A part of German history The Von der Marwitz family A presentation by Toni Weber, Nico Nolte and Lars Siebert.

A part of German historyThe Von der Marwitz family A presentation by Toni Weber , Nico Nolte and Lars Siebert

Table of Contents:1. Introduction2. The Von der Marwitz family3. Provenance4. Where is Friedersdorf ?5. Historical context6. Friedrich August Ludwig von der Marwitz

6.1 Provenance and Life 6.2 Political terest

7. Johannes Georg von der Marwitz 7.1 Provenance and Life

8. Hans Georg von der Marwitz 8.1 Provenance and Life 8.2 Political Interest

8.3 Conclusion of the political family Von der Marwitz9. End

The Von der Marwitz Family

3.Provenance • Marwitz is one of the oldest aristocratic families in

Brandenburg

• the gentlemen „Von der Marwitz“ belong to the nobility of the New Mark Brandenburg

 • some offsprings are still living today • the first notification was in 1259 “Theodoricus de Marwitz” • 20.May 1298 “Zabellus et Henningius de Marwitz”

• their home is Friedersdorf near Berlin

4.Where is Friedersdorf?

5.historical context

Prussia was a state in northern Central Europe from the Middle Ages until the end of World War II. 1701 it was named the Kingdom of Prussia. The kingdom developed into European great power in the 18th century and in 1866 after the German War Prussia was the leading power in Germany. In 1871 Prussia united all German states under its leadership except Austria.From then on it was the dominant state of the German empire.

6.Friedrich August Ludwig von der Marwitz

• * 29th May, 1777 in Berlin • † 6th December, 1837 in

Friedersdorf • Prussian general and

politician

6.1Provenance and life• Friedrich August Ludwig von der Marwitz came from the village Marwitz near Landsberg

on Warta • Many of the male offsprings chose a military career

• More than one hundred were officers in the Prussian army, 14 reached the rank of a general

 • The Prussian Infantry Regiment No. 61 had the name of the family until 1918

• F.A.L.v.d.Marwitz was one of 5 children of the chamberlain and later marshal Behrend Friedrich August von der Marwitz (1740-1793)

• At the age of 13, he joined the army

• He was very successful in the army

• 1805 and 1806 he was a cavalry captain and adjutant of the prince of Hohenlohe

• 1813 he helped to train the Landwehr in Prussia

• On 7.June 1813, after the battles of Magdeburg he was decorated with the medal “Iron Cross 1st class“

• After his military career he worked in his homeplace in Friedersdorf

• At the same time he was a marshal in the Brandenburg County Council

Karl August Freiherr von Hardenberg

Friedrich August Von der Marwitz

6.2 Political Interest• On 28th June, 1811, Friedrich August Ludwig von der

Marwitz was arrested in the fortress of Spandau• he lived there in an open prison, could welcome guests

and move freely• Marwitz was a big enemy of Hardenberg´s reforms• He was of the opinion that the masses of people should

not be involved in the liberation of the homeland• It is only a matter of the aristocracy• Hardenberg's reforms have included the liberation of

the farmers• Marwitz did not agree either with anything the king did• His uncle, Johann Friedrich Adolph von der Marwitz

refused to plunder Hubertusburg in the Seven Years War

• For him it was against his honor

“Chose disgrace where obedience did not bring honor“ • Friedrich August Ludwig von der Marwitz set the quote on the

gravestone of his uncle Freidrich Adolph von der Marwitz• Marwitz recognized the honor of a soldier, and therefore he thought he

has also got to be against the king• Under the command of Friedrich II of Prussia, called “the Old Fritz“, a

soldier fell into disgrace when he was not ready to plunder

Friedrich der Große

Maria Theresia von Österreich

Zitadelle Spandau

7.Johannes Georg von der Marwitz

• *7th July, 1856 in Stolp, Pommern

• † 27thOctober 1929 in Wundichow 

• German officier and later a succesful general

7.1 Provenance and Life• He entered at the age of 20 he joined the German army• From 1883 till 1886 he was in the military academy• Before World War II started he became a general inspector of the

cavalry• His first fight was at the west front• On 2nd.August 1914 he fought in Haelen, Belgium• Marwitz took the command of the XXXVIII. reserve corps at the

east front• On 7th March 1915 he got the medal “Pour le Merite” and on

14thMay 1915 the medal “Eichenlaub”• By the end of World War I and the defeat of Germany he pulled

back from public life

8.Hans-Georg von der Marwitz

• * 8th April 1961 in Heidelberg

• German farmer

• Chairman of the CDU district association Märkisch - Oderland and since autumn 2009, Member of the German Parliament

8.1 Provenance and life• H,-G.v.d.Marwitz was born in Heidelberg as the son of the priest Friedrich

von der Marwitz• He spent his childhood and youth in Aha in Gunzenhausen in Lauben and

in Missen-Wilhams, on the family farm in Allgäu• In 1985 he completed his education as a certified farmer• In 1986 Hans-Georg von der Marwitz took over the closed farm from his

parents in Allgäu• There was the chance to buy an old home of the Marwitz family in

Friedersdorf after the fall of the Wall in Germany in 1990 • The farm includes 900 hectares of land with the cultivation focus on

grapes, sugar beet, vegetables and cereals• Hans-Georg von der Marwitz is the only shareholder and director of the

Friedersdorf agriculture GmbH• He runs a biogas plant and provides many agricultural services• Since 1988 he is a member of the Order of St. John and works in the

Managment Board of the Section in Berlin / Brandenburg

• The member of the Municipal Council of Churches of the parish Friedersdorf and board member and treasurer of the Young Men's Christian Association in the church district Oderbruch e. V.

8.2 Political Interest• 1993-2003 H,-G.v.d.Marwitz was a member of the municipal

Friedersdorf• Since 1998 he is a member of the council of the district Märkisch -

Oderland• From September 2008 to March 2010  he was the chairman of the

christian-democratic party CDU• Hans-Georg von der Marwitz is a full member of the Parliamentary

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Consumer Protection• He is a full member of the Petitions Committee and Substitute

Member of the Tourism Committee• He focuses on energy policy and is opposed to CO2 capture and

storage• Since March 2010 Hans-Georg von der Marwitz is Chairman of the

CDU Märkisch - Oderland

8.3 Conclusion of the political family Von der Marwitz

• On the one hand, a very straight family• Strictly according to the Prussian norms and values• On the other hand, against emperor but not against homeland• Johann Friedrich Adolph von der Marwitz refused to

plunder the Hubertusburg• believed in honor of every soldier

• Friedrich August Ludwig von der Marwitz would not share his power as an aristocrat,

• because he was holding to the old balance of power• He was a clear enemy of Hardenberg´s reforms• and therefore a clear enemy of emancipation and power

supply to the people

• Johannes Georg von der Marwitz• He was a military in every part of his life • He believed in emperor and homeland• He lived the Prussian life• He lived for the fight

• Hans Georg von der Marwitz• He lives in a democracy, is committed to the people• He focuses on democracy• He supports the vitalization construction of the Oderbruch

…Thank you for your attention!

Toni Weber, Nico Nolte and Lars Siebert