Möllendorf
Encyclopedia
The noble family von Möllendorf (also: Möllendorff, Moellendorff) has been prominent in the history of Brandenburg
and Prussia
. The von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff family descends from an adopted son (born Wilamowitz) of a member of the Möllendorf family.
In 1427 two members of the family are mentioned in a list of Privy Councillors of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
who signed a treaty with Pomerania
: "Jaspar Gans zu Putlitz, Achim Gans his son, Herr Hans v. Quitzow, Bernd Rohr, Hans v. Rohr Old Otto von Blumenthal
, Ebel v. Möllendorf, Beteke v. Kehrberg, Kone v. Retzdorff, Achim v. Möllendorf"
Wichard Joachim Heinrich von Möllendorf (1724-1816) distinguished himself as an officer at the battles of Leuthen
, Hochkirch
and Torgau
, and as a Major-General at Burkersdorf
and Brix. He became Governor of Berlin in 1783, and General in 1787. In 1793 he was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall
(Field Marshal), but was now too old for hard campaigns. He was captured at Auerstädt (1806). He died in 1816.
In retirement he adopted three great-grandsons of one of his sisters, Hugo, Ottocar and Arnold von Wilamowitz. Their descendants, also distinguished, are called von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff. The probably most famous member of this family is the classical philologist Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff
(1848-1931).
Another member of the family, Johann Karl Wolf Dietrich von Moellendorff (1791-1860) was born at his father's estate Rheinsberg, entered military service during the Napoleonic wars and was captured at the retreat after the Battle of Auerstädt. From 1810 he served in the Guards in Potsdam
, and distinguished himself at the conquest of Paris in 1814. In 1848 he was Major-General and commander of a brigade in Berlin
responsible for the protection of the Royal Palace on March 18 (see Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
). He retired from active duty in 1857.
Paul Georg von Möllendorff
(1847-1901) was a German linguist and diplomat.
Otto Franz von Möllendorff
(1848–1903) was a German scientist, a malacologist.
Willi von Möllendorf (1872-1934) was a composer of quarter tone
music.
Wichard Georg Otto von Moellendorff (1881-1937) was a German engineer and economist born in Hong Kong as the son of Consul Otto von Moellendorff.
In the Nazi era Horst von Möllendorff
(born 1906) was a popular cartoonist.
Ulrike von Möllendorff (b. 1939) is a German journalist.
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and 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...
. The von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff family descends from an adopted son (born Wilamowitz) of a member of the Möllendorf family.
In 1427 two members of the family are mentioned in a list of Privy Councillors of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
who signed a treaty with Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
: "Jaspar Gans zu Putlitz, Achim Gans his son, Herr Hans v. Quitzow, Bernd Rohr, Hans v. Rohr Old Otto von Blumenthal
Von Blumenthal
The von Blumenthal family are German nobility from Brandenburg-Prussia. Other, unrelated, families of this name exist in Switzerland and formerly in Russia, and many unrelated families called "Blumenthal" without "von" are to be found worldwide.The family was already noble from earliest times ,...
, Ebel v. Möllendorf, Beteke v. Kehrberg, Kone v. Retzdorff, Achim v. Möllendorf"
Battle of Leuthen
In the Battle of Leuthen or Lissa, fought on 5 December 1757, Frederick the Great's Prussian army used maneuver and terrain to decisively defeat a much larger Austrian army under Charles of Lorraine, thus ensuring Prussian control of Silesia during the Seven Years' War.- Background :While Frederick...
, Hochkirch
Battle of Hochkirch
The Battle of Hochkirch was a battle fought on October 14, 1758 during the Seven Years' War between a Prussian army of 30,000-36,000 commanded by Frederick the Great and an Austrian army of 80,000 commanded by Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun...
and Torgau
Battle of Torgau
In the Battle of Torgau on 3 November 1760, King Frederick the Great's Prussian army fought a larger Austrian army under the command of Field Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun. The Prussians won a costly victory in one of the bloodiest battles of the Seven Years' War.-Background:In August, Daun...
, and as a Major-General at Burkersdorf
Battle of Burkersdorf
The Battle of Burkersdorf was a battle fought on July 21, 1762 during the Seven Years' War. A Prussian army of 40,000 men fought an Austrian army of around 30,000 men....
and Brix. He became Governor of Berlin in 1783, and General in 1787. In 1793 he was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
(Field Marshal), but was now too old for hard campaigns. He was captured at Auerstädt (1806). He died in 1816.
In retirement he adopted three great-grandsons of one of his sisters, Hugo, Ottocar and Arnold von Wilamowitz. Their descendants, also distinguished, are called von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff. The probably most famous member of this family is the classical philologist Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff
Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff
Enno Friedrich Wichard Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff was a German Classical Philologist. Wilamowitz, as he is known in scholarly circles, was a renowned authority on Ancient Greece and its literature.- Youth :...
(1848-1931).
Another member of the family, Johann Karl Wolf Dietrich von Moellendorff (1791-1860) was born at his father's estate Rheinsberg, entered military service during the Napoleonic wars and was captured at the retreat after the Battle of Auerstädt. From 1810 he served in the Guards in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, and distinguished himself at the conquest of Paris in 1814. In 1848 he was Major-General and commander of a brigade in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
responsible for the protection of the Royal Palace on March 18 (see Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
Revolutions of 1848 in the German states
The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, also called the March Revolution – part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many countries of Europe – were a series of loosely coordinated protests and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, including the Austrian Empire...
). He retired from active duty in 1857.
Paul Georg von Möllendorff
Paul Georg von Möllendorff
Paul Georg von Möllendorff was a German linguist and diplomat. Möllendorff is mostly known for his service as an adviser to the Korean king Gojong in the late nineteenth century and for his contributions to Sinology...
(1847-1901) was a German linguist and diplomat.
Otto Franz von Möllendorff
Otto Franz von Möllendorff
- Bibliography :* - External links :* at Internet Archive...
(1848–1903) was a German scientist, a malacologist.
Willi von Möllendorf (1872-1934) was a composer of quarter tone
Quarter tone
A quarter tone , is a pitch halfway between the usual notes of a chromatic scale, an interval about half as wide as a semitone, which is half a whole tone....
music.
Wichard Georg Otto von Moellendorff (1881-1937) was a German engineer and economist born in Hong Kong as the son of Consul Otto von Moellendorff.
In the Nazi era Horst von Möllendorff
Horst von Möllendorff
Horst von Möllendorff was a German cartoonist who was "drafted" to work for the Nazi's animated short industry. He was hired as a result of former commercial animator Hans Fischerkoesen not being able to come up with adequate story ideas for his short films...
(born 1906) was a popular cartoonist.
Ulrike von Möllendorff (b. 1939) is a German journalist.