Wilhelm Freiherr Von Blomberg (1788-1846)
The Lippische Landesbibliothek Detmold holds all Prussian scientific and military archives of the time. We can consult the writings of the Offizier and Schriftsteller (Chroniqer) Wilhelm Freiherr von Blomberg. He went to the military academy and became a Major in the army; his main task, however, was that of chroniqueur. In those military times, his job was to write about all things regarding military life: how much was paid, what manoeuvres had what result, who was disciplined, as well as writing uplifting poems. In 1811, he was summoned to move from his casern situated in Lemgo to Bremen where Napoleon had just started what turned out to be his last campaign. (note: it may be of interest that the town of Lemgo witnessed a great amount of witch trials between 1667 and 1683). This was followed by another move in 1814 to do the same in Hamburg, for the same reason – both cities shortly were part of the French Empire until the Battle of Waterloo turned them German again. He stayed in Hamburg until 1842. In 1842, about a quarter of the inner city was destroyed in the "Great Fire". This fire started on the night of the 4 May 1842 and was extinguished on 8 May. It destroyed three churches, the town hall, and countless other buildings. It killed 51 people, and left an estimated 20,000 homeless. Reconstruction took more than 40 years. The von Blomberg house was one of them: it was destroyed entirely, together with all its possessions and family archives. A broken man, he and his wife and son moved to Lübeck in 1842 where, never having recovered from this tragedy, he remained until his death in 1846. Little if nothing is known about his wife, except that she was called Nina. His brother, Karl Alexander Freiherr von Blomberg (1886-1813) was equally an officer and chroniqueur, who fell in Berlin in 1813.
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