Gustav von Alvensleben (30 September 1803 – 30 June 1881) was a

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...

General der Infanterie General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Imp ...

Biography

Early life

Alvensleben was born in

Eichenbarleben Eichenbarleben is a village and a former municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Hohe Börde. Notable residents * Gustav von Alvensleben (1803–1881), general *Constanti ...

in 1803, to the Low German noble family of Alvensleben. His parents were Gebhard Johann von Alvensleben (1773-1856), a

Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

in the Royal Prussian Army, and his kinswoman Caroline Friederike Eleonore von Alvensleben (1773-1826). Gustav had four brothers; two of them, Werner and Constantin, would go on to serve in the military as generals.

Military career

Alvensleben joined the

Prussian Army The Royal Prussian Army (1701–1919, german: Königlich Preußische Armee) served as the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It became vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power. The Prussian Army had its roots in the co ...

in 1821, serving in the ''Kaiser Alexander'' Guards Grenadiers Regiment No. 1 as a

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army unt ...

. In 1849, Alvensleben became Chief of Staff of the Prussian Corps in the

insurrection Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...

and, in 1850, Chief of Staff of the VIII Army Corps. He went on to become the military governor of the Prussian

Rhine Province The Rhine Province (german: Rheinprovinz), also known as Rhenish Prussia () or synonymous with the Rhineland (), was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822 to 1946. ...

and

Westphalia Westphalia (; german: Westfalen ; nds, Westfalen ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the regio ...

in 1854, became a major-general in 1858, and the personal adjutant of King William I of Prussia in 1861. In this position he signed the Alvensleben Convention with Russia to co-ordinate Russian and Prussian politics throughout the Polish

January Uprising The January Uprising ( pl, powstanie styczniowe; lt, 1863 metų sukilimas; ua, Січневе повстання; russian: Польское восстание; ) was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at ...

. Having served in the Royal headquarters in the

Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War, also by many variant names such as Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), (; "German war of brothers") and by a variety of other names, was fought in 186 ...

of 1866, Alvensleben led the peace negotiations with

George V of Hanover en, George Frederick Alexander Charles Ernest Augustus , house = Hanover , religion = Protestant , father = Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover , mother = Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , birth_date = 27 May 1819 , ...

. On 30 October 1866 he took over the command of the IV Corps. In 1868 Alvensleben was promoted to ''General der Infanterie'' and commanded the IV Corps in the Battles of

Beaumont Beaumont may refer to: Places Canada * Beaumont, Alberta * Beaumont, Quebec England * Beaumont, Cumbria * Beaumont, Essex ** Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s * Beaumont Street, Oxford France (communes) * Beaumont, Ardèche * ...

and Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War. Alvensleben retired on 10 October 1872, and died unmarried and childless on 30 June 1881 in

Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg.House of Alvensleben The House of Alvensleben is an ancient, Low German (''niederdeutsch'') noble family from the Altmark region, whose earliest known member, ''Wichard de Alvensleve'', is first mentioned in 1163 as a ministerialis of the Bishopric of Halberstadt. The ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alvensleben, Gustav Von 1803 births 1872 deaths People from Börde (district) People from the Province of Saxony German military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War Prussian people of the Austro-Prussian War Generals of Infantry (Prussia) Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class) Recipients of the Iron Cross (1870), 1st class Knights Commander of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Commanders of the Military Order of Max Joseph Grand Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Grand Crosses of the Order of Aviz Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class

Gustav Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short cart ...

Military personnel from Saxony-Anhalt