Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm Freiherr von Lützow (May 18, 1782 – December 6, 1834) was a Prussian
lieutenant general
notable for his organization and command of a Lützow Freikorps
of volunteers during the Napoleonic Wars
. He came from the House of Mecklenburg
, his father was a Prussian Major General Johann Adolph von Lützow (1748–1819), and his mother, Wilhelmine (née von Zastrow) (1754 to 1815).
Lützow was born in Berlin
. He first entered the Prussian Army
in 1795, and eleven years later as a lieutenant took part in the disastrous battle of Auerstadt. He then achieved distinction in the siege of Kolberg
, as the leader of a squadron of Schill's volunteers.
In 1808, as a major he retired from the Prussian army, indignant at the humiliating treaty of Tilsit. He took part in the heroic venture of his old chief Schill in 1809; wounded at Dodendorf and left behind, he thereby escaped the fate of his comrades, many of whom were either killed at the Battle of Stralsund (1809)
or executed at Napoleon's command in the aftermath.
to organize a free corps consisting of infantry, cavalry and Tirol
ese marksmen, for attacking flanks or in guerilla fighting in the French rear and rallying the smaller governments into the ranks of the allies. From their uniform, they were known as the “Black Troopers” or “Black Riflemen.”
The valor of the Black Troop is commemorated in Theodor Körner
's poem “Lützows wilde, verwegene Jagd” (Lützow's wild, daring hunt). As Lützow's adjutant, he met his death in battle. Among other notable members of the corps were Friedrich Froebel and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
.
This corps played a marked part in the campaign of 1813. But Lützow was unable to coerce the minor states, and the wanderings of the corps had little military influence. At Kitzen (near Leipzig
) the whole corps, warned too late of the armistice of Poischwitz, was caught on the French side of the line of demarcation, and, as a fighting force, annihilated. Lützow himself, wounded, cut his way out with the survivors, and immediately began reorganizing and recruiting.
In the second part of the campaign the corps he served in more regular warfare under Wallmoden. Lützow and his men distinguished themselves at Gadebusch
(where Körner fell) and Göhrde
(where Lützow himself, for the second time, received a severe wound at the head of the cavalry). Sent next against Denmark
, and later employed at the siege of Jülich
, Lützow in 1814 fell into the hands of the French.
he led the 6th Ulans to the charge, but they were broken by the French cavalry, and he finally remained in the hands of the enemy, escaping, however, on the day of Waterloo
. Made colonel in this year, his subsequent promotions were: major-general 1822, and lieutenant-general (on retirement) 1830.
One of the last acts of his life for which Lützow is remembered is his challenge (which was ignored) to Blücher
, who had been ridden down in the rout of the 6th Ulans at Ligny, and had made, in his official report, comments thereon, which their colonel considered disparaging.
of World War I, and the heavy cruiser Lützow (ex-Deutschland) of World War II, were named after him.
The 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow
was also named after him.
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
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....
notable for his organization and command of a Lützow Freikorps
Lützow Free Corps
Lützow Free Corps was a voluntary force of the Prussian army during the Napoleonic Wars. It was named after its commander, Ludwig Adolf Wilhelm von Lützow. They were also widely known as "Lützower Jäger" or "Schwarze Jäger" .-Origins:...
of volunteers during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. He came from the House of Mecklenburg
House of Mecklenburg
The House of Mecklenburg is a North German dynasty of West Slavic origin that ruled until 1918.- Origins :Niklot was a lord of the Wendish tribe of Obotrites. When the Holy Roman Empire expanded eastwards, notably to the coast of Baltic in 13th century, a portion of Obotrite lords allied with...
, his father was a Prussian Major General Johann Adolph von Lützow (1748–1819), and his mother, Wilhelmine (née von Zastrow) (1754 to 1815).
Early life
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 first entered the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
in 1795, and eleven years later as a lieutenant took part in the disastrous battle of Auerstadt. He then achieved distinction in the siege of Kolberg
Siege of Kolberg (1807)
The Siege of Kolberg, also known as siege of Colberg took place from March to 2 July 1807 during the War of the Fourth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars. An army of the First French Empire and its client states besieged the Prussian fortified town of Kolberg, the only remaining Prussian-held...
, as the leader of a squadron of Schill's volunteers.
In 1808, as a major he retired from the Prussian army, indignant at the humiliating treaty of Tilsit. He took part in the heroic venture of his old chief Schill in 1809; wounded at Dodendorf and left behind, he thereby escaped the fate of his comrades, many of whom were either killed at the Battle of Stralsund (1809)
Battle of Stralsund (1809)
The Battle of Stralsund on 31 May 1809 was a battle during the War of the Fifth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars, between Ferdinand von Schill's freikorps and Napoleonic forces in Stralsund...
or executed at Napoleon's command in the aftermath.
Lützow Free Corps
In 1811, he was restored to the Prussian army as major, and at the outbreak of the German War of Liberation received permission from ScharnhorstGerhard von Scharnhorst
Gerhard Johann David Waitz von Scharnhorst was a general in Prussian service, Chief of the Prussian General Staff, noted for both his writings, his reforms of the Prussian army, and his leadership during the Napoleonic Wars....
to organize a free corps consisting of infantry, cavalry and Tirol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
ese marksmen, for attacking flanks or in guerilla fighting in the French rear and rallying the smaller governments into the ranks of the allies. From their uniform, they were known as the “Black Troopers” or “Black Riflemen.”
The valor of the Black Troop is commemorated in Theodor Körner
Theodor Körner
----Theodor Körner, Edler von Siegringen served as the fifth President of Austria, between 1951 and 1957.- Life :...
's poem “Lützows wilde, verwegene Jagd” (Lützow's wild, daring hunt). As Lützow's adjutant, he met his death in battle. Among other notable members of the corps were Friedrich Froebel and Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist. He is commonly known as Turnvater Jahn, roughly meaning "father of gymnastics" Jahn.- Life :...
.
This corps played a marked part in the campaign of 1813. But Lützow was unable to coerce the minor states, and the wanderings of the corps had little military influence. At Kitzen (near Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
) the whole corps, warned too late of the armistice of Poischwitz, was caught on the French side of the line of demarcation, and, as a fighting force, annihilated. Lützow himself, wounded, cut his way out with the survivors, and immediately began reorganizing and recruiting.
In the second part of the campaign the corps he served in more regular warfare under Wallmoden. Lützow and his men distinguished themselves at Gadebusch
Battle of Gadebusch
The Battle of Gadebusch was Sweden's final great victory in the Great Northern War. It was fought by the Swedes to prevent the loss of the city of Stralsund to Danish and Saxon forces.- Prelude :...
(where Körner fell) and Göhrde
Battle of the Göhrde
The battle of the Göhrde was a battle of the War of the Sixth Coalition on 18 September 1813 between Napoleonic and Coalition troops at Göhrde in Germany. The Napoleonic troops were defeated and withdrew to Hamburg.-Site:...
(where Lützow himself, for the second time, received a severe wound at the head of the cavalry). Sent next against Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and later employed at the siege of Jülich
Siege of Jülich
The Siege of Jülich was a siege that took place between September 5 1621 and February 3 1622, during the Palatinate campaign of the Thirty Years' War...
, Lützow in 1814 fell into the hands of the French.
Late career
After the peace of 1814 the corps was dissolved, the infantry becoming the 25th Regiment, the cavalry the 6th Ulans. At LignyBattle of Ligny
The Battle of Ligny was the last victory of the military career of Napoleon I. In this battle, French troops of the Armée du Nord under Napoleon's command, defeated a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, near Ligny in present-day Belgium. The bulk of the Prussian army survived, however, and...
he led the 6th Ulans to the charge, but they were broken by the French cavalry, and he finally remained in the hands of the enemy, escaping, however, on the day of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. Made colonel in this year, his subsequent promotions were: major-general 1822, and lieutenant-general (on retirement) 1830.
One of the last acts of his life for which Lützow is remembered is his challenge (which was ignored) to Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
, who had been ridden down in the rout of the 6th Ulans at Ligny, and had made, in his official report, comments thereon, which their colonel considered disparaging.
Legacy
Several German warships including SMS LützowSMS Lützow
SMS Lützow"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the second built by the German Kaiserliche Marine before World War I. Ordered as a replacement for the old protected cruiser , Lützow was launched on 29 November 1913, but not completed until 1916...
of World War I, and the heavy cruiser Lützow (ex-Deutschland) of World War II, were named after him.
The 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow
37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow
37. SS Freiwilligen Kavallerie Division "Lützow" was ordered to be formed in February 1945, consisting of remnants of 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer and 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia, including former's SS Pionier Battalion 8, in addition to mostly 16- or 17-year old...
was also named after him.