Hermann von Alvensleben

Hermann comes from the Low German noble family, the House of Alvensleben. He was the son of the Prussian lieutenant general Johann Friedrich Karl II. von Alvensleben (1778-1831) and his wife Karoline, née von Hirschfeld (1783-1849).

After visiting the Kadettenhaus Neubau, he joined the regiment of the Gardes du Corps of the Prussian Army on July 28, 1827 as a flag ensign.[1] In 1866, he led the 1st Cavalry Division in the cavalry corps of the 1st Army as a Major General during the Austro-Prussian War.[1] After the end of the war he was promoted to lieutenant general and commanded the Guards Cavalry Division. On September 5, 1867, Alvensleben was initially put in charge of managing the business as head of the Militärreitinstitut Hannover and was appointed head on December 14, 1867.[1] During the Franco-Prussian War on July 1870, Alvensleben was the governor general in the I, II, III and X Corps under General Eduard Vogel von Falckenstein. A month later, he was ordered to Bremen to organize the guarding of the coast from Dorum to Emden. Alvensleben was relieved of this position at the end of March 1871 and was placed on the retiree list on April 15, 1871. He returned to Schochwitz and lived there until his death on January 8, 1887.[1]

Alvensleben married Karoline von Kalitzsch (1814–1878) on October 6, 1836 in Dobritz.[2] The marriage produced ten children, including:

• Busso (1840–1870), Prussian first lieutenant, killed at La Blanchette ⚭ 1865 Jenny Kukein (1848–1868)
• Ludolf (1844–1912), Major General ⚭ Antoinette Freiin von Ricou (1870–1950)
• Mechtild (1859–1941) ⚭ 1890 Alkmar II. von Alvensleben (1841–1898), Prussian lieutenant general
• Gertrud (1852-1946) ⚭ 1878 Heinrich Bartels (1848-1914), lord of Langendorf
• Elsbeth (1856–1945) ⚭ 1886 Alexander von Schwarzenberg-Hohenlandsberg (1842–1918)