Reiche, Ludwig

SOLDIER, INVENTOR, CARTOGRAPHER (GERMANY)
BORN 17 May 1774, Hannover, Niedersachsen - DIED 25 Feb 1840, Weimar, Thüringen
BIRTH NAME Reiche, Ludwig Friedrich Bernhard Christoph Theodor
GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Historischer Friedhof, Poseckscher Garten

Ludwig Reiche joined the Prussian Army in 1778. In 1792 he was promoted to officer. In 1802 he married Antonie von Rodenberg (1776-1852).

He fought against Napoleon and was with Duke Karl August of Weimar when the latter was beaten by Napoleon in 1806. After the capitulation of Nienburg an der Wieser he was taken prisoner of war. After his release he went to Königsberg, but in 1809 he was back in Nordrhein-Westfalen. When the French were looking for him again he fled to Austria en joined the Austrian Army.

In 1813 he founded a drawing academy in Berlin. In the same year he founded a volunteering group, the Jägerkorps von Reiche, and once more fought against the French. Later he joined the Prussian army, but he was pensioned off in 1815 after being promoted to the rank of Major. This time he started a lithographical company. It was taken over by the War Ministery but he was its director until 1820.

In later years he made several inventions in the field of gunnery. He died in 1840 during a trip to Weimar and was buried there.

Images

The grave of Ludwig Reiche at the Friedhof vor dem Frauenturm, Weimar.
Picture by Androom (05 Feb 2005)

 

Sources
Ludwig von Reiche (Major) - Wikipedia


Reicher, Emanuel

Published: 25 Nov 2017
Last update: 03 Jan 2022