Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz (27 December 1796 - 2 August 1877) was a
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
GeneralfeldmarschallGeneralfeldmarschall was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
, born at
EisenachEisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Population was 43,626 in 2006.-History:...
.
Early life and Napoleonic Wars
He was educated at the cadet school of Stolp in
PomeraniaThe Province of Pomerania was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 until 1946. Since then it has been part of Germany and Poland....
from 1807 to 1811, in the midst of the misery and poverty caused by the French occupation. At the outbreak of the War of Liberation he and his elder brother made their way through the French positions to Breslau, where they were at once appointed to the army, the elder as
ensignEnsign is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
on probation, the younger to the substantive rank of
second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.In British English the rank is pronounced second /lɛf'tɛnənt/ , while in American English it is pronounced second /lu'tɛnənt/ ....
. After a vain attempt to transfer to the
BlücherGebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
HussarHussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry created in Hungary in the 15th century and used throughout Europe and in Latin America since the 18th century...
s, a regiment he had an intense boyish admiration for when it was quartered at Stolp, he was ordered to report to General Yorck, who treated him and the other officers from Breslau with coldness, until Steinmetz asked about returning to the king who had sent him.
The brothers were in the hardest fighting of the campaign of 1813, the elder being killed at the
battle of LeipzigThe Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, fought on 16–19 October 1813, was one of the most decisive defeats suffered by Napoleon Bonaparte. The battle was fought on German soil and involved German troops on both sides, as a large proportion of Napoleon's troops actually came from the German...
and the younger being wounded more than once. During the short halt on the
RhineThe Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe, at , with an average discharge of more than ....
he improved his military and general education. In the battles in
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, he won the
Iron CrossThe Iron Cross was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau...
, Second Class. After the peace, he entered
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
only once, fearing to spend the ten
ducatThe ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade currency throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, AGW, actual gold weight.-History:...
s that sent monthly to his mother. For the same reason, he did not take part in the pleasures of his better off comrades.
Character and marriage
His avoidance of youthful excesses helped him overcome bad health and become physically vigorous, which he was to the end of his military career. His character as well as his physique was strengthened by his Spartan way of life, but his temperament was embittered by the circumstances which imposed this self-restraint. His poverty and want of influence were the more obvious as he was, shortly after the wars, assigned to the lowly 2nd Foot Guards, stationed in
BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
He rigorously devoted himself to study and his professional duties. From 1820 to 1824 he studied at the General War Academy, graduating from the course with distinction, and so was appointed to the topographical section of the general staff. General von Müffling reported that he was arrogant and resented encouragement, which he probably regarded as patronising, but that his ability would outdistance his comrades. Steinmetz was too poor to buy a good horse or a house, and he had to live in his regimental quarters. However, shortly after his marriage to his cousin Julie, the daughter of Lieutenant-General KKF von Steinmetz (1768-1837), gave him enough money to temper his resentment, since his father-in-law was generous to the young couple, and helped him get an appointment as captain at the Landwehr Guard at
PotsdamPotsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and is part of the Metropolitan area of Berlin/Brandenburg. It is situated on the River Havel, some 25 kilometres southwest of the centre of Berlin....
. His brigade commander,
General von RöderErhard Ernst von Röder was a Prussian Field Marshal General, Minister of War and Minister of Finance.-Life:...
, was an excellent soldier, and Steinmetz often spoke of the thorough training he received.
Garrison duty
From 1830 his regimental work went on without incident in various garrisons, until in 1839 he was promoted to major given command of a battalion. In this position he had many differences with his superiors, for he urged strenuous training for the troops, in all seasons. However, his off-duty relationships were extremely cordial, thanks chiefly to the social gifts of his wife.
In 1848, he commanded a guard battalion during the disturbances in Berlin, but was not involved. The same year, he was sent to fight in the First Schleswig War. After the battle of Schleswig, Wrangel, the commander-in-chief, told him that he had decided the battle. He distinguished himself again at Düppel, and Prince William decorated him with the order
Pour le MériteThe Pour le Mérite, known informally during World War I as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order until the end of World War I....
.
On returning to Germany, he was given the difficult command of troops at
BrandenburgBrandenburg is one of the sixteen states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
during the sitting of a democratic popular convention there, troops known to be affected by the revolution. During the
Olmütz-Bronnzell incidentThe Punctation of Olmütz , also called the Agreement of Olmütz, was a treaty between Prussia and Austria, dated 29 November 1850, by which Prussia abandoned the Erfurt Union and accepted the revival of the German Confederation under Austrian leadership....
of 1850, he was military governor of
CasselCassel is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Its settlement dates from Roman times and it has been the site of several battles.-History:...
. In 1851, he became colonel commandant of the cadet school of Berlin, where he reformed the prevailing system of instruction, the defects of which he had condemned as early as 1820. Though more than fifty years of age, he learned
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
and
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
to be a more competent instructor.
1854-1864
In 1854, after forty-one years of active service, he was promoted major-general. At
MagdeburgMagdeburg , the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, is situated at the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe. Emperor Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor, lived during most of his reign in the town and was buried in the cathedral after his death...
, as at Berlin, his reforming zeal made him many enemies, and in October his youngest and only surviving child died at twenty-six, which affected him deeply. In 1857, he was posted to the command of a guard brigade at Berlin, and thence almost immediately to a divisional command in the I Corps. Early in 1858 he was promoted lieutenant-general, and for the five years that he held this command he devoted himself to cavalry. In 1863, learning that
Adolf von BoninAlbert Ferdinand Adolf Karl Friedrich von Bonin was a Corps commander of the Prussian Army at the Battle of Trautenau in 1866, and a colleague of Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz.-References:...
, his senior by date of rank, but his junior in age and length of service, was to be appointed to the command of the I Corps, he considered retirement. However, when Bonin took command, Stenmetz was given command of the II Corps. Shortly afterwards, the
crown princeA Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of
PrussiaPrussia was a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries this state had substantial influence on German and European history...
Frederick WilliamFrederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888 during the Year of the Three Emperors...
took over II Corps and Steinmetz went to command the V Corps at
PosenPosen may refer to:Places in Europe:* Poznań, Poland * Grand Duchy of Posen, autonomous province of Prussia, 1815–1848* Province of Posen, Prussian province, 1848–1918...
. Soon after this his wife died.
Austro-Prussian War
He was promoted general of infantry in 1864, and led the V Corps in the
Austro-Prussian WarThe Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the other, that...
of 1866. His skillful and resolute leadership was displayed in three battles on three successive days, the
Battle of NachodThe Battle of Nachod was the first major action of the Austro-Prussian War.-Events:The Prussian Second Army, invading Bohemia, had to split up in order to negotiate the passes of the Riesen Mountains. General Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz's 5th Corps was nearly caught as it emerged from a gully by...
,
SkalitzBattle of Skalitz was a minor engagement in the Königgratz/Sadowa campaign of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 in Bohemia on June 28th. The Battle of Nachod the previous day set the scene for Steinmetz to advance on Skalitz where he defeated Archduke Leopold.- External links :*...
and
SchweinschädelBattle of Schweinschädel was a minor engagement of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, during the Koniggratz/Sadowa campaign in Bohemia on the 29th June....
, and opened the way through the mountains in spite of Bonin's defeat at Trautenau. In 1867, the "Lion of Nachod", as he was popularly called, married Elise von Krosigk (who after his death married Count Bruhl). He was now, for the first time in his life, a fairly wealthy man, having been awarded a money grant for his brilliant services in 1866. About this time he was elected a member of the
North German ConfederationThe North German Confederation , came into existence in August 1866 as a military alliance of 22 states of northern Germany with the Kingdom of Prussia as the leading state. In July 1867 it was transformed into a federal state...
parliament.
Franco-Prussian War
At the outbreak of the
Franco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between France and Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and Bavaria...
in 1870, Steinmetz was appointed to command one of the three armies assembled on the
RhineThe Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe, at , with an average discharge of more than ....
, the others being led by Prince Frederick Charles and the crown prince. It was not long before serious differences arose between Steinmetz and Prince Frederick Charles. Steinmetz, embittered by his lifelong struggle against the influences of wealth and position, saw an order to clear the roads for the prince's army as an attempt to crowd a humbler comrade out of the fighting, and various incidents.
On 6 August he led the I army south from his position on the Moselle and moved straight toward the town of
SpicherenThe Battle of Spicheren, also known as the Battle of Forbach, was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War. The German victory compelled the French to withdraw to the defenses of Metz....
, cutting off Prince Frederick Charles from his forward cavalry units in the process. There he encountered the French 2nd Corps under
FrossardCharles Auguste Frossard was a French general.He entered the army from the École polytechnique in 1827, being posted to the engineers. He took part in the siege of Rome in 1849 and in that of Sevastopol in 1855, after which he was promoted general of brigade...
, which was fortified between Spicheren and Forbach and was able to stall him until the German II Army came to the aid of their compatriots and routed the French.
Eight days later he again encountered the French army at
Borny-ColombeyThe Battle of Borny-Colombey was a minor battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It saw the escape route of the French army under François Bazaine blocked when they encountered the First Army under von Steinmetz...
. At the
Battle of GravelotteThe Battle of Gravelotte was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War named after Gravelotte, a village in Lorraine between Metz and the former French–German frontier.-Terrain and armies:...
he lost his temper and wasted his troops against a French superior position, nearly causing the defeat of the Prussian armies. After this he was made to sing the national anthem, relieved of command and sent home as governor-general of the V and VI Army Corps districts.
Promotion to field marshal and later life
In April 1871, he retired at his own request, but his great services were not forgotten when victory had softened animosities, and he was promoted to field marshal, given a pension of 2000
thalerThe Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s and made a member of the upper chamber. In the spirit of loyalty which had guided his whole career, he made no attempt to justify his conduct in 1870. His life in retirement was quiet and happy, and he remained healthy to the last. He died at Bad Landeck on 2 August 1877. The 37th
FusilierFusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later developed into a regimental designation.-History:...
s of the German army bore his name as part of their regimental title.
See supplement of
Militär Wochenblatt (1877 and 1878).