author
August von Goeben
1816–1880
A battle-tested Prussian general, he lived a life that reads like an adventure story, from fighting in Spain as a young man to leading troops in Germany’s major 19th-century wars. His career brought him a reputation for courage, energy, and skill on the battlefield.
1 Audiobook
Vier Jahre in Spanien. Die Carlisten, ihre Erhebung, ihr Kampf und ihr Untergang.
by August von Goeben
About the author
Born in Stade on December 10, 1816, August Karl Friedrich Christian von Goeben chose a military path early and entered Prussian service as a teenager. In an unusually dramatic turn for a future Prussian commander, he left to fight on the Carlist side in Spain, where he was wounded, captured, and drew on those experiences for a later memoir.
Back in Prussian service, he steadily rose through the ranks and became known as an able and dependable officer. He served in the conflicts of 1864 and 1866, and his best-known achievements came in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, when he played an important part in several major engagements and received high honors for his service.
Goeben later reached the rank of general of infantry and remained a respected military figure until his death in Koblenz on November 13, 1880. Remembered for both personal bravery and professional discipline, he stands out as one of the notable Prussian commanders of his generation.