Friedrich Graf von Wrangel

Friedrich Heinrich Ernst Graf^[1] von Wrangel (13 April 1784 – 2 November 1877) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the Prussian Army.

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2009)

Quick Facts Nickname(s), Born ...

Friedrich Graf von Wrangel
Photo of Friedrich von Wrangel, 1877
Nickname(s)	Papa Wrangel
Born	(1784-04-13)13 April 1784 Stettin, Kingdom of Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland)
Died	2 November 1877(1877-11-02) (aged 93) Berlin, German Empire
Allegiance	Kingdom of Prussia German Confederation
Service / branch	Prussian Army
Years of service	1796–1864
Rank	Field Marshal
Battles / wars	Napoleonic Wars First Schleswig War Second Schleswig War
Awards	Pour le Mérite Iron Cross
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A Baltic German, he was nicknamed "Papa Wrangel" and was a member of the Baltic noble family of Wrangel.

Early life and career

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Perspective

Wrangel was born in Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland) in Pomerania into the Wrangel family. He was actually a relative uncle to the world-famous explorer Ferdinand von Wrangel. He entered a dragoon regiment in 1796 and became second lieutenant in 1798. He fought as a subaltern during the Napoleonic Wars, distinguishing himself especially at Heilsberg in 1807 and receiving the order Pour le Mérite. In the reorganization of the army, Wrangel became first lieutenant and then captain; won distinction and promotion to lieutenant-colonel in the War of Liberation in 1813; won the Iron Cross at Wachau, near Leipzig; and became colonel in 1815.^[2]

Wrangel commanded a cavalry brigade in 1821, and two years later, he was promoted to major-general. He commanded the 13th Division, with headquarters at Münster, in Westphalia, in 1834 during riots caused by differences between the Archbishop of Cologne and the Crown, and the determination and the resolution with which he treated the clerical party prevented serious trouble. He was promoted to lieutenant-general, received many honours from the court, enjoyed the confidence of the Junkers and commanded at Königsberg and then Stettin.^[2]

First Schleswig War

In 1848, Wrangel commanded the II Corps of the army of the German Confederation during the First Schleswig War, was promoted to General of Cavalry and won several battles. However, the other European powers pressured Prussia to withdraw its forces, and King Frederick William IV accordingly ordered Wrangel to withdraw his troops from the duchies. Wrangel refused by asserting that he was under the command of not the king of Prussia but the regent of Germany. He proposed that at the very least, any treaty concluded should be presented for ratification to the Frankfurt Parliament, which was dominated by the liberals, which gave Liberals the rather mistaken idea that Wrangel was on their side. However, the Danes rejected that proposal, and negotiations were broken off, and after painful hesitation, Prussia signed a convention at Malmö that yielded to practically all of the Danish demands on 26 August 1848.^{[citation needed]}

German Revolutions

Wrangel's insubordination was not counted against him when, in the autumn, he was summoned to Berlin to suppress its riots during the German revolutions of 1848–49. As governor of Berlin and commander-in-chief of Brandenburg (appointments that he held until his death), he proclaimed a state of siege and ejected the Liberal president and the members of the Chamber. Thus, on two occasions in the troubled history of Prussia's revival, Wrangel's uncompromising sternness achieved its object without bloodshed.^[2]

Second Schleswig War

From then on, Wrangel was most prominent in connection with the revival of the Prussian cavalry from the neglect and inefficiency into which it had fallen during the years of peace and poverty since 1815. In 1856, after 60 years of service, he was made a field marshal. At the age of 80, he commanded the Austro-Prussian army in the Second Schleswig War with Denmark in 1864. Wrangel was too old for active work and often issued vague or impracticable orders; he had always desired the young "Red Prince", Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia, to have the command.^[2] However, the prestige of Wrangel's name and the leadership of Frederick Charles, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Eduard Vogel von Falckenstein and Ludwig von Gablenz made the campaign an overwhelming success.

Later life

After the Battle of Dybbøl, Wrangel resigned his command, was created a Graf (count), and received other honours. In 1866, "Papa" Wrangel assisted in the Austro-Prussian War but without a command on account of his great age. He took a keen interest in the second reorganisation of the cavalry army in 1866 to 1870, and in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 to 1871.^[2] He died in Berlin in 1877.

Legacy

On the 70th anniversary of his joining the army, Wrangel's regiment, the 3rd Cuirassiers, was given the title Graf Wrangel.^[2] A noteworthy Commander of this regiment was the Swedish Count Gilbert Hamilton who led the regiment during World War I.