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Carl Heinrich von Wedel (* 12 July 1712 in Göritz; † 2 April 1782) was a Prussian General and War-Minister. 

Biography

The noble family Wedel belongs to the Pomeranian nobility. Carl Heinrich Von Wedel's father Georg Wilhelm was the district of Uckermark's Superior Court Director, and owner of the Goritz manor—his mother was Marie Salome of Eichstedt. At fifteen years of age Wedel went to the Prussian military and enlisted as Corporal in the King's Leibregiment (Nr. 6). In 1730 he was promoted to Ensign, on 1 March 1735 to Second Lieutenant. Shortly after his accession, on 23 June 1740, Frederick II appointed him Captain and company commander of the Grenadier Guards Battalion (Nr. 6).

Wedel took part in theSilesian Wars, though his regiment did not see battle. Nevertheless, Wedel received on 14 August 1743 a promotion to Major in the Infantry Regiment of Kleist (Nr. 26), to which be belonged for the following 14 years. He was wounded in the Battle of Soor in 1745.

Wedel was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 8 September 1751, and awarded the Pour le Mérite on 31 May 1752. After the court-martial hearing of Captain Ernst Joachim von Virgin, he was promoted on 17 June 1755 to the rank of Colonel.

The first battle experience Wedel's regiment had in the Seven Years' War was at the Battle of Prague on 6 May 1757. Six days later, he was appointed regimental commander. At the Battle of Rossbach, he participated, but did little to fight. At Leuthen his regiment fulfilled their role with such success that 14 members were awarded the Pour La Mérite.

On 5 January 1758 Wedel took over the Infantry Regiment of Schultze (Nr. 29), though he moved to the head office of his prior regiment only three weeks later. In the spring he came to the siege corps before Olomouc. Wedel repulsed Laudon's attacks in Littau on 20 June, and in Gundersdorf on 28 June. In September, he was transferred to a corps in Uckermark to free it from Swedish control. Wedel mastered the task until October.

Frederick II promoted Wedel to lieutenant general on 22 February 1759. In July, he was also transferred command of the Dohna Corps. He subsequently lost the Battle of Kay after being ordered to attack a Russian army twice the size of his own. At Kunersdorf, Wedel was severely wounded. Health problems forced him to retire in 1760.

Gut Göritz, Uckermark

Family

In 1747, Wedel took Friederike Auguste von Broecker as his wife. Their marriage produced four daughters and a son.

• Caroline Friederike (* 19 February 1748; † 5 Juni 1780) ∞ 10 February 1768 Heinrich Wilhelm von Anhalt (1735–1801) Son of Wilhelm Gustav von Anhalt-Dessau
• Friederike Albertine (* 17 September 1751; † 8 October 1825) ∞ Karl Philipp von Anhalt (1732–1806) Son of Wilhelm Gustav von Anhalt-Dessau

Literature

• B. Boten: Wedell, Karl Heinrich von (Wedel). In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 41, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1896, S. 410–413.
• Joachim Engelmann: Friedrich der Große und seine Generale. Friedberg 1988.

References

[[Category:German people]] [[Category:1712 births]] [[Category:1782 deaths]] [[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)]]