Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Graf von Schmettau (1743 - 1806)

Born 13 Apr 1743 in Berlin, Brandenburg, Prussia

Died 18 Oct 1806 at age 63 in Weimar, Prussia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Albert Taylor [send private message]

Biography

Friedrich was born in 1743. He was the son of Samuel von Schmettau. He passed away in 1806.

Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Graf von Schmettau (April 13, 1743 - October 18, 1806) was a Prussian lieutenant general, cartographer, topographer, and nobleman. He was the son of Field Marshal Samuel von Schmettau, who also bore the title of "Graf" or "Count". He was killed during the Battle of Auerstedt, due to wounds he sustained while leading the Prussian Army into battle against the Grand Armee under Marshall Davout.

Friedrich Wilhelm Karl von Schmettenau was the son of Field Marshal Samuel Graf von Schmettenau (1684-1751) and his second wife Anna von Rüffer (1718-1771). He entered the Ritterakademie (Knight's Academy) in Brandenburg in 1752. In 1756 he joined the Infantry Regiment 34 and saw action in the Seven Year's War. He was wounded several times.

In 1762 he became adjutant of Prince Ferdinand of Prussia. After he fought with a student this came to the notice of king Friedrich II. He was imprisoned for three months and after that it was hard to make further promotion in the army. In 1770 he created several maps. He showed them to the king in hope of promotion, but this was refused. In 1773 he published a book the campaign against the Turks of 1769. In 1778 he left the Prussian army. At the time there were rumors that he had fathered one or more of the children of Louise von Brandenburg-Schwedt, the wife of Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia.

After Friedrich Wilhelm II ascended the throne he returned to the Prussian army as a colonel in 1787. He was commissioned to create maps of the mountains in Silesia and in 1789 he handed over 104 maps to the king. In 1790 he left the Prussian army again. After Friedrich Wilhelm III became king he once more returned to the army in 1797.

He was wounded severely in the Battle of Auerstedt on 14 October 1806. He fled to the house of Goethe's friend Charlotte von Stein in Weimar and was taken care of by her. But on 15 October 1806 the French entered Weimar and he was left her house. He was moved to the Stadtschloss where he died a few days later from his wounds. He was buried at the cemetery of the Jakobskirche. In 1808 a patriotic monument was placed on his grave.

Sources

• https://androom.home.xs4all.nl/biography/p013084.htm