Friedrich Graf von Wrangel
| Friedrich Graf von Wrangel | |
|---|---|
Photo of Friedrich von Wrangel, 1877
|
|
| Nickname(s) | Papa Wrangel |
| Born |
13 April 1784 Stettin, Kingdom of Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland) |
| Died | 2 November 1877 (aged 93) Berlin, German Empire |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Prussia German Empire
|
| Service/branch |
Prussian Army Imperial German Army |
| Years of service | 1796–1864 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Battles/wars |
Napoleonic Wars First Schleswig War Second Schleswig War |
| Awards |
Pour le Mérite Iron Cross |
Friedrich Heinrich Ernst Graf von Wrangel (13 April 1784 – 2 November 1877) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the Prussian Army. He was nicknamed Papa Wrangel and a member of the Baltic German noble family of Wrangel.
Wrangel was born in Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland) in Pomerania. He entered a dragoon regiment in 1796 and became second lieutenant in 1798. He fought as a subaltern during the Napoleonic Wars, especially distinguishing himself at Heilsberg in 1807, and receiving the order Pour le Mérite. In the reorganization of the army, Wrangel became successively first lieutenant and captain, and won distinction and promotion to lieutenant-colonel in the War of Liberation in 1813, won the Iron Cross at Wachau near Leipzig, and became colonel in 1815.
Wrangel commanded a cavalry brigade in 1821, and two years later was promoted major-general. He commanded the 13th Division, with headquarters at Münster in Westphalia, in 1834, when riots occurred owing to differences between the Archbishop of Cologne and the crown, and the determination and resolution with which he treated the clerical party prevented serious trouble. He was promoted to Lieutenant-General, received many honours from the court, enjoyed the confidence of the Junker party, and commanded successively at Königsberg and Stettin.
In 1848 Wrangel commanded the II Corps of the army of the German Confederation in the First Schleswig War, was promoted to General of Cavalry, and won several confrontations. However, the other European powers pressured Prussia to withdraw its forces, and King Frederick William IV accordingly ordered Wrangel to withdraw his troops from the duchies. Wrangel refused, asserting that he was under the command not of the king of Prussia but of the regent of Germany. He proposed that, at the very least, any treaty concluded should be presented for ratification to the Frankfurt Parliament, dominated by the Liberals - giving Liberals the rather mistaken idea that Wrangel was on their side. However, the Danes rejected this proposal and negotiations were broken off, and after painful hesitation, Prussia signed a convention at Malmö which yielded to practically all the Danish demands on 26 August 1848.
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Wikipedia