Heinrich von Gossler
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Wilhelm Martin von Goßler (born 29 September 1841 in Weißenfels
, Province of Saxony
; died 10 January 1927 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf
) was a Prussia
n General of the Infantry and Minister of War
. He was a Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Order of Saint John.
in the Egerland
and emigrated to Gürth (now in Bad Brambach
) before 1630. He was the son of Karl Gustav von Goßler (1810–1885), the Kanzler (in this case, provincial justice minister) of the province East Prussia
, legal advisor to the crown and President of the Oberlandesgericht
in Königsberg
, and Sophie von Mühler (1816–1877), who was the daughter of the Prussian Justice minister Heinrich Gottlob von Mühler (1780–1857). This marriage produced 4 children: the Prussian Minister of State and Oberpräsident of the province of West Prussia
, Gustav (1838–1902), the Prussian Minister of War and General of the Infantry, Heinrich (1841–1927), the Prussian General of the Infantry, Konrad (1848–1933), and the Prussian Lieutenant General, Wilhelm von Goßler (1850–1928).
On 31 August 1872, Gossler married Emma von Sperber (born 14. November 1848; died 3 October 1914), the daughter of the landowner Eugen von Sperber, and of Emilie Donalitius.
in 1861 and took part in the Austro-Prussian War
in 1866.
He also fought in the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870-1871, with distinction. After the war, he was assigned to the Ministry of War as a Captain until 1875. He then commanded a company in the 2nd Grenadier Regiment until 1878, when he was once again moved to the War Ministry, to the Department for Army Affairs. Here he was later made a member of the higher examination commission. In 1885 Goßler became a department head in the War Ministry.
After being appointed a colonel in 1888, commander of the 3rd Guard Regiment in 1889 and a Major General and brigade commander in 1891, he was made Director of the General War Department in the War Ministry in October 1891 and simultaneously, representing the War Minister, a member of the Defence Commission. He was also the deputy plenipotentiary in the Bundesrat, chairman of the Reichsrayonkommission and a member of a disciplinary commission.
Goßler was a Lieutenant General after 1895 and commanded the 25th Division in Darmstadt
. On 14 August 1896 he was appointed Prussian Minister of War, and in September was also made the Prussian plenipotentiary in the Bundesrat. On 15 August 1903 he retired, having being made a General of the Infantry in 1899.
Weißenfels
Weißenfels is the largest town of the Burgenlandkreis district, in southern Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approximately south of Halle.-History:...
, Province of Saxony
Province of Saxony
The Province of Saxony was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1945. Its capital was Magdeburg.-History:The province was created in 1816 out of the following territories:...
; died 10 January 1927 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf is an inner city locality of Berlin, formerly a borough by itself but since Berlin's 2001 administrative reform a part of the new borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.-History:...
) 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 General of the Infantry and Minister of War
Prussian Minister of War
The Prussian War Ministry was gradually established between 1808 and 1809 as part of a series of reforms initiated by the Military Reorganization Commission created after the disastrous Treaty of Paris. The War Ministry was to help bring the army under constitutional control, and, along with the...
. He was a Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Order of Saint John.
Family
He was descended from a family that probably originated from GoselLipová (Cheb District)
Lipová is a village and municipality in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. -References:...
in the Egerland
Egerland
The Egerland is a historical region in the far north west of Bohemia in the Czech Republic at the border with Germany. It is named after the German name Eger for the city of Cheb and the main river Ohře...
and emigrated to Gürth (now in Bad Brambach
Bad Brambach
Bad Brambach is a municipality in the Vogtlandkreis district, in Saxony, Germany....
) before 1630. He was the son of Karl Gustav von Goßler (1810–1885), the Kanzler (in this case, provincial justice minister) of the province East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, legal advisor to the crown and President of the Oberlandesgericht
Oberlandesgericht
The Oberlandesgericht is one of the 'ordinary courts' in Germany...
in Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
, and Sophie von Mühler (1816–1877), who was the daughter of the Prussian Justice minister Heinrich Gottlob von Mühler (1780–1857). This marriage produced 4 children: the Prussian Minister of State and Oberpräsident of the province of West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
, Gustav (1838–1902), the Prussian Minister of War and General of the Infantry, Heinrich (1841–1927), the Prussian General of the Infantry, Konrad (1848–1933), and the Prussian Lieutenant General, Wilhelm von Goßler (1850–1928).
On 31 August 1872, Gossler married Emma von Sperber (born 14. November 1848; died 3 October 1914), the daughter of the landowner Eugen von Sperber, and of Emilie Donalitius.
Military career
Goßler joined the 1st Infantry Regiment in 1860, became a Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 1861 and took part in the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
in 1866.
He also fought in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-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...
in 1870-1871, with distinction. After the war, he was assigned to the Ministry of War as a Captain until 1875. He then commanded a company in the 2nd Grenadier Regiment until 1878, when he was once again moved to the War Ministry, to the Department for Army Affairs. Here he was later made a member of the higher examination commission. In 1885 Goßler became a department head in the War Ministry.
After being appointed a colonel in 1888, commander of the 3rd Guard Regiment in 1889 and a Major General and brigade commander in 1891, he was made Director of the General War Department in the War Ministry in October 1891 and simultaneously, representing the War Minister, a member of the Defence Commission. He was also the deputy plenipotentiary in the Bundesrat, chairman of the Reichsrayonkommission and a member of a disciplinary commission.
Goßler was a Lieutenant General after 1895 and commanded the 25th Division in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
. On 14 August 1896 he was appointed Prussian Minister of War, and in September was also made the Prussian plenipotentiary in the Bundesrat. On 15 August 1903 he retired, having being made a General of the Infantry in 1899.