Albrecht von Stosch
{{short description|German general}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Albrecht von Stosch
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| image = File:Albrecht von stosch.jpg
| image_size = 220
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| caption = Albrecht von Stosch, imperial German general and admiral
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1818|4|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = Koblenz, Germany
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1896|02|29|1818|04|20|df=y}}
| death_place = Oestrich, Germany
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| allegiance = {{flag|Prussia|1803}}
{{flag|German Confederation}}
{{flag|North German Confederation}}
{{flag|German Empire}}
| branch = {{army|Prussia}}
{{navy|German Empire}}
| serviceyears = 1829–1889
| rank = General of Infantry
Admiral
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| commands = German Imperial Admiralty
| battles_label =
| battles = Austro-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
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Albrecht von Stosch (20 April 1818 – 29 February 1896) was a German General of the Infantry and admiral who served as first chief of the newly created Imperial German Navy from 1872 to 1883.{{Cite web|url=http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=695|title = GHDI - Document}}
Life
Born in Koblenz, he was a cousin of Hans Stosch-Sarrasani, the founder of the Circus Sarrasani. He was the third son of Prussian general Hermann Ferdinand Stosch, who was a traditional military man who had a nationalistic feelings. Just like his father, Stosch was conscious of the tradition of duty and service, and Prussian military heritage was a strong political opinion of his.{{Cite book|last=Hollyday|first=Frederic B. M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wlsSDgAAQBAJ|title=Bismarck's Rival: A Political Biography of General and Admiral Albrecht von Stosch|date=2017-02-07|publisher=Pickle Partners Publishing|isbn=978-1-78720-383-9|language=en}}
After being educated in state schools and a Gymnasium, in 1829 Stosch was admitted to the Cadet corps. In 1835 Stosch, aged seventeen, was appointed as second-lieutenant in the Prussian Army. He eventually became a General Staff officer.{{Cite book|last=Hollyday|first=Frederic B. M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wlsSDgAAQBAJ|title=Bismarck's Rival: A Political Biography of General and Admiral Albrecht von Stosch|date=2017-02-07|publisher=Pickle Partners Publishing|isbn=978-1-78720-383-9|language=en}}
Stosch participated in the Austro-Prussian War as Oberquartiermeister of the Second Army.
After the Franco-Prussian War, Stosch was also appointed as an admiral and first chief of the Admiralty and thus of the fledgling Imperial German Navy. Acknowledged by William I for his loyal service to the country; he considered himself as a reformer.
Stosch died in Rheingau. There is an island in Chile named after him, Isla Stosch.
Honours
- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg}} Kingdom of Prussia:{{citation|title=Königlich Preussische Ordensliste|journal=Preussische Ordens-Liste|volume=1|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021|pages=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=16&skin=2021 8], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=20&skin=2021 12], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=33&skin=2021 25], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=592&skin=2021 584], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=1008&skin=2021 936]|lang=German|location=Berlin|year=1886|via=hathitrust.org}}
- Knight of the Royal Order of the Crown, 2nd Class, 23 September 1865
- Pour le Mérite (military), 20 September 1866
- Commander's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, with Swords, 16 June 1871
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle, with Oak Leaves, 18 January 1878
- Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, 17 September 1881; with Collar, 1882
- {{flag|Grand Duchy of Hesse}}: Commander of the Ludwig Order, 1st Class, 15 March 1868{{citation|title=Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Grossherzogtums Hessen|year=1881|chapter=Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen|location=Darmstadt|language=German|page=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030828746&view=1up&seq=51&skin=2021 27]|via=hathitrust.org}}
- {{flag|Kingdom of Saxony}}:{{citation|title=Staatshandbuch für den Freistaat Sachsen (1873)|year=1873|language=de|chapter-url=http://opacplus.bsb-muenchen.de/title/9530888/ft/bsb11041169?page=25|chapter=Königliche Ritter-orden|pages=74, 131|location=Dresden}}
- Grand Cross of the Albert Order, 1867
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, with War Decoration, 1871
- {{flag|Württemberg}}: Grand Cross of the Military Merit Order, 2 January 1871{{citation|title=Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg|year=1894|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dv2pWrDo9aYC&pg=PP5|chapter=Königliche Ritter|location=Stuttgart|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=dv2pWrDo9aYC&pg=PA64 64]}}
- {{flagicon|Sweden|1844}} {{flagicon|Norway|1844}} Sweden-Norway: Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, 1 June 1875{{citation|title=Norges Statskalender|year=1890|pages=595–596|url=https://runeberg.org/norkal/1890/0356.html|via=runeberg.org|access-date=2018-01-06|language=no}}
References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book | last1 = Hildebrand | first1 = Hans | last2 = Henriot | first2 = Ernest | work = Deutschlands Admirale : 1849-1945 : die militärischen Werdegänge der See-, Ingenieur-, Sanitäts-, Waffen- und Verwaltungsoffiziere im Admiralsrang | volume = 3 | title = P — Z | publisher = Biblio-Verl | location = Osnabrück | year = 1990 | isbn = 3764814993 | language = German|pages=400–401}}
{{Chiefs of the Imperial Admiralty}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stosch, Albrecht Von}}
Category:German Empire politicians
Category:Admirals of the Imperial German Navy
Category:Military personnel from Koblenz
Category:Military personnel from the Rhine Province
Category:Generals of Infantry (Prussia)
Category:Members of the Prussian House of Lords
Category:German untitled nobility
Category:Prussian people of the Austro-Prussian War
Category:German military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War
Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
Category:Grand Crosses of the Military Merit Order (Bavaria)
Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Franz Joseph
Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Category:Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Italy)
Category:Grand Crosses of Military Merit
Category:Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie, 1st class
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