Karl Wilhelm Heinrich von Kleist (1 November 1836,

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...

- 2 January 1917,

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

) was a

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...

n officer of the

Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...

, most recently

General of the Cavalry (Germany) General of the Cavalry (german: General der Kavallerie) was a General of the branch OF8-rank in the Imperial Army, the interwar Reichswehr, and the Wehrmacht. It was the second-highest General officer rank below Generaloberst. Artillery officer ...

. On the occasion of his 50th anniversary of service in 1906, Kleist was promoted to

General of Cavalry General of the Cavalry (german: General der Kavallerie) was a General officer rank in the cavalry in various states of which the modern states of German and Austria are successors or in other armies which used the German model. Artillery officers ...

Life

Hereditary Lineage

Karl Wilhelm Heinrich von Kleist came from the

Eastern Pomerania Eastern Pomerania can refer to distinct parts of Pomerania: *The historical region of Farther Pomerania, which was the eastern part of the Duchy, later Province of Pomerania *The historical region of Pomerelia including Gdańsk Pomerania, located ...

nobility, widely branched into Prussia and the

Baltic States The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ...

Geschlecht

Von Kleist The House of Kleist is the name of an old and distinguished Pomeranian Prussian noble family, whose members obtained many important military positions within the Kingdom of Prussia and later in the German Empire. Notable members *Henning Alexan ...

. Within the family he belonged to the branch Kleist of Bornstedt Crown Estate to which the Prussian crown was approved on 11 April 1803, the name and coat of arms with the Association of Bornstedt. He was the third son of the Prussian Major Ludwig Karl Kleist of Bornstedt ( 1772-1854), inheriting commissioner on Hohennauen, and his second wife Wilhelmine von Hanstein (1818-1869)

Military career

Because he would not inherit his father's

entailed estate In English common law, fee tail or entail is a form of trust established by deed or settlement which restricts the sale or inheritance of an estate in real property and prevents the property from being sold, devised by will, or otherwise aliena ...

, Kleist chose the military profession. He resigned on March 6, 1856 as an ensign in the 10th Hussars Regiment of 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 ...

, where he was appointed on 5 February 1857 Second Lieutenant.Geschichte des magdeburgischen Husaren-Regiments Nr. 10. Zusammengestellt bei Gelegenheit der Feier des 50jährigen Bestehens desselben am 19. November 1863. Verlag A. Duncker, Berlin 1863. Kleist spent a very long time as a lieutenant with multiple dislocations to other units. He was made on December 15, 1863 the adjutant of the 8th Cavalry Brigade, 1866 adjutant of the

7th Division (German Empire) The 7th Division (''7. Division'') was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Magdeburg in November 1816 as a brigade and became a division on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IV Army Corps (''I ...

and there promoted on July 20, 1866 to first lieutenant. Again adjutant, this time in the 11th Cavalry Brigade, he was finally supernumerary leaving in his post as a captain. On December 14, 1868, he came back to his unit and was squadron leader. Finally, he was on October 24, 1871

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...

officer in the 13th Division, after he had previously been seconded for several months to the Great General Staff. Since September 10, 1872, he was a Major. After further uses in various positions on the General Staff, he returned in 1878 back to the military service and became final after a period of temporary assignment Commander of the Dragoon Regiment No. 19 and lieutenant colonel. In 1883 he was promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the 25th (Grand Ducal Hessian) Cavalry Brigade and 1888

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

. Finally, the emperor appointed him on 18 October 1891 the commander of the 10th Division in

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...

and to

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

. In 1898 he was called into question. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary service in 1906 Kleist was promoted to

General of the cavalry General of the Cavalry (german: General der Kavallerie) was a General officer rank in the cavalry in various states of which the modern states of German and Austria are successors or in other armies which used the German model. Artillery officers o ...

Family

Kleist was married on June 19, 1869 to Clare Gordon (born July 6, 1849 in Breslau, † 1920), daughter of the Prussian

General of the Infantry General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Impe ...

Helmuth von Gordon

Awards

Red Eagle Order The Order of the Red Eagle (german: Roter Adlerorden) was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful se ...

3rd Class with Swords on Ring *

Order of the Crown (Prussia) The Royal Order of the Crown (german: Königlicher Kronen-Orden) was a Prussian order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an honour equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, membership could only be conferred upon commissioned officers (or civ ...

2nd Class *

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

2nd Class (1870) *

Order of the Zähringer Lion The Order of the Zähringer Lion was instituted on 26 December 1812 by Karl, Grand Duke of Baden, in memory of the Dukes of Zähringen Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As ...

Knight's Cross Knight's Cross (German language ''Ritterkreuz'') refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that often denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield. Most frequently the term Knight's Cross is used to refer to the Knight's Cr ...

1st Class with Oak Leaves and Swords * Oldenburg House and Merit Order of Duke Peter Frederick Louis

References

Notes

Citations

* Genealogical Handbook of the nobility. A band XIII. 322 S. C. A. Strong-Verlag. Limburg. In 1975. * Genealogist. Handbook, op. S. 324 * Gustav Kratz: Ibid. Supplement to Volume III. S. 175 *

Kurt von Priesdorff Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...

: soldierly Führertum. Volume 7 Hanseatic Hamburg publishing house. o.J. S. 310

Bibliography

* Gustav Kratz u.a.: Die Geschichte des Geschlechts von Kleist (The History of von Kleist), Band III, Nr. 775, Seite 45
PDF

External links

Homepage of the family von Kleist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kleist, Karl Wilhelm Heinrich von 1836 births 1917 deaths Generals of Cavalry (Prussia) Recipients of the Iron Cross (1870), 2nd class Karl Wilhelm