August Wilhelm Graf von Kanitz
Encyclopedia
Graf August Karl Wilhelm von Kanitz (1783-1852) was a Prussia
n Lieutenant General
and was also the Minister of War
from 26 April to 16 June 1848 (without party affiliation) in the Camphausen
-Hansemann
government.
Kanitz became an officer-cadet in 1798, and an Ensign
one year later. In 1801 he was made a Second Lieutenant
. In 1806 he took part in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
. In 1810 he was promoted to First Lieutenant
and to Stabskapitän
in 1811. In 1812 Kanitz received the Pour le Mérite
award. In 1813-14 he took part in the War of the Sixth Coalition
. In 1813 he was made a Major
. Two years later he was assigned to be adjutant
to Frederick William III of Prussia
. In 1819 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
and in 1825 to Colonel
. From 1832 Von Kanitz was commander of the 1. Landwehrbrigade, after 1840 commanded the 1st Division and after 1841 the 15th Division. Between 1841 and 1848 Von Kanitz was the interim commander in Cologne
. In 1843 he became a Lieutenant General
and in 1848 was made a general officer commanding (Kommandierender General) on an interim basis.
Camphausen had originally planned to make Colonel Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald
his Minister of War. However, as part of an early power struggle over the right to decide on military matters, King Frederick William IV
refused to appoint him and instead chose Kanitz. His predecessor as War Minister was Karl von Reyher
, he was succeeded by General Ludwig Freiherr Roth von Schreckenstein
.
Von Kanitz was a Freemason and belonged to the Grand Lodge "Zu den drei Weltkugeln" in Berlin
.
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...
n Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and was also the Minister of War
Prussian Minister of War
The Prussian War Ministry was gradually established between 1808 and 1809 as part of a series of reforms initiated by the Military Reorganization Commission created after the disastrous Treaty of Paris. The War Ministry was to help bring the army under constitutional control, and, along with the...
from 26 April to 16 June 1848 (without party affiliation) in the Camphausen
Gottfried Ludolf Camphausen
Gottfried Ludolf Camphausen In 1848, Ludolf Camphausen stepped suddenly from his banker's deskat Cologne to the presidential chair of the Ministry of State at Berlin,...
-Hansemann
David Hansemann
David Justus Ludwig Hansemann was a Prussian politician and banker, serving as the Prussian Minister of Finance in 1848.- Life :...
government.
Kanitz became an officer-cadet in 1798, and an Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces 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....
one year later. In 1801 he was made a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. In 1806 he took part in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt were fought on 14 October 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale in today's Germany, between the forces of Napoleon I of France and Frederick William III of Prussia...
. In 1810 he was promoted to First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
and to Stabskapitän
Stabskapitän
Stabskapitän is a historic military rank, used in the Prussian and Russian armies. It ranked between the Premierleutnant and Hauptmann/Rittmeister in the Prussian army, and between lieutenant and captain in the Russian army...
in 1811. In 1812 Kanitz received the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
award. In 1813-14 he took part in the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
. In 1813 he was made a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. Two years later he was assigned to be adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
to Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
. In 1819 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and in 1825 to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. From 1832 Von Kanitz was commander of the 1. Landwehrbrigade, after 1840 commanded the 1st Division and after 1841 the 15th Division. Between 1841 and 1848 Von Kanitz was the interim commander in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. In 1843 he became a Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and in 1848 was made a general officer commanding (Kommandierender General) on an interim basis.
Camphausen had originally planned to make Colonel Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald
Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald
Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald was a Prussian general and politician.-Biography:Auerswald was born in Faulen, West Prussia where the family possessed the estates of Plauth and Tromnau....
his Minister of War. However, as part of an early power struggle over the right to decide on military matters, King Frederick William IV
Frederick William IV of Prussia
|align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of...
refused to appoint him and instead chose Kanitz. His predecessor as War Minister was Karl von Reyher
Karl von Reyher
Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Reyher was a Prussian officer who served as Prussian Minister of War in the government of Gottfried Ludolf Camphausen during the Revolution of 1848. After 1848 he also served as Prussian chief of staff....
, he was succeeded by General Ludwig Freiherr Roth von Schreckenstein
Ludwig Freiherr Roth von Schreckenstein
Ludwig Johann Karl Gregor Eusebius Freiherr Roth von Schreckenstein was a Prussian General of the cavalry and Minister of War....
.
Von Kanitz was a Freemason and belonged to the Grand Lodge "Zu den drei Weltkugeln" in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.