George Ernst von Klitzing


George Ernst von Klitzing was a Prussian major general of infantry and commander of the Klitzing Infantry. He was also the hereditary heir of Tornow.

Origins

Klitzing was the son of Karl Magnus von Klitzing, Grand Warden, and his wife. Klitzing married on 15 March 1722 in Tornow to Wilhelmine Elisabeth von Mörner, from the House of Klössow. They had the following children:

Military career

Silesian wars

Klitzing entered military service in 1714 as a corporal at the infantry regiment "Markgraf Albrecht". From 1729 he changed to the newly-expanded Fusilier Regiment "von Dossow". He had the dubious distinction of being the oldest first lieutenant in his regiment, until his promotion to captain in September 1730.
Klitzing participated in the Siege of Prague. He was promoted to major in 1743 by his commander, Friedrich Wilhelm von Varenne.

Seven Years' War

Klitsing was promoted to the lieutenant colonel in June 1751. For most of 1758 he served in Prince Henry's corps, tasked with holding Saxony. With other elements of Henry's force, the Prussians managed to guard Leipzig and its environs long enough for the Prussian artillery to pull out of the region.
In the action near Breslau, Klitzing led his troops against the enemy-occupied village of Kleinburg, he gave the individual fire orders as if he were in the parade ground. On 9 December 1758, he became Proprietor of the regiment, the Klitzing Infantry. On the same day he was promoted to major general.
He fought at the Battle of Kay. At the Battle of Kunersdorf on 12 August 1759, he was shot twice through the arm. He was moved to Stettin with many of the other injured, where he died on 29 October 1759. He was buried three days later in the garrison church.