Request for biographical information

[Glenn2438]

Leszczynski

Dave,

the ranks were "Germanized" following the publication of the All Highest Cabinet Order of the 1st of January 1899 "In order to promote the purity of speech in my army...."!

Offizier-Aspirant: Fahnenjunker
Portepee-Fähnrich: Fähnrich
Sekonde-Lieutenant: Leutnant
Premier-Lieutenant: Oberleutnant
Oberstlieutenant: Oberstleutnant
Generallieutenant: Generalleutnant

Stanislaus von Leszczynski was transferred to service with the Baden Division on the 3rd of September 1867 as chief of staff. He consequently became the chief of staff of the newly formed XIV Arny Corps on the 30th of September 1870 until replaced there on the 13th of April 1876.

I have sent you a PM with scans from my copy of Prießdorff's "Soldatisches Führertum" detailing his career and awards.

Regards
Glenn

[Dave Danner]

Outstanding information there! Wouldn't it be nice if we could have that amount of detail for every officer?

What a career even before the Franco-Prussian War! Denmark 1848 - street fighting in 1849 - then besieging my great-grandfather in Rastatt - Denmark again in 1864, at both Düppeler Höhen and Alsen - At Königgrätz in 1866. Along with the PlM on 7 June 1864, the RAO4X on 10 March 1864 and the RAO3X on 20 Sept. 1866. Then the KO3 on 24 Oct. 1869.

A nice little group of awards even before these:

EK2 1870 - 6 Oct. 1870
EK1 1870 - 3 Dec. 1870
Oaks to PlM - 5 Feb. 1871
KO2 - 18 Jan. 1873
RAO2 OL X - 15 Sept. 1877
Stern zum KO2 - 18 Sept. 1880
Stern zum RAO2 OL X am Ringe - 18 Jan. 1885
RAO1 OL - 15 May 1888
Großkreuz d. wend. Krone - 24 Sept. 1889
RAO GK OL X - 10 Sept. 1890
Orden Berthold des I von Zähringen - 26 Oct. 1895

Appointed on 6 March 1905 to a life peerage in the Preußische Herrenhaus, the Prussian version of the House of Lords. On 27 January 1906 he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle and on 18 January 1907 he received the chain (Kette).

Yet even all the detail there leads to more questions. How did he go from killing Badeners to commanding them? His only son died at age 20. I wonder how. His wife was Hedwig Klara née von Winterfeld. His mother was Laurette Antonie Berta née von Winterfeld. What do they say in West Virginia? "His family tree ain't got but one branch."

Dave

[Glenn2438]

Prießdorff

Dave,

Prießdorff's "Soldatisches Führertum" is a wonderful resource. It was published in the thirties and runs to ten volumes plus an index volume (which I don't have). I had to type my own name index and can tell you that it details the careers of some 3360 Prussian generals from the very late sixteenth century until the end of the nineteenth century. It includes all the Franco-Prussian war types but only a handful of WW1 generals as the series was never completed.

Biblio Verlag are to publish a new series of books supplementing Prießdorff dealing with generals from 1860-1920. Unfortunately the series will take years to complete

I only scanned the "introductory" section on Leszczynski which deals with decorations, promotions and appointments. There are three more pages covering his career if you are interested.

Regards
Glenn

[USCollect]

An old post but I just saw it and thought this may be of interest

This dagger has the names of Colonel von Estorff and Captain von Collas. The other side says (I think) "Fere Champenoise, Reims, Bois de Hogeast, Burquoy, Hebuterne and 1914-1915". I am not sure about what exactly this is for or why it has two names on it but here we are!

[pauke]

It says the regimental commander von E. presents it to Herrn Hauptmann von C. The added "n" on "Herr" means it is "to" the captain.

[USCollect]

Thank you for that, certainly clears that part up! Wonder which von Estorff it is!

[GdC26]

I'm by no means an expert on edged weapons, and don't want to digress from the topic, but that is an interesting bayonet you have there, with the embellished grip and what appears to be a Wilhelm II cypher . It reminded me of the one shown in the pics below, worn by Austrian Erhzerzog Joseph, even if there are marked differences in the crown and cypher (yours seems to sport a Bavarian style royal crown, rather than the Prussian crown normally associated with Wilhelm II's cypher, and of course your "W" is different to the one depicted).

Can you show details? Might draw some interest in the edged weapons section.

Copryright in the pics GdC26 collection.

[USCollect]

Thanks, will post there as well. Would be great to learn more about the guys on the dagger