Remus von Woyrsch
Encyclopedia
William Martin Remus von Woyrsch (born February 4, 1847, at Gut Pilsnitz , District of Breslau/Wrocław, Lower Silesia
- August 6, 1920), was a Prussia
n Field Marshal
, a member of the Preußischen Herrenhauses (Prussian House of Lords
) from 1908–1918, and an Ehrenkommendator or Honorary Commander of the Order of St. John.
(Moravian Silesia). He married Thekla von Massow (1854–1943) from East Prussia, on September 26, 1873 in Potsdam
, Berlin
. She was the daughter of the royal Prussian Upper Forest Master Hermann von Massow.
His nephew Udo von Woyrsch
(1895–1983) was an important SS Obergruppenführer
and SS and Police Leader
.
where he was wounded but earned the Iron Cross
. In 1901 von Woyrsch was promoted to the divisional commander. Von Woyrsch retired in 1911 but was re-activated in August 1914 and was quickly sent to help the Austro-Hungarian Army
fighting in partitioned Poland. He came up to the Vistula
, and then reinforced the left wing of the Austro-Hungarian army under General Viktor Dankl von Krasnik. In the three days of battle against the Russian army von Woyrsch covered the retreat of the Austrians with his corps Landwehrkanal. The St. Petersburg newspaper wrote that: "Only the activity of the small Prussian Landwehr troops in this battle prevented the complete destruction of the Austrian army." Later he was included in Hindenburg's 9th army. In July 1915 he was involved in the breakthrough battle of Sienno
. In 1916 he helped fight off the Russia
n army Brusilov Offensive
and in 1917 was promoted Generalfeldmarschall
.
In 1920 he retired, again, to his family estate at the castle Pilsnitz near Breslau. After his death the famous Silesian
sculptor Paul Ondrusch
created a wooden sculpture of Remus von Woyrsch to decorate the main hall inside the town hall of Leobschütz. General von Woyrsch was portrayed as a knight wearing a coat and a chain mail, with his hands placed on a handle of a large sword resting against the ground.
Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...
- August 6, 1920), was a Prussia
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 Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, a member of the Preußischen Herrenhauses (Prussian House of Lords
Prussian House of Lords
The Prussian House of Lords was the first chamber of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1850-1918. The second chamber was the Prussian House of Representatives . The House of Lords was created on January 31, 1850 with the adoption of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia...
) from 1908–1918, and an Ehrenkommendator or Honorary Commander of the Order of St. John.
Family
Remus von Woyrsch came from old South Bohemia minor nobility, from about 1500 in Troppau/OpavaOpava
Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
(Moravian Silesia). He married Thekla von Massow (1854–1943) from East Prussia, on September 26, 1873 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....
, 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...
. She was the daughter of the royal Prussian Upper Forest Master Hermann von Massow.
His nephew Udo von Woyrsch
Udo von Woyrsch
Udo Gustav Wilhelm Egon von Woyrsch was a high ranking Nazi, who rose to the rank of SS Obergruppenführer and was responsible for numerous murders during The Holocaust.- Early life :...
(1895–1983) was an important SS Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer
Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
and SS and Police Leader
SS and Police Leader
SS and Police Leader was a title for senior Nazi officials that commanded large units of the SS, of Gestapo and of the regular German police during and prior to World War II.Three levels of subordination were established for bearers of this title:...
.
Career
After he finished high school in Breslau, he joined the 1st Potsdamer Garde-Grenadier Regiment on April 5, 1866. He served at the battle of Königgrätz in 1868. He later fought in the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian warFranco-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...
where he was wounded but earned the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
. In 1901 von Woyrsch was promoted to the divisional commander. Von Woyrsch retired in 1911 but was re-activated in August 1914 and was quickly sent to help the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
fighting in partitioned Poland. He came up to the Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
, and then reinforced the left wing of the Austro-Hungarian army under General Viktor Dankl von Krasnik. In the three days of battle against the Russian army von Woyrsch covered the retreat of the Austrians with his corps Landwehrkanal. The St. Petersburg newspaper wrote that: "Only the activity of the small Prussian Landwehr troops in this battle prevented the complete destruction of the Austrian army." Later he was included in Hindenburg's 9th army. In July 1915 he was involved in the breakthrough battle of Sienno
Sienno
Sienno may refer to the following places:*Sienno, Słupca County in Greater Poland Voivodeship *Sienno, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship *Sienno, Masovian Voivodeship...
. In 1916 he helped fight off the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n army Brusilov Offensive
Brusilov Offensive
The Brusilov Offensive , also known as the June Advance, was the Russian Empire's greatest feat of arms during World War I, and among the most lethal battles in world history. Prof. Graydon A. Tunstall of the University of South Florida called the Brusilov Offensive of 1916 the worst crisis of...
and in 1917 was promoted Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
.
In 1920 he retired, again, to his family estate at the castle Pilsnitz near Breslau. After his death the famous Silesian
Silesian
Silesian or Upper Silesian is considered either a dialect of the Polish language , or a separate Slavic language of the Lechitic group spoken in the region of Silesia...
sculptor Paul Ondrusch
Paul Ondrusch
Paul Ondrusch was a German sculptor who created religious works of art. Ondrusch was an active artist in Silesian towns and villages at the time when they belonged to the German Empire and later when they were part of Weimar Republic and the Third Reich since 1919 and 1933 respectively...
created a wooden sculpture of Remus von Woyrsch to decorate the main hall inside the town hall of Leobschütz. General von Woyrsch was portrayed as a knight wearing a coat and a chain mail, with his hands placed on a handle of a large sword resting against the ground.
Honours
- Ehrenbürger (Honorary citizen) of Breslau
- Ehrenbürger (Honorary citizen) of Neisse
- Honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Philosophy
Orders and decorations
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1871) - Order of the Black EagleOrder of the Black EagleThe Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg . In his Dutch exile after WWI, deposed Emperor Wilhelm II continued to award the order to his family...
- Order of Saint John (Johanniterorden)
- Pour le Mérite on October 25, 1914