Hermann von Boyen | |
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| Born | Hermann von Boyen (1771-06-20)20 June 1771 |
| Died | 15 February 1848(1848-02-15) (aged 76) |
Leopold Hermann Ludwig von Boyen (20 June 1771 – 15 February 1848) was aPrussian army officer who helped to reform thePrussian Army in the early 19th century. He also served as minister of war of Prussia in the period 1810–1813 and again from 1 March 1841 – 6 October 1847.
Born inKreuzburg (today's Slavskoye,Russia) inEast Prussia, Boyen joined the army in 1784 inKönigsberg. In 1788, as a newly minted second lieutenant, he took up a post in the military academy in Königsberg, where he also attended some of the lectures ofImmanuel Kant.
From 1794 to 1796, Boyen took part in thePolish campaign as Adjutant to General von Günther. In 1799, he became a captain. He served in the war of 1806 on the General Staff of theDuke of Brunswick, and was wounded at theBattle of Auerstädt (14 October 1806). After theTreaty of Tilsit (July 1807) he became a major and a member ofGerhard von Scharnhorst's commission for military re-organisation.
By 1810 Boyen had become Director of theMilitary Cabinet. In the re-constitution of the Prussian army he functioned as Scharnhorst's most diligent helper, but after the conclusion of the alliance between Prussia and France in 1812 he resigned his commission as a colonel and visited Vienna and St Petersburg. The events of 1813 saw him recalled to the Prussian service: as a colonel he accompanied the Russian army from its base inKalisz toSaxony. After theBattle of Lützen (2 May 1813) he had charge of the border guards and ultimately the defence of Berlin. But during the truceKing Frederick William III named him Chief of General Staff of the 3rd Army Corps. As such, Boyen participated in the battles and skirmishes of 1813 and 1814 and gained promotion to major-general.
After the firstPeace of Paris (30 May 1814) Boyen took up his appointment asWar Minister. He completed the setting up of theLandwehr reserve (begun during the war) and in 1818 became a lieutenant general. He struggled in vain against growing reactionary forces which endangered the broad popular base of theLandwehr, and resigned in 1819.
For 21 years Boyen lived in retirement, occupying himself with historical studies, untilKing Frederick William IV, immediately after ascending the throne, recalled him to active service, and promoted him to general of the infantry. In March 1841 he once again took over the War Ministry, though without achieving a great influence in the general political situation. He resigned in November 1847, received the rank offield marshal, and died on 15 February 1848. The King named the fortress ofLötzen in East Prussia after him.
Boyen's son, also named Hermann von Boyen, was General Adjutant to the King. He retired a governor of Berlin in 1879. Hermann von Boyen was buried at theInvalidenfriedhof Cemetery inBerlin. The former football clubYorck Boyen Insterburg was named in honor of Boyen.
Hermann von Boyen wrote (among other works):
He also wrote the song "Der Preußen Losung" (1838).
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| Preceded by | Prussian Minister of War 1810–1813 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prussian Minister of War 1841–1847 | Succeeded by |
