The National tribune., 1891-04-30
COUNT Won MOLTKE DEAD
The Great German Kidd. Marshal suddenly Passes
AstnN


Carl Bemhardt llolmuth Won Motke, Field
4 Marshal Of the German army, died suddenly Of
4 heart failure in Berlin, Friday, April "a, aged
~ wears lie was born at Parchim, Oct. 26,
] l-00 his family belonging TO the Meckleuburg
arist0crcy, and their Danish connections were
close. lie was sent 20 the Military School at
/ Copenhagen. ter six years hard study he
/ passed the examination for active service at
the head Of his class. In 1915 he was prepared
] for commission. but had 10 serve one year as
! royal page. After his probationary service
! be was Ia 1919, commissioned Lieutenant ia
] Danish regiment The Danish army having
been reduced after the peace OF 1915, promotion
WAS almost hopeless, and Won Moltke repaired
/ 10 Berlin. pissed a brilliant examination. aud
was Eazcttcd Second Lieutenant IA the sth Inf
After year with the colors he returned to
Berlin, and for the next six years studied hard
nj the Military Academy there. ln l-.4 he
rejoincd his regiment bat was shortly after
ward attached 20 the Typographical Depart
ment OF the General staff, under Gen, Muiiug,
aud studied practical aud theoretical tactics.
la 1873 hu was enrolled on the General staff
and received has ta,taiucy.
Two wears later be obtained a leave Of alb.
scrcc aud set ont on a tour of Turkey. The
I Sultan, hearing Of has arrival, requested the
lussun Government 30 permit him 10 assist
in reorggnZHg the Turkish army. The per-
mission was given, and MOltke set 10 work and
drew up complete scheme Of army ne 'orm
and territorial deieuse which lad the Turks
had sense enough 10 adopt, might have altered
history. lie WAS scHtwilh Hafiu Pacha against
the rebel al Pacha, and prevented oHe defeat
although be could do but little against the OBJ
stiB8tc neglect and iHduicucc Of tie Turks
In $50 be reformed 90 Germany aud rrioined
the General STAFF Ia l-l2 hC married an Eng
lisA lady, who WAS sister Of his brothcr.in
law. The union was a happy one. In 1875
Z la. "A. ~ 4
pointed Adjutuut- General to Prince Henry OF
Prussia. On the death Of the Prince he was
/ appointed 10 the staff Of the Eighth Army
Corps and in lSas becsme Chief Of STAFF Of the
Fourth Army Corps lie was gazcticd Lieu
tcnaut-Coionpl ia loo aud Coloual ia 1851.
When The King ri Prussia was removed from
control IF Tie KING l0U' wiug H. the fai ure Of
his mind, the Regency succeeded. and the mill
taTy regime came vain o.. Ibcuccf0rWard
Matke occupied an Office which placed the
whole army M his hands for he WAS appointed
Chief Of the General staff upon the recon-
mondallUnO OF Gen. Mauleufcl. Hc reorganized
the General SJHf on his own lines. and brought
1t unprecedented effectiveness, when, in 1854
the Schle7wig- Il0lstciu difficulty occurred. Ii
was mere that his wULdcr.u powers as strate
glst became known and Acknowledged bg his
1 ruprriors. il was ou this campaign that he
seized the Danish islands Alscn and Fuucn n
step which Jed a. once TO The demand for an
I auuisticc, and secured The peace which followed
The seven weeks war between Prussia aud
Austria WAS planned ly Multle and tie o:er-
allUus which eliminated nj Kuuiggr.tZ were
has. The movements Of three army corps.
which were 10 converge al "a given time upon
the enemy aud crush him, were ali directed by
tins master mind. But his brain was versatile
/ as well as iar-soc!ug On the very eve Of the
I battle dlspg cBcs were received which com.
/ PEELED radical changes in the plans, but MOltke
WIS not embarrassed ia the least by tie event.
as THIS possibility bad been ioresecu by him.
. When tic hatac was raging. when the non
arrival Of the Crown IrIucc seemed liable %
4 Illustrate the PH-siau combinations aud the
I King aud Bismarck we've becoming nervous.
\ the CAlCi Of stan was cool aud free from
aHZl1N. a. TINS supreme moment Bismarcl.
offered hDItlle cigar, which he carefully Sc
4 lectcd from "a number Of others. Bismarck has
since sand, When ] saw that he WAS cool
enough 10 choose cigar felt c0m,oTtcd aud
assured That things could not be going wrong
with us after all" In a few moments the ex.
pec'cd army corps was seen approaching, the
united Prus-lan armies closed n a crushing
grip upon the Austriaus, aud the battle OF
] hGniggIatZ was won. For this campaign
M0.tkr was decorated. and received donation
/ o. 100000 fhaleTs
From 1866 % 1870 Mollke was preparing FOR
/ tho war with France, which had become in
eyitahic. When the bolt fell in 1870 no man
Was probably less moved than he. Nothing
more wonderful thHu the swift mObi liZati0n Of
/ the German armies n ls50 las ever been seen
unless u be The skill aud persistence with
which the march through France was con.
4 Quoted, aud the successive victories ~ Sedan,
4 Metz aud Paris were achieved Mo.tke con-
4 Quoted or designed all these operations
4 Neither The extent Of the field occupied, the
/ magnitude and wide distribution Of the forces
/ engaged, nor the plans Of the enemy could
confuse OF embalrass him. With his mans and
! cGlOred pins be followed the march Of the
! troops, decided GA points 10 be occupied,
grasped the intentions Of the enemy, aud nine
times out Of 10 carried out lis purposes
] triumphantly, despite all obstacles.
For his services in this war nc was made n
4 Count and General Field Marshal His consti.
tuition was Of lron. Throughout the war with
France he worked iucrs-autlv, taking little