Carl von Clausewitz (Dictionary of World Biography: The 19th Century)
Early Life
Carl von Clausewitz was born into a Prussian family that, despite its pretensions to nobility, was in fact of middle-class origins. The elder Clausewitz had obtained a commission in the army of Frederick the Great but was forcibly retired during Frederick’s purge of nonnoble officers after the Seven Years’ War. Clausewitz seems, however, to have believed in the family’s claim to noble status; on the basis of his own achievements, Clausewitz had his claim confirmed by the King of Prussia in 1827.
The ambiguity of Clausewitz’s social position may be a...
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