WWith a contingent of 5,350 soldiers and policemen, Germany is one of the main contributors of troops to coalition operations in Afghanistan. Although German troops mainly operate in the comparatively quiet north of the country, the Bundeswehr has suffered a number of casualties during participation in the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan.
WFrederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was a German prince and Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Oels. Nicknamed "The Black Duke", he was a military officer who led the Black Brunswickers against French domination in Germany. He briefly ruled the state of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1806 to 1807 and again from 1813 to 1815.
WJohann von Götzen was a Lüneburg nobleman and Generalfeldmarschall who fought during the course of the Thirty Years' War. He was married to Elisabeth v. Fal(c)ken (?-1631) Falke, Falcken, Falken, Falkenreck. They had two sons: Johann Sigismund Count of Götzen (1622-1622) and Johann Georg Count of Götzen (1623-1679). At the outbreak of the war Götzen joined the army of the Electoral Palatinate, defecting in to the Imperial side after the battle of Dessau Bridge. He attained the rank of Generalfeldmarschall in both the Electorate of Bavaria and Holy Roman Empire, gaining a reputation for his bravery. He was killed on 5 March 1645, while commanding the Imperial cavalry during the Battle of Jankau.
WUlrich von Jungingen was the 26th Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1407 to 1410. His policy of confrontation with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland would spark the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War and lead to disaster for his Order, and his own death, at the Battle of Grunwald.
WEwald Christian von Kleist was a German poet and cavalry officer. His vast family was well-established in Farther Pomerania; 58 male members of his family fought in Frederick the Great's army of the Seven Years' War. Kleist was born at Zeblin, near Köslin (Koszalin) in Farther Pomerania, to the von Kleist family of cavalry leaders.
WCarl Theodor Körner was a German poet and soldier. After some time in Vienna, where he wrote some light comedies and other works for the Burgtheater, he became a soldier and joined the Lützow Free Corps in the German uprising against Napoleon. During these times, he displayed personal courage in many fights, and encouraged his comrades by fiery patriotic lyrics he composed, among these being the "Schwertlied", composed during a lull in fighting only a few hours before his death, and "Lützows wilde Jagd", each set to music by both Carl Maria von Weber and Franz Schubert. He was often called the "German Tyrtaeus."
WMaurice was Duke (1541–47) and later Elector (1547–53) of Saxony. His clever manipulation of alliances and disputes gained the Albertine branch of the Wettin dynasty extensive lands and the electoral dignity.
WFranz Freiherr von Mercy, Lord of Mandre and Collenburg, was a German general in the Thirty Years' War who fought for the Habsburg side.
WChristian Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Ompteda was a Hanoverian officer of the Napoleonic Wars.
WHeinrich von Plötzke was an officer of the Teutonic Order during the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Born in Płock (Plotzk) in the independent Duchy of Masovia,, he was a descendant of the hereditary dukes of Plock but never took the formal title due to the conflict of his family with the ruling Piast dynasty of Poland.
WAlexander Rüstow was a Prussian soldier and military writer from Brandenburg an der Havel. The brother of Wilhelm Rüstow and Cäsar Rüstow, he is remembered for his work Der Küstenkrieg. Alexander and Cäsar both fell on the field of battle during the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, with Alexander dying at Horitz from wounds sustained in the Battle of Königgrätz.
WCäsar Rüstow was a Prussian soldier and military writer.
WPrince Felix Constantin Alexander Johann Nepomuk of Salm-Salm was a Prussian military officer of princely birth and a soldier of fortune.
WKurt Christoph, Graf von Schwerin was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall, one of the leading commanders under Frederick the Great.
WFrederick Louis of Württemberg-Winnental was a German army commander of the eighteenth century.