Albrecht Graf von Roon
Prussian Minister of War
Albrecht Theodor Emil Graf von Roon (30 April 1803 –
23 February 1879) was a Prussian soldier and politician.
Albrecht von Roon, along with Otto von Bismarck and Helmuth von Moltke was one of the leading figures in Prussia's government during the key
decade of the 1860s, when Germany was unified under Prussia's leadership.
Education and publications
Albrecht von Roon was born at Pleushagen, near Kolberg
(Kołobrzeg), in Pomerania. His family was of Flemish
origin, and had settled in Pomerania. His father, an officer of the Prussian army, died in poverty during the French occupation
(see Napoleonic Wars), and young von Roon was brought up in a country ravaged in the War
of Liberation and in straitened circumstances, by his maternal grandmother.
He entered the corps of cadets at Culm (Chełmno) in
1816, from where in 1818 he proceeded to the military school at
Berlin, and in January 1821 received a commission in the 14th (3rd
Pomeranian) regiment quartered at Stargard in Pomerania. In 1824 he went through the three years
higher course of study at the General War School in Berlin (later called the Prussian
Military Academy), where he improved his general education. In 1826 he was transferred to
the 15th regiment at Minden, but in the same year was appointed an instructor in the
military cadet school at Berlin, where he devoted himself especially to the subject of military geography. In 1832, he published the well-known Principles of Physical, National and Political Geography, in three volumes
(Grundlage der Erd-, Volker- und Staaten-Kunde), which gained him a great reputation, and of which over 40,000 copies were
sold in a few years. This work was followed in 1834 by Elements of Geography
(Anfangsgrunde der Erdkunde), in 1837 by Military Geography of Europe
(Militärische Landerbeschreibung von Europa), and in 1839 by The Iberian Peninsula
(Die Iberische Halbinsel).
Statue of Albrecht Graf von Roon, Tiergarten, Berlin
Early military career
In 1832, he rejoined his regiment, and was afterwards attached to the headquarters of
General von Müffling's corps of observation at Krefeld, when he first became aware of the very inefficient state of the Prussian army. In 1833 he was appointed to the Topographical Bureau at Berlin, in 1835 he entered the
General staff, and in the following year was promoted captain and became instructor
and examiner in the military academy at Berlin. In 1842, after an illness of two years brought on
by overwork, he was promoted to major and attached to the staff of the VII Corps, in which post he was again impressed with the
inefficiency of the organization of the army, and occupied himself with schemes for its reform. Two years later, as tutor to
Prince Frederick Charles, he attended him at Bonn University and in his European travels. In 1848 he was appointed
chief of the staff of the VIII Corps at Koblenz. During the disturbances of that year he served
under the Prince Wilhelm (afterwards German emperor) in the suppression of the
insurrection at Baden, and distinguished himself by his energy and bravery, receiving the 3rd
class of the order of the Red Eagle in recognition of his services. While attached to the Prince's staff at that time he broached
to him the subject of his schemes of army reform. In 1850 came the revelation of defective
organization and efficiency which led to the humiliating treaty of Olmütz. In the
same year Roon was made a lieutenant-colonel, and in 1851 full colonel.
His army reform: the “System”
Promoted to be major-general in 1856 and lieutenant-general in 1859, Roon had held since 1850 several commands and had been employed on important missions. Prince Wilhelm became
regent in 1857, and in 1859 he appointed Roon a member of a commission to report on the
reorganization of the army. Supported by Edwin von Manteuffel and the new
Prussian Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke, Roon was able to get his plans
considered and generally adopted. His aim was to create an armed nation, to extend Scharnhorst's system and to adapt it to Prussia's altered circumstances. To attain this he
proposed a universal three years' service, and a reserve (Landwehr) for the defence of
the country when the army was actively engaged. During the Austro-Sardinian
War he was charged with the mobilization of a division. At the end of 1859, although he was
a junior lieutenant-general in the army, he succeeded Eduard von Bonin as war minister. Two years later, in 1861 the ministry of marine was
also entrusted to him. His proposals for army reorganization met with strong opposition. It took years of fighting and the strong
support of Otto von Bismarck and Moltke, before he carried the day.
Roon, center, with
Bismarck (left) and
Moltke (right). The three leaders of Prussia in the 1860s
National hero
After the successful outcome of the Danish campaign of 1864, Roon, went from being the most-hated man in Prussia, to a popular man in Prussia.
At the start of the Austro-Prussian War, Roon was promoted general of infantry.
He was at the decisive victory at Königgrätz, under the command of Moltke. He received the Black Eagle at Nikolsburg on the
road to Vienna. His army system was adopted after 1866 by the whole
North German Confederation. In later years, his army system was copied
throughout continental Europe.
During the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71, Roon was in attendance on the (then
king) Wilhem. The war was a great victory for Prussia and Roon's contribution
to success was considerable. He was created a graf (count) at Versailles on
January 19 1871 (just after Moltke). In December 1871, he
succeeded Bismarck as president of the Prussian ministry. Ill-health compelled him to resign in the following year. He was
promoted to be field marshal on January 1
1873.
He died in Berlin on February 23 1879.
Notes
- Note regarding personal names: Graf is a title, translated as Count, not a first or middle name. The female form is Gräfin.
References
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