Moriz von Lyncker
Encyclopedia
Moriz Freiherr von Lyncker (30 January 1853 – 20 January 1932) was a Prussian officer of the German Empire
and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet
.
Lyncker was born in Spandau
, Prussia
into a military family, with his father, his father-in-law and two brothers being officers. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71, and two of his sons died in the First World War.
After the sudden death of the Chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet, General Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
, von Lyncker was on 17 November 1908 appointed to the post. He was responsible for personnel matters of the Prussian army and during First World War he was one of the closest aides to Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was present at the famous German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912.
He has been evaluated as "politically innocent, intellectually mediocre, with subservient devotion to Wilhelm II."
On the other hand, as the First World War progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", he worked with Georg Alexander von Müller
, Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
, at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin.
Moriz Freiherr von Lyncker (30 January 1853 – 20 January 1932) was a Prussian officer of the German Empire
and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet
.
Lyncker was born in Spandau
, Prussia
into a military family, with his father, his father-in-law and two brothers being officers. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71, and two of his sons died in the First World War.
After the sudden death of the Chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet, General Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
, von Lyncker was on 17 November 1908 appointed to the post. He was responsible for personnel matters of the Prussian army and during First World War he was one of the closest aides to Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was present at the famous German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912.
He has been evaluated as "politically innocent, intellectually mediocre, with subservient devotion to Wilhelm II."
On the other hand, as the First World War progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", he worked with Georg Alexander von Müller
, Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
, at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin.
Moriz Freiherr von Lyncker (30 January 1853 – 20 January 1932) was a Prussian officer of the German Empire
and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet
.
Lyncker was born in Spandau
, Prussia
into a military family, with his father, his father-in-law and two brothers being officers. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71, and two of his sons died in the First World War.
After the sudden death of the Chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet, General Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
, von Lyncker was on 17 November 1908 appointed to the post. He was responsible for personnel matters of the Prussian army and during First World War he was one of the closest aides to Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was present at the famous German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912.
He has been evaluated as "politically innocent, intellectually mediocre, with subservient devotion to Wilhelm II."
On the other hand, as the First World War progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", he worked with Georg Alexander von Müller
, Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
, at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin.Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Kaiser Wilhelm II. als Oberster Kriegsherr im Ersten Weltkrieg: Quellen aus der militärischen Umgebung des Kaisers 1914-1918, bearb. v. Holger Afflerbach. München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2005. 1.051 S. EUR 118.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-3-486-57581-1.
By 10 August 1914 he was considering replacing Helmuth von Moltke
with Erich von Falkenhayn
as Chief of the German General Staff
. After the failure of the Battle of the Marne
it was his duty to convince von Moltke to leave.
After 1915 he was ready to moderate Germany's aims to achieve peace, but still demanded that the Reich should retain Belgium or at least the Belgian ports for future use against Britain. Like Falkenhayn, he wanted a compromise peace with tsarist Russia and a substantial victory over Britain and France.
He died in Demnitz, Germany.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet
German Imperial Military Cabinet
The Prussian Military Cabinet or the German Military Cabinet was a military institution under the direct command authority of the Prussian king and German emperor for handling personnel matters of the army officer corps....
.
Lyncker was born in Spandau
Spandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
, Prussia
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...
into a military family, with his father, his father-in-law and two brothers being officers. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870-71, and two of his sons died in the First World War.
After the sudden death of the Chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet, General Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich Graf von Hülsen-Haeseler was an infantry general of the German Empire....
, von Lyncker was on 17 November 1908 appointed to the post. He was responsible for personnel matters of the Prussian army and during First World War he was one of the closest aides to Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was present at the famous German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912.
He has been evaluated as "politically innocent, intellectually mediocre, with subservient devotion to Wilhelm II."
On the other hand, as the First World War progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", he worked with Georg Alexander von Müller
Georg Alexander von Müller
Georg Alexander von Müller was an Admiral of the German Imperial Navy and close to the Kaiser in the run up to the First World War....
, Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
German Imperial Naval Cabinet
The German Imperial Naval Cabinet was a government office of German Imperial Navy, 1871-1918, which was responsible for the commanding naval officers, marine officers, engineers, naval stores, and munitions....
, at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin.
Moriz Freiherr von Lyncker (30 January 1853 – 20 January 1932) was a Prussian officer of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet
German Imperial Military Cabinet
The Prussian Military Cabinet or the German Military Cabinet was a military institution under the direct command authority of the Prussian king and German emperor for handling personnel matters of the army officer corps....
.
Lyncker was born in Spandau
Spandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
, Prussia
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...
into a military family, with his father, his father-in-law and two brothers being officers. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870-71, and two of his sons died in the First World War.
After the sudden death of the Chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet, General Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich Graf von Hülsen-Haeseler was an infantry general of the German Empire....
, von Lyncker was on 17 November 1908 appointed to the post. He was responsible for personnel matters of the Prussian army and during First World War he was one of the closest aides to Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was present at the famous German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912.
He has been evaluated as "politically innocent, intellectually mediocre, with subservient devotion to Wilhelm II."
On the other hand, as the First World War progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", he worked with Georg Alexander von Müller
Georg Alexander von Müller
Georg Alexander von Müller was an Admiral of the German Imperial Navy and close to the Kaiser in the run up to the First World War....
, Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
German Imperial Naval Cabinet
The German Imperial Naval Cabinet was a government office of German Imperial Navy, 1871-1918, which was responsible for the commanding naval officers, marine officers, engineers, naval stores, and munitions....
, at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin.
Moriz Freiherr von Lyncker (30 January 1853 – 20 January 1932) was a Prussian officer of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet
German Imperial Military Cabinet
The Prussian Military Cabinet or the German Military Cabinet was a military institution under the direct command authority of the Prussian king and German emperor for handling personnel matters of the army officer corps....
.
Lyncker was born in Spandau
Spandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
, Prussia
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...
into a military family, with his father, his father-in-law and two brothers being officers. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870-71, and two of his sons died in the First World War.
After the sudden death of the Chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet, General Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich von Hülsen-Haeseler
Dietrich Graf von Hülsen-Haeseler was an infantry general of the German Empire....
, von Lyncker was on 17 November 1908 appointed to the post. He was responsible for personnel matters of the Prussian army and during First World War he was one of the closest aides to Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was present at the famous German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912.
He has been evaluated as "politically innocent, intellectually mediocre, with subservient devotion to Wilhelm II."
On the other hand, as the First World War progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", he worked with Georg Alexander von Müller
Georg Alexander von Müller
Georg Alexander von Müller was an Admiral of the German Imperial Navy and close to the Kaiser in the run up to the First World War....
, Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
German Imperial Naval Cabinet
The German Imperial Naval Cabinet was a government office of German Imperial Navy, 1871-1918, which was responsible for the commanding naval officers, marine officers, engineers, naval stores, and munitions....
, at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin.Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Kaiser Wilhelm II. als Oberster Kriegsherr im Ersten Weltkrieg: Quellen aus der militärischen Umgebung des Kaisers 1914-1918, bearb. v. Holger Afflerbach. München: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2005. 1.051 S. EUR 118.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-3-486-57581-1.
By 10 August 1914 he was considering replacing Helmuth von Moltke
Helmuth von Moltke the Younger
Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke , also known as Moltke the Younger, was a nephew of Field Marshal Count Moltke and served as the Chief of the German General Staff from 1906 to 1914. The two are often differentiated as Moltke the Elder and Moltke the Younger...
with Erich von Falkenhayn
Erich von Falkenhayn
Erich von Falkenhayn was a German soldier and Chief of the General Staff during World War I. He became a military writer after World War I.-Early life:...
as Chief of the German General Staff
German General Staff
The German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German armed forces a decided advantage over its adversaries. The Staff amounted to its best "weapon" for nearly a century and a half....
. After the failure of the Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
it was his duty to convince von Moltke to leave.
After 1915 he was ready to moderate Germany's aims to achieve peace, but still demanded that the Reich should retain Belgium or at least the Belgian ports for future use against Britain. Like Falkenhayn, he wanted a compromise peace with tsarist Russia and a substantial victory over Britain and France.
He died in Demnitz, Germany.
Sources
- Holger Afflerbach (Hrsg.): Kaiser Wilhelm II. als Oberster Kriegsherr im Ersten Weltkrieg. Quellen aus der militärischen Umgebung des Kaisers 1914 - 1918, 2005. (Umfangreiche Sammlung von Briefen Lynckers an seine Frau über den Kaiser in der Kriegszeit)
- Biographische Skizze in: Kaiser Wilhelm II als Oberster Kriegsherr im Ersten Weltkrieg, hrsg. von Holger Afflerbach, München 2005 (Inhaltsverzeichnis, Akademie Aktuell: Rezension), Heft 1/2007, S.37f.