Christoph II von Dohna

Christoph II, Burggraf and Count of Dohna-Schlodien

Christoph II is memorialized on the Knights' Memorial in Berlin
Born (1702-10-25)October 25, 1702
Schlodien
Died May 19, 1762(1762-05-19) (aged 59)
Berlin, Prussia
Nationality Prussian
Known for General Prussian military in Silesian Wars and Seven Years' War
Relatives Christopher I, Burgrave and Count of Dohna-Schlodien

Christoph II, Burggraf and Count of Dohna-Schlodien (25 October 1702 in Schlodien – 19 May 1762 in Berlin) was a Prussian general. He was the son of Christopher I, Burgrave and Count of Dohna-Schlodien (1665–1733). He was proprietor of three infantry regiments during the years 1745–1762.

Family

Christoph II descended from an old Prussian family, Stanislaus von Dohna (1433–1504); his father, Christoph I. zu Dohna-Schlodien, was Stanislaus's great-grandson. His mother, Frede (Friederike) Marie (28 December 1660 – 22 November 1729 in Danzig), was the daughter of his uncle, Christian Albert, Burgrave and Count of Dohna. Christoph II married in Wildenfels on 18 Oktober 1734 to Gräfin Friederike zu Solms-Wildenfels (28 Mai 1714 – 9 April 1755). She was the daughter of Friedrich Christoph zu Solms-Wildenfels (1712–1792).[1][2]

Dohna's military career modeled that of other Junker sons. military career modeled that of other Junker sons. Many of the Junkers owned immense estates, especially in the north-eastern half of Germany (i.e. the Prussian provinces of Brandenburg, Pomerania, Silesia, West Prussia, East Prussia and Posen). Their younger sons followed careers as soldiers (Fahnenjunker) The Junkers controlled the Prussian Army.[3]

Military career

Dohna entered the military in service to Frederick William I of Prussia and initially served in the Infantry Regiment No. 23. On 16 August 1718, he was transferred to the Infantry Regiment Nr. 3, where he received his own company in 1723. In 1727, he was the youngest captain promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel.[4] Frederick William died in May 1740 and his son, Frederick II declined to endorse the Pragmatic Sanction.[5] This opened the way for rapid promotions; on 28 July 1740 he was promoted to colonel and commanded in the Infantry Regiment, Nr. 22.[4] By the end of 1740, with the death of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, Prussia and Austria were at war over Maria Theresa's succession.[6] On 20 June 1745, Dohna was appointed major general by patent of 15 May 1743 and chief of the Infantry Regiment Nr. 4 in 1745. He soon became the proprietor of Infantry Regiment Nr. 23. On July 14, 1748, he became Proprietor of Infantry Regiment No. 16, and on 25 January 1751, he became a lieutenant general.[4] He remained proprietor of the regiment until his death in 1762.[7]

Residence in Gładysze (Schlodien)

Dohna distinguished himself not only in the war against Austria, but subsequently in the first two of Frederick's three Silesian Wars. By 1751 he commanded the advanced guard of the Lehwaldt corps against the Russians at the first meeting at Groß-Jägersdorf, where he was wounded. Dohna was awarded the Order of the Black Eagle in 1753 and also promoted to lieutenant general in January of that year.[8]

After a brief interval of peace, in April 1758 he received the command of the troops in the Pomeranian Theater against the Swedes at Stralsund. He held the Russians at bay until the king's arrival at the Oder, and subsequently commanded a wing at the first meeting at the Zorndorf, a arguably strategic victory for the Prussians, but one at which they suffered high losses.[9] Subsequently, he forced the Russians to lift their siege of the Battle of Kolberg.[10] Russian casualties amounted to 600 troops.[11]After relieving the siege, his command acted against the Austrians and András Hadik in Saxony. By January 1759, he was back in Pomerania, and had taken the towns of Damgarten, Richtenberg, Grimm, Greifswald, Demmin and Anklam for Frederick, pushing the Swedes back to Stralsund and Rügen.[4]

The years 1758–1759 saw Dohna campaigning in two theaters: Saxony and upper Pomerania. The heavy campaigning in Saxony and the Baltic coast, some 340 kilometres (210 mi) distant from one another, damaged his health. In April 1759, Frederick recalled him to Berlin, to recover, writing that Dohna was too sick to continue: "Vous êtes trop malade pour vous charger du commandement. Vous ferez bien de vous faire transporter ou à Berlin ou dans un endroit où vous pourrez remettre votre santé." ("You are too sick to lead your troops; bring yourself to Berlin where you can recover your health.")[4] He was replaced by General Heinrich von Manteuffel.[8] After his recovery, though, he rejoined the army at Landsberg on the Warthe. On 24 June 1759 he marched with Manteuffel into Poland in their unsuccessful effort to prevent the Russians from advancing into Silesia. On 22 July 1759, he stood before the Russian army at Züllichau, but he again was recalled to Berlin for health reasons. His successor at Züllichau, Carl Heinrich von Wedel, engaged the Russian army at the Battle of Kay, which the Prussians lost with high casualties.[4]

After his recall, Dohna lived from then on in Berlin, where he died on 19 May 1762; his name is engraved in the Frederick II the Great's Equestrian Memorial.[4][12]

Promotions[8]

  • Fahnrich: 16 August 1718 (Regiment Nr. 23)
  • Captain: 1720
  • Lt Colonel: 1727
  • Colonel (Regiment Nr. 22): 28 July 1740
  • Proprietor (Regiment Nr. 4): 1745
  • Major General: 1745
  • Lt. General: 25 January 1753

References

  1. ↑ Toni Scharing (1959), "Christian Albrecht von Dohna", Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB) (in German), 4, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, p. 47
  2. ↑ Winkler (1892), "Solms, Friedrich Christoph Graf zu", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), 34, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, p. 576
  3. ↑ William W. Hagen, Ordinary Prussians – Brandenburg Junkers and Villagers, 1500–1840 (Cambridge University Press, 2007)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Artikel "Dohna, Christoph II." von Ernst Graf zur Lippe-Weißenfeld in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, herausgegeben von der Historischen Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Band 5 (1877), S. 302–303, Digitale Volltext-Ausgabe in Wikisource, URL: Christoph II (Version vom 7. Dezember 2016, 18:36 Uhr UTC)
  5. ↑ Robert B. Asprey Frederick the Great: The Magnificent Enigma. New York: Ticknor & Fields. 1986 ISBN 0-89919-352-8. p. 141
  6. ↑ Jay Luvaas, Frederick the Great on the Art of War. New York: Free Press. 1966 ISBN 978-1-11178-540-6.p 3.
  7. ↑ Duffy, Christopher (1974). The Army of Frederick the Great. New York, N.Y.: Hippocrene Books. p. 239. ISBN 0-88254-277-X.
  8. 1 2 3 Eduard Lange, Die soldaten Friedrichs des Grossen, H. Mendelssohn, 1853 Dohna. p. 72–73.
  9. ↑ A Hook. Zorndorf 1758: Frederick Faces Holy Mother Russia. Osprey Publishing. 2003. p. 83.
  10. ↑ Szabo, p. 187
  11. ↑ Jaques (2007), p. 538
  12. ↑ Denkmal König Friedrichs des Grossen: enthüllt am 31. Mai 1851, Verlag der Deckerschen Geheimen Ober-Hofbuchdruckerei, 1851, p. 7.


Military offices
Preceded by
Samuel von Polentz		 Proprietor of Infantry Regiment Nr. 4
1745 		Succeeded by
Karl Erhard von Kalnein
Preceded by
Wolf Alexander Ernst Chistoph von Blanckensee		 Proprietor of Infantry Regiment Nr. 23
1745–1748 		Succeeded by
Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix
Preceded by
Adam Christoph von Flanss		 Proprietor of Infantry Regiment Nr. 16
1748–1762 		Succeeded by
Friedrich Wilhelm von Syburg
Source: Duffy, Christopher (1974). The Army of Frederick the Great. New York, N.Y.: Hippocrene Books. pp. 237–241. ISBN 0-88254-277-X. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.