University of Göttingen
Rudolf von Bennigsen went to which school from 1845 to 1846?
Rudolf von Bennigsen Karl Wilhelm Rudolf von Bennigsen ( 10 July 1824 , Lüneburg – 7 August 1902 , Bennigsen near Springe ) was a German politician descended from an old Hanoverian family . Biography . Bennigsen was born at Lüneburg on 10 of July 1824 . He was descended from an old Hanoverian family , his father , Karl von Bennigsen , was an officer in the Hanoverian army who rose to the rank of general and also held diplomatic appointments . The anthropologist Moritz von Leonhardi was his nephew . After studying at the University of Göttingen , where he became a member of the Corps Hannovera , Bennigsen entered the Hanoverian civil service . In 1855 , he was elected a member of the second chamber , and because the government refused to allow him leave of absence from his official duties , he resigned his post in the public service . He at once became the recognized leader of the Liberal opposition to the reactionary government , but should be distinguished from Alexander Levin , Count of Bennigsen , a member of the same family and son of the distinguished Russian General Bennigsen , who was also one of the parliamentary leaders at the time , serving as Hanovers minister-president between 1848 and 1850 and afterwards as president first of the first chamber , then of the second chamber of the Estates Assembly of the Kingdom of Hanover ( parliament ) . What gave Bennigsen his importance not only in Hanover , but throughout the whole of Germany , was the foundation of the German National Association , which was due to him , and of which he was president . This society , which arose out of the public excitement created by the Austro-Sardinian War , had for its object the formation of a national party which should strive for the unity and the constitutional liberty of the whole Fatherland . It united the moderate Liberals throughout Germany , and at once became a great political power , notwithstanding all the efforts of the governments , and especially of King George V of Hanover to suppress it . Bennigsen was also one of the founders of the Protestantenverein in 1863 . In 1866 Bennigsen , then leader of the liberal opposition in the second chamber of the Estates Assembly , used all his influence to keep Hanover neutral in the Austro-Prussian War , but in vain . He took no part in the war , but his brother , who was an officer in the Prussian army , was killed in Bohemia . In May of this year he had an important interview with Bismarck , who wished to secure his support for the reform of the German Confederation , and after the war was over at once accepted the position of a Prussian subject , taking his seat in the diet ( parliament ) of the North German Confederation and in the Prussian House of Representatives . He used his influence to procure as much autonomy as possible for the province of Hanover , but was a strong opponent of the Guelph Party . He was one of the three Hanoverians , Ludwig Windthorst and Johann von Miquel being the other two , who at once won for the representatives of the conquered province the lead in both the Prussian and North German parliaments . The Nationalverein , its work being done , was now dissolved ; but Bennigsen was chiefly instrumental in founding a new political party , the National Liberals , who , while they supported Bismarcks national policy , hoped to secure the constitutional development of the country . For the next thirty years Bennigsen was president of the party , and was the most influential of the parliamentary leaders . It was chiefly owing to him that the building up of the internal institutions of the empire was carried on without the open breach between Bismarck and the parliament , which was often imminent . Many amendments suggested by him were introduced in the debates on the constitution ; in 1870 he undertook a mission to Southern Germany to strengthen the national party there , and was consulted by Bismarck while at Versailles . It was he who brought about the compromise on the military bill in 1874 . In 1877 he was offered the post of vice-chancellor with a seat in the Prussian ministry , but refused it because Bismarck or the king would not agree to his conditions . From this time his relations with the government were less friendly , and in 1878 he brought about the rejection of the first Socialist Bill . In 1883 he resigned his seat in parliament owing to the reactionary measures of the government , which made it impossible for him to continue his former co-operation with Bismarck , but returned in 1887 to support the coalition of national parties . One of the first acts of the Emperor Wilhelm II was to appoint him upper president of the Province of Hanover . In 1897 he resigned this post and retired from public life . He died on 7 August 1902 .