Ferdinand Von Kummer
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Rudolf Ferdinand von Kummer was a Prussian general who participated in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars.


Biography


Early life and family

Rudolf Ferdinand was the son of the Prussian chief bailiff Ferdinand Friedrich Kummer (1787–1835) and his wife Eva, born von Kalinowski (1799–1863). Kummer married Henriette Johannes (1817-1892) on February 26, 1838, in Polskawies, Gnesen district. The following children were born from the marriage: *Amalie Karoline Johanne (* 1838) ⚭ Walter von Kalckstein (1840–1903), Prussian major general *Heinrich Ferdinand (1841–1924), Prussian Lieutenant General ⚭ Marie Kahlbaum (1848–1894)


Military career

Kummer attended grammar school in
Bromberg Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
and Posen. He then enlisted in the
Prussian Army The Royal Prussian Army (1701–1919, german: Königlich Preußische Armee) served as the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It became vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power. The Prussian Army had its roots in the co ...
on January 13, 1834, as a
Fusilier Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French language, French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has ...
in the 18th Infantry Regiment; and was promoted to second lieutenant in mid-September of the next year. In 1848 he took part in several battles against Polish insurgents as a captain and general staff officer. After the fighting he was assigned to the Reorganization Commission in the
Province of Posen The Province of Posen (german: Provinz Posen, pl, Prowincja Poznańska) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1848 to 1920. Posen was established in 1848 following the Greater Poland Uprising as a successor to the Grand Duchy of Posen, w ...
. After being promoted to major in 1855, he was transferred to the 10th Division as a staff officer. Later he was transferred to the Guard Corps. In 1860, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the I Corps, based in Königsberg. Soon after, he was reassigned to the same position back in the Guard Corps. It was here that he was promoted to colonel in 1861. From 1864 to 1865 Kummer commanded the 37th (West Prussian) Fusilier Regiment, which was stationed in Rawicz. His next command was over the 25th Infantry Brigade in Münster, which he commanded as major general from 1865. With his unit he served in the
Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...
, participating in the
Campaign of the Main The Campaign of the Main (in German: ''Mainfeldzug'') was a campaign of the Prussian army in the area of the river Main against the allies of Austria in Southern Germany during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Preliminary campaign While the gr ...
. After the end of the war, on September 20, 1866, Kummer received the prestigious Pour le Mérite for his achievements. In 1868 he became inspector of the Mainz garrison with the rank of lieutenant general. After the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War, Kummer was given command of the 3rd Reserve Division on August 10, 1870. This division was composed of the subordinate 3rd Landwehr Division, an infantry brigade, a reserve cavalry brigade and some artillery and pioneers. With said unit he participated in the Siege of Metz until the surrender. His division fought in the
Battle of Noisseville The Battle of Noisseville on 31 August 1870 was fought during the Franco-Prussian War and ended in a Prussian victory. Traveling from Metz, the French forces under Marshal François Achille Bazaine attempted to break through the investing line o ...
and carried the brunt of the Battle of Bellevue. After the fall of Metz on October 27, 1870, he was in command of Metz until November 6. Meanwhile the Landwehr and infantry units were tasked with escorting the numerous prisoners of war and the division was broken up. Then Kummer took over command of the 15th Division, part of the VIII Corps and the First Army in northern France. There he fought successfully in the Battle of Amiens and the Battle of the Hallue and led the advance on Bapaume, which led to the Battle of Bapaume. After the victory at Saint-Quentin on January 19, 1871, the fighting was over for him. He also received the oak leaves of the Pour le Mérite on January 12, 1871.Hermann Fechner, ''Der Deutsch-Französische Krieg von 1870/71'', Page 412 After peace was made with the Treaty of Frankfurt Kummer went to Cologne, where he also served as governor from October 1873 to January 1875. Afterwards Kummer was promoted to General of the Infantry and semi-retired. In addition to his salary, he received an annual bonus of 6,000 marks. On January 9, 1877, Kummer was retired while simultaneously being awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle with Oak Leaves and Swords. He died in Hanover in 1900 and was buried there in the New St. Nikolai Cemetery.


References


Bibliography


''Kummer, Rudolf Ferdinand von''
In: '' Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon'' 1894–1896, 10. Band, S. 798.
Kummer - eLexikon
* Edmund Ollier
''Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871''
1871. * * Georg Karl Friedrich Viktor von Alten
''Handbuch für Heer und Flotte: Enzyklopädie der Kriegswissenschaften und verwandter Gebiete''
Volume 5, Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong, 1913. * Hermann Adolph Fechner
''Der deutsch-französische Krieg 1870/71''
G. Grote, 1890. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kummer, Ferdinand von 1816 births 1900 deaths German military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War Prussian people of the Austro-Prussian War Generals of Infantry (Prussia) Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class) People from East Prussia