(Redirected from Hans Karl Friedrich Anton, Count von Diebitsch)
Count 'Hans Karl Friedrich Anton von Diebitsch and Narden' () (born
13 May 1785 in
Groß Leipe near
Obernigk,
Lower Silesia - died
10 June 1831 near
Pultusk) was a
German-born soldier serving as
Russian
Field Marshal.
He was educated at the
Berlin cadet school, but by the desire of his father,
Frederick II's
aide-de-camp who had passed into the service of Russia, he also did the same in
1801. He served in the campaign of
1805, and was wounded at
Austerlitz, fought at
Eylau and
Friedland, and after Friedland was promoted captain.
During the next five years of peace he devoted himself to the study of military science, engaging once more in active service in the War of 1812. He distinguished himself very greatly in
Wittgenstein's campaign, and in particular at
Polotsk (October 18 and 19), after which combat he was raised to the rank of major-general. In the latter part of the campaign he served against the Prussian contingent of
General Yorck (von Wartenburg), with whom, through
Clausewitz, he negotiated the celebrated
convention of Tauroggen, serving thereafter with Yorck in the early part of the
War of Liberation.
After the
battle of Lützen he served in Silesia and took part in negotiating the secret
treaty of Reichenbach. Having distinguished himself at the battles of
Dresden and
Leipzig he was promoted lieutenant-general. At the crisis of the campaign of
1814 he strongly urged the march of the allies on
Paris; and after their entry the
emperor Alexander conferred on him the
order of St Alexander Nevsky.
In
1815 he attended the congress of Vienna, and was afterwards made adjutant-general to the emperor, with whom, as also with his successor
Nicholas, he had great influence. By Nicholas he was created baron, and later count. In 1820 he had become chief of the general staff, and in 1825 he assisted in suppressing the
St Petersburg ''émeute''.
His greatest exploits were in the
Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, which, after a period of doubtful contest, was decided by Diebitsch's brilliant campaign of
Adrianople; this won him the rank of field-marshal and the
victory title of Zabalkanski to commemorate his crossing of the Balkans. In
1830 he was appointed to command the great army destined to suppress the insurrection in Poland. He won? the terrible
battle of Grochow on
February 25, and was again victorious at
battle of Ostrołęka on
May 26, but soon afterwards he died of
cholera (or by his own hand) at
Klecksewo near
Pultusk, on the 10th of June 1831.
References
★
★ Belmont (Schumberg), ''Graf Diebitsch'' (Dresden, 1830);
★ Strmer, ''Der Tod des Grafen Diebitsch'' (Berlin, 1832);
★ Bantych Kamenski, ''Biographies of Russian Field-Marshals'' (St Petersburg, 1841);
★ Chesney, ''Russo-Turkish Campaigns of 1828-29'', (New York, 1856).