Eduard von Fransecky
Encyclopedia
Eduard Friedrich Karl von Fransecky (16 November 1807 - 22 May 1890) was Prussian general who served in the Austro-Prussian War
and the Franco-Prussian War
.
in a military family. In 1818 he entered a Prussian cadetschool in Potsdam
. In 1825 he was commissioned as an ensign in the 16th Infantry regiment stationed in Düsseldorf
. Between 1843 and 1857 Fransecky served in the Historical division of the Prussian general staff. He fought in the war against Denmark in 1848, serving in Schleswig.
In 1860 von Fransecky was attached to Oldenburg where he commanded an Oldenburgian infantry regiment. In November 1964 he was promoted to major-general and later to lieutenant-general. He was given command of the 7th Division stationed in Magdeburg
. In the Austro-Prussian War he distinguished himself at Münchengrätz
and Königgrätz
, for which he was given the Pour le Mérite
. Between 1867 and 1869 von Fransecky served as inspector of the Saxon army.
In 1870 von Fransecky became the commanding general of the Prussian 2nd Corps. During the Franco-Prussian War the Prussian 2nd Corps was part of the German 2nd army commanded by Prince Friedrich Karl. Fransecky distinguished himself at Gravelotte
, where he reached the battlefield after a 16 hour forced march. After Gravelotte, 2nd Corps was part of the troops besieging Metz. After the fall of Metz
Fransecky and 2nd Corps were sent to Paris
. During the Siege of Paris
Fransecky was given command of the troops between Seine
and Marne
. On 2 December 1870 Ducrot
tried to break through the German ring at Villiers
but the sortie was stopped by troops under Fransecky.
In January 1871 2nd Corps was detached from the siege and placed under command of Edwin von Manteuffel
's newly formed Army of the South. Under Manteuffel's command Fransecky took part in the operations in the Côte-d'Or
and Jura against Bourbaki
's Armée de l'Est
. After Bourbaki's forces were defeated at Pontarlier
and forced over the Swiss border, Fransecky was given command of 14th Corps in Strassbourg and awarded the oakleaves to his Pour le Mérite.
After the war he was given a dotation of 150.000 thaler. In 1879 he was made governor of Berlin
. He resigned as governor due to health reasons in 1882. Eduard von Francecky died in 1890 in Wiesbaden.
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
and 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...
.
Biography
Fransecky was born in 1807 in GedernGedern
Gedern is a town in the Wetteraukreis district in Hesse, Germany, and historically belongs to Oberhessen. It is located northeast of Hanau at the foot of the Vogelsberg, once one of the largest inactive volcanoes in Europe.-Neighboring towns:...
in a military family. In 1818 he entered a Prussian cadetschool in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
. In 1825 he was commissioned as an ensign in the 16th Infantry regiment stationed in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. Between 1843 and 1857 Fransecky served in the Historical division of the Prussian general staff. He fought in the war against Denmark in 1848, serving in Schleswig.
In 1860 von Fransecky was attached to Oldenburg where he commanded an Oldenburgian infantry regiment. In November 1964 he was promoted to major-general and later to lieutenant-general. He was given command of the 7th Division stationed in Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
. In the Austro-Prussian War he distinguished himself at Münchengrätz
Battle of Münchengrätz
The Battle of Münchengrätz was fought on June 28, 1866 during the Austro-Prussian War. It ended in an Prussians victory over the Austrian Empire.- References :...
and Königgrätz
Battle of Königgrätz
The Battle of Königgrätz , also known as the Battle of Sadowa, Sadová, or Hradec Králové, was the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire...
, for which he was given 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....
. Between 1867 and 1869 von Fransecky served as inspector of the Saxon army.
In 1870 von Fransecky became the commanding general of the Prussian 2nd Corps. During the Franco-Prussian War the Prussian 2nd Corps was part of the German 2nd army commanded by Prince Friedrich Karl. Fransecky distinguished himself at Gravelotte
Battle of Gravelotte
The Battle of Gravelotte was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War named after Gravelotte, a village in Lorraine between Metz and the former French–German frontier.-Terrain and armies:...
, where he reached the battlefield after a 16 hour forced march. After Gravelotte, 2nd Corps was part of the troops besieging Metz. After the fall of Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
Fransecky and 2nd Corps were sent to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. During the Siege of Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
Fransecky was given command of the troops between Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
and Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
. On 2 December 1870 Ducrot
Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot
Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot was a French general. Ducrot served in Algeria, in the Italian campaign of 1859, and as a division commander in the Franco-Prussian War....
tried to break through the German ring at Villiers
Battle of Villiers
The Battle of Villiers was the largest of the French sorties from besieged Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.-Background:After the French defeat at the battle of Le Bourget and hearing of the surrender of Metz, morale began to drop in Paris...
but the sortie was stopped by troops under Fransecky.
In January 1871 2nd Corps was detached from the siege and placed under command of Edwin von Manteuffel
Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel
Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German Generalfeldmarschall noted for his victories in the Franco-Prussian War....
's newly formed Army of the South. Under Manteuffel's command Fransecky took part in the operations in the Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
and Jura against Bourbaki
Charles Denis Bourbaki
Charles Denis Sauter Bourbaki was a French general.He was born at Pau, the son of Greek colonel Constantin Denis Bourbaki, who died in the War of Independence in 1827...
's Armée de l'Est
Armée de l'Est
The Armée de l'Est was a French army which took part in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71...
. After Bourbaki's forces were defeated at Pontarlier
Pontarlier
Pontarlier is a commune and one of the two sub-prefectures of the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-History:...
and forced over the Swiss border, Fransecky was given command of 14th Corps in Strassbourg and awarded the oakleaves to his Pour le Mérite.
After the war he was given a dotation of 150.000 thaler. In 1879 he was made governor of 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...
. He resigned as governor due to health reasons in 1882. Eduard von Francecky died in 1890 in Wiesbaden.