April 1807 Dohna negotiated with Napoleon at the Palace of Finckenstein
Finckenstein Palace
The Finckenstein Palace was a baroque palace, projected by the architect John von Collas between 1716 and 1720 in former East Prussia, today Poland...
on a French-Prussian separate peace and achieved a waiver of contribution
Contribution
Contribute may refer to:*Adobe Contribute Web editing softwareContribution may refer to:*Donation*Sharing*Payment*Contribution : a payment between defendants with joint and several liability to apportion liability....
payments of the province of West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
.
On 4 August 1807 Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia appointed Dohna to the President of the Royal War and Domain Chamber. On proposal of Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein Dohna became his successor as Prussian minister of Interior after Stein was forced to leave his office on French pressure in 1808. As such Dohna supported the foundation of the University of Berlin by Wilhelm von Humboldt
Wilhelm von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Karl Ferdinand Freiherr von Humboldt was a German philosopher, government functionary, diplomat, and founder of Humboldt Universität. He is especially remembered as a linguist who made important contributions to the philosophy of language and to the theory and practice...
.
Dohna came into opposition to Karl August von Hardenberg
Karl August von Hardenberg
Karl August Fürst von Hardenberg was a Prussian statesman and Prime Minister of Prussia. While during his late career he acquiesced to reactionary policies, earlier in his career he implemented a variety of Liberal reforms...
and left office in November 1810. He returned to his estates in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
and organized a meeting of the Prussian estates
Prussian estates
The Prussian estates were representative bodies of Prussia, first created by the Monastic state of Teutonic Prussia in the 14th century but later becoming a devolved legislature for Royal Prussia within the Kingdom of Poland...
in Königsberg with Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg on 5 February 1813 after the Convention of Tauroggen
Convention of Tauroggen
The Convention of Tauroggen was a truce signed 30 December 1812 at Tauroggen , between Generalleutnant Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg on behalf of his Prussian troops, and by General Hans Karl von Diebitsch of the Russian Army...
. Here Dohna was elected the Chairman of the Commission of People's Armament and organized the resistance against the retreating French troops after Napoleon's Russian campaign
Russian Campaign
The Russian campaign may refer to:* the Russian Campaign of Napoleon in 1812 * the World War II on the Eastern Front * The Russian Campaign, a strategic board wargame of the World War II on the Eastern Front 1941-1945....
.
Cooperating with Carl von Clausewitz
Carl von Clausewitz
Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz was a Prussian soldier and German military theorist who stressed the moral and political aspects of war...
he elaborated an adjustment to create the Prussian Landwehr
Landwehr
Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
, which was subsequently approved by the Prussian King on 17 March 1813, and was appointed to the Civil Governor of Prussian territory East of the Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
. After this position was abandoned in June 1814 Dohna retired again and returned to his estate of Schlobitten. He was still active in regional politics and was a deputy of the district of Mohrungen in the first East Prussian Parliament in 1824. He also protested against the Karlsbad Decrees in 1820.
Dohna died at Königsberg.