Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg

|native_name={{nobold|Фёдор Фёдорович Берг}}

|honorific_prefix= Graf

|birth_date={{OldStyleDate|26 May|1794|15 May}}

|death_date={{OldStyleDate|18 January|1874|6 January}} (aged 79)

|birth_place= Sagnitz Manor, Sagnitz, Kreis Dorpat, Riga Governorate, Russian Empire
(in present-day Sangaste, Otepää Parish, Valga County, Estonia)

|death_place= St. Petersburg, Russian Empire

|image=Jan Michał Strzałecki - Portrait of Friedrich Berg - MP 685 MNW - National Museum in Warsaw.jpg

|caption=Portrait by Jan Michał Strzałecki, 1867

|monarch1=Nicholas I
Alexander II

|office1=Governor-General of Finland

|predecessor1=Alexander Menshikov

|successor1={{ill|Platon Rokassovsky|ru|Рокасовский, Платон Иванович}}

|term_start1={{OldStyleDate|19 December|1854|7 December}}{{cn|date=November 2022}}

|term_end1={{OldStyleDate|20 November|1861|8 November}}

|office2=Viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland

|monarch2=Alexander II

|term_start2={{OldStyleDate|31 October|1863|19 October}}

|term_end2={{OldStyleDate|18 January|1874|6 January}}

|predecessor2= Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich

|successor2= Position abolished (Paul Demetrius von Kotzebue as the Governor-General of Warsaw)

|nickname=

|allegiance = {{flag|Russian Empire|1858}}

|branch = {{army|Russian Empire|1858}}

|serviceyears= 1812–1874

|rank=File:Imperial Russian Army 1904ic-p11r.png General-Field Marshal

|commands=

|battles= {{hidden

|See battles

|{{tree list}}

|headerstyle=background:#dbdbdb

|style=text-align:center;

}}

|laterworks=

|mawards=

|signature=Берг Ф. Ф., автограф.jpg

}}

Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert Graf{{efn|{{German title Graf}}}} von Berg ({{langx|de|Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg}}; {{langx|ru|Фёдор Фёдорович Берг|Fyodor Fyodorovich Berg}}; {{OldStyleDate|26 May|1794|15 May}} – {{OldStyleDate|18 January|1874|6 January}}) was a Russian nobleman, statesman, diplomat and general of Baltic German descent. Berg was a count of the Austrian Empire and Grand Duchy of Finland.[http://www.riddarhuset.fi/fi/index.php?id=13&sukunro=G011 Grevliga ätten nr 11 BERG] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022004800/http://www.riddarhuset.fi/fi/index.php?id=13&sukunro=G011 |date=2007-10-22 }} – Finnish House of Nobility He was also the fifth last person to be promoted to the rank of general-field marshal in the history of the Russian Empire. He served as the governor-general of Finland[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Finland.html Governors-general of Finland] from 1854{{cn|date=November 2022}} to 1861 and as the last viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland from 1863 to 1874.

Berg was most notable for his role as the viceroy of Finland and Poland. He led Russian military efforts during the Åland War, a minor theater of the Crimean War, and also played a crucial role in suppressing the 1863 January Uprising by Congress Poland; during the uprising, the Poles carried out numerous unsuccessful assassination attempts on him, which led martial law to be consequently declared in Poland. Berg also held responsible for improving the economy and industry of Finland and Poland during his time as viceroy.{{Cite book |last1=Haltzel |first1=Michael H. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7zv75v |title=Russification in the Baltic Provinces and Finland, 1855-1914 |last2=Lundin |first2=C. Leonard |last3=Plakans |first3=Andrejs |last4=Raun |first4=Toivo U. |date=1981 |publisher=Princeton University Press|jstor=j.ctt7zv75v }} As a German, Berg was never keen of the Russification policies introduced in Poland, being opposed to the Pan-Slavism ideology of the Russians and keen towards the foreign policies of Germany. Outside of his military career, Berg was also a topographer and geodesist, being one of the founding members of the Russian Geographical Society. He died in St. Petersburg in 1874 and was buried in his family estate in Korten, Livonia (in now Pilskalns, Latvia).

Biography

=Origin=

File:Sangaste mõisa peahoone2.jpg, where Count von Berg and his siblings spent their childhood. The current Neo-Gothic building was built after Count von Berg's death by his nephew Friedrich Berg.]]

Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg was born on {{OldStyleDate|26 May|1794|15 May}}, in the family estate in the small village of Sagnitz, in the Kreis Dorpat of the Governorate of Livonia. His father Friedrich Georg von Berg (1763–1811) was a state councillor and his mother Gertruda Wilhelmine von Ermes (1774–1844) was a young noblewoman, the younger Friedrich was the first cousin once removed{{efn|Gregor and Burchard Magnus von Berg were the children of Magnus Johann von Berg,{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=660}} while Magnus Johann was the brother{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=659}} of Gotthard Ernst who was the grandfather{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=661}} of Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert}} of generals Gregor (1765–1838) and Burchard Magnus von Berg (1764–1838), both of whom served in the Russian Imperial Army during the course of the Napoleonic Wars. Genealogists still debate{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=654-655}} where the Livonian noble Berg family originated in, many speculated they originated in Westphalia. The first known ancestor of the family to appear in Livonia was Otto von Berg. His son, who was also named Otto, was a vassal of the Livonian Knighthood.

Friedrich belonged to the Sagnitz branch of the Luist line of the family. The Luist line{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=659}} was formed by Captain Gustav von Berg (1656–1715), and the further divided Sagnitz branch{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=661}} was formed by Friedrich's grandfather Major Gotthard Ernst von Berg (1714–1766).

=Early life=

Berg along with his siblings spent their childhood in the Sagnitz castle and were home educated by the young Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve.[https://www.obs.ee/cgi-bin/w3-msql/vaatleja/artikkel.html?id=84 Fr. G. W. Struve Dorpat period] He was brought up as a Lutheran.{{sfn|Stolberg-Wernigerode|1955|pp=73}} After he finished his home education he studied in the Tartu Gymnasium in Dorpat. Originally not seeking a military career as a family tradition, Berg enrolled into the Philosophy faculty of Imperial University of Dorpat in 1810.{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=662}} But after Napoleon invaded of Russia in 1812, Berg dropped out from university and voluntarily entered the Russian Imperial Army. He entered the army as a Fahnenjunker and was enlisted into the 6th Libau Infantry Regiment which was stationed at the north-western part of Russia to defend against Napoleon. Berg's bravery during the war of 1812 rewarded him the rank of lieutenant from Alexander I personally. He was also appointed second to the quartermaster due to his high education and being multilingual among Russian soldiers at the time.

After Napoleon was pushed out of Russia, Berg was transferred to a partisan unit under the commands of Baron von Tettenborn and Pavel Kutuzov and took part in actions in Germany including the Battle of Leipzig.

=Family=

Berg was born the eldest son of a family with three siblings, including his younger brother Gustav "Astaf" Gotthard Karl von Berg, owner of the Alt-Ottenhof Manor.{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=662}} His other brother Alexander was a diplomat and consul in Naples and London.{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=662}} Count von Berg married late in his life. In 1839, after a long relationship with the Baroness de Sassè, he married{{sfn|Stackelberg|1930|pp=662}} a rich Milanese aristocrat Leopoldina Cicogna-Mozzoni (1786–1874), the widow of the Italian politician Alessandro Annoni, with whom he had no children. However, after his brother Gustav's death in 1861, Friedrich adopted his orphaned nephews and brought them under his care:

Friedrich Georg Magnus Graf von Berg (1845–1938)
Alexander Rembert Joachim Graf von Berg (1847–1893)
Georg Erich Rembert Graf von Berg (1849–1920)
Emilie Wilhelmine "Minni" Anna Marie Ulrike Pauline Gräfin von Berg (1852–1945)

Since his marriage was childless, his Austrian and Finnish comital titles were inherited by his nephews/adoptive children.

Honours and awards

File:Berg-Wappen-Kattentack BWB.png, in the Baltic Coat of arms book by Carl Arvid von Klingspor in 1882.{{sfn|Klingspor|1882|p=10}}]]

File:Graf Berg.jpg

=Russian=

File:Order_of_Saint_Anna_ribbon_bar.svg Order of St. Anna, 3rd class (1813)
File:Order_of_Saint_Vladimir,_ribbon_bar.svg Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class with a bow (1813)
File:Order_of_Saint_Anna_ribbon_bar.svg Order of Saint Anna, 1st class with the Imperial Crown (1828, Imperial Crown in 1831)
File:RUS Order of Saint George 3rd class ribbon 2000.svg Order of St. George, 3rd class (25.6.181829)
File:Order_of_Saint_Vladimir,_ribbon_bar.svg Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class (1829)
File:POL Virtuti Militari Komandorski BAR.svg Order of Virtuti Militari, Commander's Cross for military distinction (1831)
File:RUS_Order_White_Eagle_BAR.png Order of the White Eagle (1833)
File:Russian Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky ribbon bar.svg Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1838, diamonds signs in 1845)
File:Order_of_Saint_Vladimir,_ribbon_bar.svg Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class (1848)
File:RUS Order of Saint George 4th class ribbon 2000.svg Gold Sword for Bravery with diamonds and the inscription "For a campaign to Hungary in 1849"
File:St.AndrewOrder.png Order of St. Andrew with swords and diamond signs (7.08.1855, diamond signs in 11.8.1861)

=Foreign=

{{flag|Kingdom of Prussia}}:
File:D-PRU Pour le Merite 1 BAR.svg Pour le Mérite with the Golden Crown (1813, Golden Crown in 1864)
File: PRU Roter Adlerorden BAR.svg Order of the Red Eagle, 1st class (1835)
File:Order of the Black Eagle - Ribbon bar.svg Order of the Black Eagle with diamond marks (1845, diamond marks in 1865)
{{flag|Kingdom of the Netherlands}}:
File:Order of the Netherlands Lion ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg Order of the Netherlands Lion, Great Cross (1849)
{{flag|Kingdom of Hungary}}:
File:Ord.S.Stef.Ungh. - GC.png Order of St. Stephen of Hungary, Nagykereszt (1849)
{{flag|Kingdom of Sweden}}:
File:Seraphimerorden ribbon.svg Order of the Seraphim with diamond marks (1859, diamonds marks on 17.8.1860)
{{flag|Kingdom of Greece}}:
File:GRE Order Redeemer 1Class.png Order of the Redeemer, Great Cross (1868)

Publications

Le feldmaréchal-comte Berg, namiestnik dans le royaume de Pologne. Notice biographique. Warsaw 1872 – Autobiography

Notes

Citations

=Works cited=

{{Cite web|url=https://personen.digitale-sammlungen.de/baltlex/Blatt_bsb00000600,00671.html?prozent=|title=Genealogische Handbuch der baltischen Ritterschaften, Teil Estland, Band I, Seite 654-662 (Genealogical Handbook of the Baltic Knighthood, Part Estonia, Volume I, page 654-662)|website=personen.digitale-sammlungen.de|last=Stackelberg |first=Otto Magnus|publisher=Starke Verlag, Görlitz|year=1930|language=de}}
{{Cite web|url=https://personen.digitale-sammlungen.de/baltlex/Blatt_bsb00000445,00196.html|title=Baltisches Wappenbuch Wappen sämmtlicher, den Ritterschaften von Livland, Estland, Kurland und Oesel zugehörigen Adelsgeschlechter, Seite 10 (The coat of arms of the coat of arms is the coat of arms belonging to the knighthoods of Livonia, Estonia, Courland and Oesel, page 10)|website=personen.digitale-sammlungen.de|last=Klingspor |first=Carl Arvid |publisher=Stockholm|year=1882|language=de}}
{{Cite web|url=https://bbld.de/0000000115979627|title=Deutschbaltisches Biographisches Lexikon, Seite 49-52 (Baltic German Biographical Dictionary, page 49-52)|website=bbld.de|last= |first= |publisher=Buchhandlung v. Hirschheydt, Wedemark|year=1998|language=de}}
{{Cite web|url=https://ru.m.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%AD/%D0%92%D0%A2/%D0%91%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B3,_%D0%A4%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D1%80_%D0%A4%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87,_%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84|title=Военная энциклопедия, страница 478 (Military Encyclopaedia, page 478)|website=ru.m.wikisource.org|last= |first= |publisher=Sytin, Moscow|year=1911–1915|language=ru}}
{{Cite web|url=https://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/0001/bsb00016318/images/index.html?seite=91|title=Neue deutsche Biographie, Band: 2, Behaim - Bürkel, seite 73-74 (New German Biography, Volume: 2, page 73-74)|website=daten.digitale-sammlungen.de|last=Stolberg-Wernigerode |first=Otto zu|publisher=Duncker & Humblot, Berlin|year=1955|language=de}}

General sources

{{Cite web|url=http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/bio_b/berg_ff.html|title=Генерал-фельдмаршалы России (General-Field Marshals of Russia|website=hrono.ru|last=Soloviev|first=Boris Ivanovich|publisher=Phoenix, Rostov-on-Don|year=2000|language=ru}}
{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238030911|title=Die Dorpater Struves und der Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert Berg. In: Jahrbuch der Akademischen Gesellschaft für deutschbaltische Kultur in Tartu (Dorpat). Band 1. Seite 61-66 (The Dorpater Struves and the General-Field Marshal Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert Berg. In: Yearbook of the Academic Society for Baltic-German Culture in Tartu (Dorpat). Volume 1. Page 61-66)|website=researchgate.net|last= Dick|first=Wolfgang R. |publisher=Tartu|year=1996|language=de}}

{{S-ttl|title=Governor-General of Finland|years=1855{{cn|date=November 2022}}–1861}}

{{S-aft|after={{ill|Platon Rokassovsky|ru|Рокасовский, Платон Иванович}} }}

{{S-aft|after=Paul Demetrius von Kotzebue|as=Governor-General of Warsaw}}

Category:1794 births

Category:1874 deaths

Category:People from Otepää Parish

Category:People from Kreis Dorpat

Category:Baltic-German people from the Russian Empire

Category:Counts of the Russian Empire

Category:18th-century Finnish nobility

Category:19th-century Finnish nobility

Category:Governors of the Grand Duchy of Finland