Faust Gustav von Falkenrath

Faust Gustav von Falkenrath (1798 - 1869) was a German politician and military officer. From 1845 to 1850, he was subsequently a member of the Conservative Faction and the Freikonservative Partei in the Prussian Landtag.

Biography
Faust Gustav von Falkenrath was born in 1798 as the youngest son of Eduard Karl von Falkenrath. His mother was Alexandra Augusta Sophia von Bieckert. His paternal grandfather fought under Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin in the Silesian Wars and was awarded a large state in the newly conquered Silesia, expanded by his descendants through purchases and marriages. By the time of Faust’s birth, the von Falkenrath were one of the main junker families of Silesia.

When his older brother Johann Manuel died in the Battle of Saalfeld, he became the only surviving son (as his four remaining siblings were women) and his father forbidden him for joining the army. However, when French troops occupied Löwenberg, he joined the Army of Silesia at the age of 15 under Gebhard von Blücher. He fought in the Battle of the Katzbach and liberated the city from the French. He saw action at the Battle of Leipzig as a junior artillery officer. He was promoted and the campaign led him to France, where he fought at Champaubert and Vauchamps. At the Battle of Brienne, he was severely wounded and spent the rest of the campaign recovering from the wounds. He was promoted to Sergeant.

After recovering, he spent some time learning to administrate his father’s states and learning business, but after the return of Napoleon to power he re-joined the army. He participated in the Waterloo Campaign of 1815 and the decisive allied victory. Unlike the previous campaign, von Falkenrath managed to avoid being wounded and entered Paris on 7 July. He remained in the French capital for over a year, indulging in pleasures and excesses like his comrades. He was sent back to Berlin after an incident at the galleries of the Palais-Royal. He spent some time imprisoned at Spandau before being released a few months after. From there on, he devoted to his studies and duties as a Prussian soldier. He attended the General War School in Berlin, graduating in 1823 and somewhat redeeming his reputation. His more serious character was cemented when his father died in 1829 and he became the head of his family and had to look after his brother’s widow and her two daughters and also his unmarried sisters.

In 1840, he was appointed as Fahnrich to the III. Korps in Königsberg to serve under Alfred von Neidenburg. From 1845 to 1850, Faust Gustav briefly entertained a political career as a member for the Conservative Faction, and from 1848 onwards the FkP. However, his true calling was in the army. By 1855, he had reached the rank of Major. Two years later, he was promoted to Oberstleutnant. By 1860, von Falkenrath was a Generalmajor and in charge of the of the VIII, Korps in Weimar. In 1869, Faust Gustav died from a severe infection of his lungs.