Georg Daniel Gerlach () was a Danish officer. He was the son of Captain Molter Christoph Gerlach of the Schleswig Hunters Corps and Anna Sabine Magdalena . In 1827 he married Caroline Marie Kromayer (1800-1846), who in the marriage gave birth to eight children, one of whom died in infancy.
Military career
He was drafted into the military in December 1808 as a national casualty, and appointed second lieutenant in the Holstein infantry in 1813. In 1822 he became first lieutenant and in 1830 chief of staff. In 1842 he was appointed major and in 1848 lieutenant colonel. He participated in the
First Schleswig War
The First Schleswig War (), also known as the Schleswig-Holstein uprising () and the Three Years' War (), was a military conflict in southern Denmark and northern Germany rooted in the Schleswig–Holstein question: who should control the Du ...
, where he excelled in the battles of
Fredericia
Fredericia () is a town located in Fredericia Municipality in the southeastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. The city is part of the Triangle Region Denmark, Triangle Region, which includes the neighbouring cities of Kolding and Vej ...
and Isted.Gerlach, G.D., 1797-1865, dansk officer , Grænseforeningen.dk /ref>
In 1850 he was appointed colonel and commander of the 6th Infantry Brigade. In 1851, he was Commander of the Anglia. In 1854 he became commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade in Copenhagen. In 1858 Gerlach became a member of the advisory committee of the
Ministry of War Ministry of War may refer to:
* Ministry of War (imperial China) ( 600–1912)
* Chinese Republic Ministry of War (1912–1946)
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and in 1859 he was appointed Inspector General of the Infantry.
When the
Second Schleswig War
The Second Schleswig War (; or German Danish War), also sometimes known as the Dano-Prussian War or Prusso-Danish War, was the second military conflict over the Schleswig–Holstein question of the nineteenth century. The war began on 1 Februar ...
broke out in 1864, he was given command of the 1st Division,Hans Christian Bjerg, KC Rockstroh : G. Gerlach . In: Svend Cedergreen Bech , Svend Dahl (eds.): ''Dansk biografisk leksikon''. Founded by Carl Frederik Bricka, continued by Povl Engelstoft. 3. Edition. tape 5 : Frille – Hanssen . Gyldendal, Copenhagen 1980, which pushed the Prussians back at Mysunde on 2 February. He supported Christian de Meza's decision to evacuate the Danevirke position. When de Meza was dismissed as commander-in-chief of the army because of this decision, Gerlach was ordered, against his will, to take command.
He did not share the war ministry's position on how to conduct the war and had several clashes. He was opposed to defending the
Dybbøl
Dybbøl is a small town with a population of 2,357 (1 January 2024)the loss of the Dybbøl position, Gerlach prepared to lead the defense further from Fredericia, but he was ousted by
War Minister
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
and ordered to evacuate Fredericia. Gerlach tried to change the decision, but he was deprived of the command, which instead went to General Peter Frederik Steinmann.
He then, at his own request, received the command of the 1st Division, which he retained the command of the war out. In December 1864 he retired, and the following year he died in Copenhagen.
Gerlach became a
Knight of Dannebrog
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.
The concept of a knighthood ...
in 1836, the
Dannebrogordenens Hæderstegn
Dannebrogordenens Hæderstegn, also referred to as the Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog (post-nominals: D.Ht.), is a meritous award connected to the Danish Order of the Dannebrog. The cross was instituted by King Frederick VI of Den ...
in 1849, Commander 1853, and received the Grand Cross in 1864. On 6 October 1850 he was awarded the
Order of Saint Anna
The Imperial Order of Saint Anna (; also "Order of Saint Anne" or "Order of Saint Ann") was a Holstein ducal and then Russian imperial order of chivalry. It was established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, on 14 February 1735, in hono ...
Tom Buk-Swienty
Tom Buk-Swienty (born 19 July 1966 in Eutin) is a Danish historian, journalist and author, known for his work on the Second Schleswig War.
Buk-Swienty was raised in Sønderborg, Denmark. He holds degrees in history and American Studies from the ...
book ''Slagtbænk Dybbøl'', Gerlach was assessed as "no strong leader".
In connection with the memorial services on 18 April 2014, descendants of Gerlach gave a journalist insight into documents that, among other things, showed that Gerlach was a stronger critic of government policy than people assumed; but for reasons of principle he chose to comply with the government's order to hold the Dybbøl position, even though he found it erroneous on the basis of a military assessment.
References
Bibliography
*
*P. Nieuwenhuis: Gerlach gærlak Georg Daniel . In: Christian Blangstrup (Ed.): ''
Salmonsens Konversationsleksikon
''Salmonsens Konversationsleksikon'' is a Danish encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge, either general or special, in a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided i ...