Georg Carl von Döbeln facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lieutenant General
Baron Georg Carl von Döbeln
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Georg Carl von Döbeln, oil on canvas by an unknown painter.
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| Born | 29 April 1758 Stora Torpa, Segerstad, Sweden |
| Died | 16 February 1820 (aged 61) Stockholm, Sweden |
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| Years of service | 1778–1813 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
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| Spouse(s) |
Kristina Karolina Ullström
(m. 1810) |
| Children | Napoleon |
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Georg Carl von Döbeln (born April 29, 1758 – died February 16, 1820) was a famous Swedish general. He was also a baron, which is a type of noble title. He is best known for his important role in the Finnish War, fighting for Sweden.
Contents
Early Life and Military Dreams
Georg Carl was born in a place called Stora Torpa manor in Sweden. His father, Johan Jakob von Döbeln, was a judge. His mother was Anna Maria Lindgren. When Georg Carl was only eight years old, his father passed away.
His relatives wanted him to become a priest. However, young Georg Carl was much more interested in a military life. In 1773, he joined the Karlskrona naval academy. After finishing his studies in 1775, his family again tried to guide him towards a career in law. But Georg Carl did not like this idea. So, in 1778, he found a job as a junior officer in the army.
A Brave Military Career
Georg Carl von Döbeln became a lieutenant and fought in Gustav III's Russian War. During the Battle of Porrassalmi, he was shot in the head. The wound never fully healed. Because of this, he had to wear a black silk bandanna for the rest of his life. It is said that he stayed awake during the operation and even wrote about it while watching in a mirror!
Hero of the Finnish War
Döbeln quickly rose through the ranks and became a colonel. He played a very important part in the Finnish War. On September 13, 1808, he led the Swedish troops in the Battle of Jutas. This battle made him a legend and a main hero of the war. His fame grew even more when a famous poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg, wrote an epic poem about him called Döbeln at Jutas. This poem is part of the Finnish National Poem Fänrik Ståls Sägner.
He also successfully led the Swedish army as they retreated from the Åland islands. They crossed the frozen Baltic Sea. After getting his troops ready again, he fought against Russian forces. This stopped a planned attack on Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
Final Orders and a Pardon
On October 8, 1809, Döbeln was the commanding officer of the North Army. On this day, the last official connections between Sweden and Finland were ended. This happened when the last Swedish-Finnish army was dismissed in the church park of Umeå in northern Sweden. Döbeln's final words to the army are very famous in Sweden. Generations of schoolchildren have learned them.
Later, in the War of the Sixth Coalition, he led troops in Swedish Pomerania. He took 15,000 soldiers to help the city of Hamburg. Hamburg was being attacked by the French. This was against the orders from Swedish Crown Prince Charles John. The Crown Prince had told him not to fight the French unless he had a much bigger army, or to cross the Elbe River.
However, the people of Hamburg had asked Döbeln for help. He had promised them he would try to save their city. Even with another written order from the Crown Prince, Döbeln's troops defeated the French forces. They took control of Hamburg on May 21, 1813.
Döbeln and his soldiers had to leave Hamburg a week later. A large French army arrived to take the city back. Because he had disobeyed the Crown Prince's clear orders, Döbeln was put on trial. He was sentenced to be executed. However, Crown Prince Charles John himself stopped the execution. Instead, Döbeln was held in Vaxholm Prison.
While in prison, Döbeln wrote a letter to a relative. He said he wanted to be allowed to fight in the war and serve his sentence later. The Crown Prince heard about this letter. He was touched by Döbeln's bravery and fully pardoned him. The two men remained friends until Döbeln passed away in 1820.
Personal Life
Georg Carl von Döbeln was married to Kristina Karolina Ullström. They later divorced. They had one son named Napoleon. Even though he was very popular and a war hero, von Döbeln lived his last years without much money.
There is a park in central Umeå, Sweden, called Döbelns Park. It is the oldest park in Umeå. It was named after Döbeln when a monument to him was placed there in 1867. There is also a smaller park in the same city called "Döbelns plan." A film about his 1813 campaign in North Germany was made in 1942, called General von Döbeln.
