Dubislav Gneomar von Natzmer Dubislav Gneomar von Natzmer ( 1654 – 13 May 1739 ) was a Prussian " Generalfeldmarschall " and a confidant of the House of Hohenzollern . Family . Natzmer was born in Gutzmin , Farther Pomerania , into a noble family of Kashubian descent dating to 1202 . He was the son of Joachim Heinrich von Natzmer , the district president of Schlawe , and Barbara von Weyer . The Natzmers of Pomerania were commemorated with the villages of Natzmershagen and Natzmersdorf near Schlawe and Labes . Natzmer was married twice , first to Sophie von Wreech and then to Charlotte Justine von Gersdorff . He had two sons from his second marriage , Carl Dubislav ( died 1737 ) and Heinrich Ernst ( died 1739 ) . Because both sons died before their father , the Pomeranian branch of the Natzmer family ended after Dubislav Gneomar died in Berlin . Other branches of the family possessed estates throughout Brandenburg , Saxony , and Silesia ; ten members of the Natzmer family served in the Fourth Coalition against Napoleon Bonaparte . One of Emperor William I ' s closest friends was Oldwig von Natzmer . Military career . After entering Dutch service as a youth , Natzmer joined the army of Brandenburg - Prussia in 1677 as a lieutenant in " Oberstleutnant " Joachim Ernst von Grumbkow ' s " Elite - Eskadron - Dragonern " . Natzmer took part in the siege of Stettin and other battles against Sweden , at times as the adjutant of Georg von Derfflinger . Promoted to " Stabshauptmann " in 1680 , he participated in the Great Turkish War in 1686 , after which Elector Frederick William named him " Generaladjutant " . Natzmer formed a new regiment of German nobles known initially as the " Grands Mousquetaires " and later as the Gensdarmes . As " Oberstleutnant " , he was the first commander of the regiment . They served the Dutch Republic ' s House of Orange against King Louis XIV of France in the War of the Spanish Succession , campaigning in Brabant , Luxembourg , and Flanders . He was taken prisoner during the Battle of Höchstädt in 1703 , but released shortly after . Promoted to " Generalmajor " , Natzmer led the Prussian cavalry in the Battle of Blenheim , in which he was seriously wounded . Before this battle , he was consulted for his excellent knowledge of the battlefield , which was the same as in the Battle of Höchstädt . < br > He served with distinction as " Generalleutnant " in the battles of Malplaquet and Oudenaarde . Natzmer was awarded the Order of the Black Eagle in 1714 and promoted to " General der Kavallerie " after the capture of Stralsund . In 1728 he became a Prussian " Generalfeldmarschall " . Connections to the monarchy . Natzmer , who converted King Frederick William II of Prussia to Pietism , supported the Pietists in their attempts to rid the army of vices , such as drinking , gambling , and brothels . After Crown Prince Frederick ' s unsuccessful flight from his father , Natzmer was ordered to apprehend Frederick ' s friend and conspirator , Hans Hermann von Katte . Hesitant to stop the youth , he granted Katte three hours to burn any incriminating documents and escape . Frustrated by Katte ' s procrastination even with the extra window of time , Natzmer reluctantly arrested the accused , whom Frederick William II eventually sentenced to death . When the furious king considered executing Frederick , Natzmer was among his councillors who advised clemency . While at Küstrin in 1731 , Frederick wrote Natzmer a letter positing Prussian annexation of Polish Royal Prussia in order to connect East Prussia and Prussian Pomerania ; Frederick the Great would create West Prussia from that territory after the 1772 First Partition of Poland .