General Staff (Denmark)
Chief of the General Staff | |
---|---|
Chefen for Generalstaben | |
![]() 20 January 1808–30 December 1839 | |
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Abbreviation | CH.f.Gst. |
Reports to | Minister of War (1848–1932) Chief of the General Command (1932–1950) |
Term length | Not fixed |
Formation | 20 January 1808 |
First holder | |
Final holder | |
Abolished | 30 September 1950 |
Succession | Chief of the Army Command |
The General Staff of Denmark was a top authority in the Royal Danish Army and was responsible for war preparations (training and education), studies and planning.[1]
Additionally, the Staff also wrote the regulations and historical works. Following the placement under the General Command in 1932, it took over its daily administration.[2] There were two departments within the General Staff, the Command department which stood for the daily administration, and the General Staff department responsible for war preparations.[2]
In times of war, General Staff personnel would join command staffs and serve as advisors during military operations.[2]
History[]
The idea behind of the General Staff appeared around the ending of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, as there was an increased need for organization within the army.[3] Previously, general staffs were only created in times of war and field commanders were handed staff officers, who lacked proper staff training.[4] On 20 January 1808, the General Adjutant and General Quartermaster Staff was established with as Adjutant General and its overall chief.[5] As such, there were two staffs directly below the highest commanding general:[3][4]
- The General Adjutant Staff, which was responsible for personnel, questions regarding the operations and administrative cases.
- The General Quartermaster Staff, which stood for providing topographical and statistical information regarding terrain and population, supervision of constructions, education, administrate accommodation and rations.
Initially, staff officers were selected on the basis on who was considered best, without any preparatory education. However, in 1830, following the creation of the Royal Military College, the graduation exam became an admission condition.[3] Education of officers were focused on military history & tactics, and technical and scientific subjects.[6] Slowly, the latter subjects became more prevalent, with topographical work taking up the largest amount, causing internal friction.[7][8]
In 1839, following the dismissal of Bülow, the Adjutant Staff was drastically reduced, making the Quartermaster General the chief of the whole staff.[8][6] As part of the army organization plan of 1842, the Adjutant Staff was finally split from the organization and renamed as "His Majesty the King's Adjutant Staff".[6] Additionally, it was decided that of the 30 members of the General Staff, five would also serve in the Adjutant Staff and the three General Commands.[a]
Shortly before the outbreak of the First Schleswig War, the rations service and equipment administration was subjugated the newly established Ministry of War. [6]
In 1856, the disproportionally large Topographical Department caused so much in fighting, that it was moved to the Ministry of Finance.[9] However, all communication still had to go through the Chief of the General Staff. This created unnecessary bureaucracy, leading to the removal of the position of the Chief of the General Staff.[10][9] As a result, there were no chief during the Second Schleswig War, with the rest of the staff having a minor role during the war.[9]
Reestablishment[]
During the war, it was however made clear there was a high demand for young officers with formal General Staff training, since much of the training at the Royal Military College had been focused on the sciences.[9] As such, work was started to recreate the General Staff.[8] The Topographical Department was moved back into the staff, however there were structural changes which ensured there would not be a too large focus on the department.[11]
Following the appointment of [12] The General Staff therefore produced a complete mobilization plan and began regularly holding "General Staff exercises".[12]
, there were an increased focus on gaining more influence within the army's leadership.Word Wars[]
During World War I, the General Staff joined with the 1st General Command's staff, to form the Supreme Command Staff as to support the Supreme Command.[13] After the war, cuts to the army resulted in the closure of the General Commands, and the creation of a peacetime supreme command. While the General Staff kept its special status under the Ministry of War, everything that pertained to the preparation for the overall land defense were subjugated the Chief of the General Command.[14]
Following the , the General Staff ceased to be an independent institution below the Ministry. The General Staff was instead place as a subordinate to the General Command and served as its staff.[13] This new organization, meant the role of the General Staff was codified in peace and war.[14]
A few days after the occupation of Denmark, the General Staff began to establish illegal contact with the SOE, as to provide intelligence.[14] After Operation Safari, operations were forced moved to Sweden under the "".[14]
After the war, the General Staff was responsible for the rebuilding of the Army, while ensuring it was modernized. The meant major restructuring for the army and the General Staff was renamed the Army Staff.[15]
List of Chiefs[]
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
1 | (1769–1844) as Chief of the General Adjutant and General Quartermaster Staff | Lieutenant general20 January 1808 | 30 December 1839 | 31 years, 344 days | [5] | |
2 | (1782–1854) | Lieutenant general30 December 1839 | 3 June 1852 | 12 years, 2 days | [10][16] | |
3 | (1804–1852) | Major general3 June 1852 | 23 July 1852 † | 50 days | [17][18] | |
– | (1795–1865) Acting | Colonel23 July 1852 | 2 April 1854 | 1 year, 253 days | [19] | |
4 | (1795–1865) | Major general2 April 1854 | 26 June 1858 | 4 years, 85 days | [20][21] | |
Position of Chief of the General staff abolished[8][9][10] 1858–1867 | ||||||
– | (1819–1905) Acting | Colonel2 December 1864 | 1 April 1865 | 120 days | [22][23] | |
– | (1822–1879) Acting | Lieutenant colonel1 April 1865 | 26 September 1867 | 2 years, 178 days | [24][25] | |
5 | [b] (1822–1879) | General26 September 1867 | 21 April 1879 | 11 years, 207 days | [24][25] | |
6 | (1825–1897) | General21 April 1879 | 4 October 1887 | 8 years, 166 days | [26][27] | |
7 | (1831–1916) | Major general5 October 1887 | 26 November 1896 | 9 years, 52 days | [28] | |
8 | (1836–1903) | Major general27 November 1896 | 1901 | 4–5 years | [29] | |
9 | (1835–1907) | Major general1901 | 1903 | 1–2 years | [30] | |
10 | (1850–1908) | Major general1903 | 4 November 1905 | 1–2 years | [31] | |
11 | (1852–1939) | Major general5 November 1905 | 19 August 1909 | 3 years, 287 days | [32] | |
12 | Anders Ludvig Hansen (1856–1920) | Major generalAugust 1909 | 1912 | 2–3 years | [33] | |
13 | (1857–1920) | Major general1912 | 6 August 1917 | 4–5 years | [34] | |
14 | (1856–1938) | Major generalAugust 1917 | May 1918 | 9 months | [35][36] | |
15 | Major general (1866–1934) | May 1918 | December 1919 | 1 year, 7 months | [37] | |
16 | Louis Nielsen (1865–1936) | Major generalDecember 1919 | November 1922 | 2 years, 11 months | [38][39] [40][41] | |
17 | Peter Laurids Martin Birke (1865–1941) | Major generalNovember 1922 | July 1930 | 7 years, 8 months | [42][43] | |
18 | Johan Christian Lund (1871–1931) | Major generalJuly 1930 | 5 April 1931 † | 9 months | [44][45] | |
19 | William Wain Prior (1876–1946) | Major generalApril 1931 | 31 October 1937 | 6 years, 6 months | [46] | |
20 | (1886–1976) | Major general1 November 1937 | 31 May 1941 | 3 years, 6 months | [47] | |
21 | (1884–1966) | Major general1 June 1941 | 1945 | 3–4 years | [48] | |
22 | (1896–1972) | Major general1945 | 30 September 1950 | 4–5 years | [49] |
Notes[]
References[]
- Citations
- ^ Prior 1935, p. 101.
- ^ a b c Prior 1935, p. 102.
- ^ a b c Prior 1935, p. 103.
- ^ a b Klint 1965, p. 5.
- ^ a b Hedegaard 1976.
- ^ a b c d Klint 1965, p. 6.
- ^ Klint 1965, pp. 6, 7.
- ^ a b c d Prior 1935, p. 104.
- ^ a b c d e f Klint 1965, p. 7.
- ^ a b c Vesterdal 1971.
- ^ Prior 1935, p. 105.
- ^ a b Klint 1965, p. 8.
- ^ a b Prior 1935, p. 106.
- ^ a b c d Klint 1965, p. 10.
- ^ Klint 1965, p. 11.
- ^ Richter 1977a, p. 177.
- ^ Rockstroh 2011a.
- ^ Richter 1977a, p. 123.
- ^ Hof-og Statscalender 1855, p. 189.
- ^ Rockstroh 2011b.
- ^ Richter 1977a, p. 17.
- ^ Rockstroh 2011c.
- ^ Richter 1977a, p. 221.
- ^ a b Bjerg 2011a.
- ^ a b Richter 1977b, p. 178.
- ^ Rockstroh 2011d.
- ^ Richter 1977a, p. 125.
- ^ Richter 1977b, p. 156.
- ^ Bjerg 2011b.
- ^ Bjerg 2011c.
- ^ Bjerg 2011d.
- ^ Rockstroh 2011e.
- ^ "Kraks Blå Bog - H - Han-Han". Project Runeberg (in Danish). 3 July 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
- ^ Rockstroh 2011f.
- ^ Clemmesen 1982, pp. 7–3, III-4.
- ^ Koefoed 1938.
- ^ Clemmesen 1982, p. III-1.
- ^ Olsen 1985, pp. 10, 16.
- ^ Clemmesen 1982, p. III-3.
- ^ Grøn & Clemmesen 2014, p. 99.
- ^ Prior 1936.
- ^ Olsen 1985, pp. 10, 43.
- ^ Larsen 2011.
- ^ Olsen 1985, p. 43.
- ^ Wolff 1931.
- ^ Olsen 1985, pp. 43, 75.
- ^ Olsen 1985, pp. 75.
- ^ Rolsted 2015, p. 145.
- ^ Wolff 2011.
- Bibliography
- Bjerg, Hans Christian (17 July 2011a). "Frederik Stiernholm". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- Bjerg, Hans Christian (17 July 2011b). "Hans Hedemann". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Gyldendal. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- Bjerg, Hans Christian (17 July 2011c). "Georg Zachariae". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Gyldendal. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- Bjerg, Hans Christian (17 July 2011d). "Arnold Kühnel". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Gyldendal. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- Clemmesen, Michael Hesselholt (1982). Jyllands landforsvar fra 1901 til 1940 (in Danish). Copenhagen: Det Krigsvidenskabelige Selskab. ISBN 87-981346-0-4.
- Grøn, Ole; Clemmesen, Michael H. (2014). "Skyggerne på væggen: Et forsøg på delvis rekonstruktion af efterretningstjenesten i og fra Sønderjylland fra 1920 til ca. 1950". Dansk Militærhistorisk Kommissions Tidsskrift (in Danish). 1.
- Hedegaard, E. O. A. (1 May 1976). "Ballonkrigen over Øresund 1809". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- Klint, Helge (1965). "Træk af Hærstabens historie". Hærkommandoens Årsskrift (in Danish). Nyt Nordisk Forlag: 5–11.
- Koefoed, E. (13 August 1938). "Generalløjtnant Ellis Wolff". Det Krigsvidenskabelige Selskab (in Danish). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- Larsen, Helge (17 July 2011). "Martin Birke". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Gyldendal. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- Olsen, Ole Isgaard (1985). Planlægning af det Sjællandske Landforsvar: 1922-1944 (in Danish). Forsvarskommandoen.
- Prior, William Wain (1935). "Generalstaben". In Boeck, Hector; Johnstad-Møller, S.E.; Hjalf, C.V. (eds.). Danmarks Hær (in Danish). Vol. 1st. Copenhagen: Selskabet til Udgivelse af Kulturskrifter. pp. 101–106.
- Prior, William Wain (25 August 1936). "Generalmajor Louis Nielsen". Det Krigsvidenskabelige Selskab (in Danish). Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- Richter, Volhelm (1977a). Den Danske Landmilitæretat 1801-1894: I. Bind (in Danish). Copenhagen: Dansk Historisk Håndbogsforlag.
- Richter, Volhelm (1977b). Den Danske Landmilitæretat 1801-1894: II. Bind (in Danish). Copenhagen: Dansk Historisk Håndbogsforlag.
- Rockstroh, K. C. (17 July 2011a). "C. J. Flensborg". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- Rockstroh, K. C. (17 July 2011b). "August Baggesen". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- Rockstroh, K. C. (17 July 2011c). "Heinrich Kauffmann". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- Rockstroh, K. C. (17 July 2011d). "Ludolph Fog". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- Rockstroh, K. C. (17 July 2011e). "Vilhelm Gørtz". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Gyldendal. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- Rockstroh, K. C. (17 July 2011f). "Palle Berthelsen". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish) (3 ed.). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
- Rolsted, Richardt (2015). Rolsted slægten - en fortælling om livet blandt adel, bønder og andet godtfolk (in Danish). Books on demand. ISBN 9788771701548.
- Vesterdal, M. (1 October 1971). "Betragtninger vedrørende hærens organisation 1842-64". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- Wolff, E. H. (26 August 1931). "Generalmajor Johan Christian Lund". Det Krigsvidenskabelige Selskab (in Danish). Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- Wolff, E. H. (18 July 2011). "Erik C.V. Møller". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish). lex.dk. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
- Kongelig Dansk Hof-og Statscalender Statshaandbog for det danske Monarchie for Aaret 1854 (in Danish). København: Bianco Lunos Bogtrykkeri. 1855.
- Royal Danish Army
- Staff (military)