Karl Georg Heinrich Bernhard von Poten (8 August 1828 – 22 November 1909), known as Bernhard von Poten, was a royal

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

best known for his military writing.

Family and life

Poten was born in

Celle Celle () is a town and capital of the district of Celle (district), Celle in Lower Saxony, in north-central Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the river Aller (Germany), Aller, a tributary of the Weser, and has a population of about ...

into a

bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and Aristocracy (class), aristocracy. They are tradition ...

family of officers from the

Kingdom of Hanover The Kingdom of Hanover () was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Hanover, and j ...

. His parents were the Hannoversche Major Georg Poten (1799–1882) and Juliane Dorothea Kannengießer (1804–1841). His uncle Friedrich Poten (1779–1845), Hanoverian lieutenant colonel, was made hereditary baron in 1827 by Grand Duke Ludwig I of Baden. His nephew continued the baronial lineage. In 1861, Poten married Anna Sophie Elisabeth Behncke (1837–1905) in Celle. They had a son

Heinrich Georg Wilhelm Alexander von Poten Heinrich may refer to: People * Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...

(1863–1920) also a Prussian major general and commander of the Cuirassiers in Brandenburg. Poten died in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

on 22 November 1909.

Career

Berhard von Poten served from 1847 to 1866 in the

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

Military services. In 1847, he was a second lieutenant, and was promoted to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

in 1854 and in 1863 to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. As such, he belonged to the Hanoverian Queens Hussar Regiment. In 1867, Poten was squadron leader in Hussar Regiment no. 4. His promotion to major came in 1870. Between 1871 and 1874, he was on the staff of the regiment and 1874–1884 adjutant at the General Inspectorate of the military education and training system. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1875, and then to colonel in 1878.

Writings

* ''Militairischer Dienst-Unterricht für die Kavallerie des deutschen Reichsheeres'', Berlin 1875. * ''Unser Volk in Waffen : Das dt. Heer in Wort u. Bild'', Berlin/Stuttgart 1887. * '' Georg Freiherr von Baring, königlich hannoverscher Generallieutenant 1773–1848 : Ein Lebensbild auf Grund v. Aufzeichngn d. Verstorbenen u. v. Mittheilgn d. Familie entworfen'', Berlin 1898. * ''Geschichte des Militär-Erziehungs- und Bildungswesens in den Landen deutscher Zunge'', Berlin 1900. * ''Des Königs Deutsche Legion : 1803–1816'', 1905. * ''Handbuch für den Einjährig-Freiwilligen sowie für den Reserve- und Landwehr-Offizier der Kavallerie'', Berlin 1911 (gemeinsam mit Albrecht Axel von Maltzahn). *
''Handwörterbuch der gesamten Militärwissenschaften'', mehrere Bände
*
''Kommandobuch zum ExerzirReglement für die Kavallerie vom 10. April 1886''

''Geschichte des Militär-erziehungs- und Bildungswesens in Sachsen''
* Poten hat zudem zahlreiche Einzelartikel in der '' Allgemeinen Deutschen Biographie'' (ADB) verfasst, meist zu Offizieren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poten, Bernhard von Prussian Army personnel German male writers People from Celle 1828 births 1909 deaths Historians of weapons