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'{{underconstruction|date=October 2009}} '''Friedrich Hotze''', also known by his civil name, Johann Konrad Hotz, or as Friedrich Freiherr (Baron) von Hotze, was born on 20 April 1739 in [[Richterswil]] in the [[Canton of Zürich]]. He was the second son of a doctor and surgeon in the service of the [[Margrave of Hesse]] and his Zurich-born wife Juditha Gessner. Hotze came from an old Swiss family, and was a cousin of [[Heinrich Pestalozzi]], the pedagogue. His older brother, the doctor Johannes Hotze (1734-1801) was also a friend of [[Wolfgang Goethe]] and the poet and philosopher [[Johann Caspar Lavater]] (1741-1801).<ref>{{de icon}} Ebert, Jens-Florian, "Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze," [http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/html/Hotze.html ''Die Österreichischen Generäle 1792-1815'']. Accessed 15 October 2009.</ref> {{Infobox Military Person | name =Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze | image =[[File:Friedrich von Hotze.jpg|thumb|300px]] | caption =Hotze is wearing the Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa | born ={{birth-date|20 April 1739}} | died ={{death-date and age|25 September 1799 |20 April 1739}} | placeofbirth =[[Richterswil]], [[Canton of Zürich]], [[Swiss Confederation]] | placeofdeath =[[Schänis]] on the [[Linth]], [[Canton of St. Gallen]] | father = Johannes Hotze, military surgeon | mother = Juditha Gessner | allegiance =[[File:Wuerttemberg Arms.svg|20px]] Duke of Württemberg (1758-1761)<br> {{flagicon|Russian Empire}} [[Russian Empire]] (1768-1776) <br>{{flagicon|Habsburg Monarchy}} [[Habsburg Austria]] (1779-1799)</br> | branch = | serviceyears = | rank =Lieutenant Field Marschal | battles =[[War of Bavarian Succession]]<br> [[Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774]]<br>[[French Revolutionary Wars]]<br> *[[War of the First Coalition]]<br> *[[War of the Second Coalition]]<br> :*[[First Battle of Zurich]]<br> :*{{KIA}} [[Second Battle of Zurich]]</br> | awards = 1793, Knights Cross of the [[Military Order of Maria Theresa]]<br> 1798, Commanders Cross of the [[Military Order of Maria Theresa]] </br> | laterwork = }} ==Early career== As a young man, Hotze studied at the Carolinium (gymnasium) in Zurich, and later at the [[University of Tübingen]], Hotze entered the service in the Württemberg Hussar Regiment in October 1758, as an officer cadet (ensign).<ref>{{de icon}} Katja Hürlimann, [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D19630.phpHotz Johann Konrad (Friedrich von Hotze)], ''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz,'' 15/01/2008 edition, accessed 18 October 2009.</ref> By 1759, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and in 1761, to cavalry captain (''Rittmeister''). He left the Duke's service during the disagreement between the Duke and the Württemberg Estates over financial matters involved in maintaining a standing army, and entered the service of the King of [[Prussia]], where he remained until the end of the [[Seven Years War]] (1756-1763). After service in Prussia, he took a brief vacation in Switzerland.<ref>Ebert, [http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/html/Hotze.html ''Freiherr von Hotze''].</ref> In May 1768, Hotze entered the service of [[Catherine II]], the Tsarina of Russia, but only as lieutenant of a regiment of [[Dragoons]], the so-called ''Ingermannland'', named for the territory between [[Lake Peipus]], the [[Narova River]], and [[Lake Ladoga]], in in the old Grand Duchy of [[Novgorod]].<ref>Lins, Joseph. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13374b.htm "Saint Petersburg."] ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 17 Oct. 2009</ref> He participated in several battles in Russia's ongoing conflict with the [[Ottoman empire]], attracting the attention of Field marshal [[Alexander Suvorov]] during the battle at [[Giurgiu]], on the lower Danube, during which he was wounded. After his recovery Suvarov praised him for his bravery and promoted him to major.<ref>Ebert, [http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/html/Hotze.html ''Freiherr von Hotze'']</ref> ==Habsburg service== The war between Russia and the Ottoman empire ended with the [[Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca]], signed on 21&nbsp;July 1775. In 1776, Hotze returned to his home in Switzerland once again. On the return journey, he stopped in Vienna, to present himself to the Emperor, Joseph II, and to seek an appointment as a major in the imperial Austrian army. when the emperor journey to [[Hüningen]] in the upper Rhine in 1777, Hotze once more presented himself to the emperor, after which he finally secured a commission as major in the [[Cuirassiers|Cuirassiers]] Regiment 26, known as the Baron of Berlichingen regiment (''Freiherr von Berlichingen''). His regiment served in the field during the [[War of Bavarian Succession]] (1778-79). He served for a short time with the ''cuirassiers'' regiment "Marquis de Voghera" in Hungary, and returned with this regiment to Vienna in 1783. In 1784, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (''[[Oberstleutnant]]'') and given command of the 1. [[Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria|Galican]] Lancers, which, in 1795, became the foundation of the 1. Lancers Regiment.<ref>Ebert, [http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/html/Hotze.html ''Freiherr von Hotze'']</ref> Hotze's experience with military preparedness and organization gave him a great advantage in establishing the new combat arm. Recognizing the importance of lancers as part of the Austrian armed force, he embarked on an organizational and training program. The emperor named him as commander of these corps, with the rank of Colonel. In 1787, he returned to Russia, this time to establish a similar force in Catherine the Great's army. At the outbreak of [[Austro-Turkish War of 1787|war]] between the Ottoman Empire and Austria, he returned to Austria and took command of his regiment.<ref>Ebert, [http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/html/Hotze.html ''Freiherr von Hotze'']</ref> [[File:Maria-Theresia-Orden.jpg|thumb|Badge of the Order of Maria Therea awarded to Hotze for his actions in the Wurzburg campaign.]] ==War of First Coalition== {{Main|War of the First Coalition}} In 1793 he was promoted to Major General. In the battle of Neresheim (11 August 1796) Hotze commanded 13 battalions and 28 cavalry squadrons, a total of 13,300 men, in the center of Archduke Charles' line, after which his force participated in the battle by Newmarket and Lauf, and the battle of Würzburg 3 September 1796. During these actions, Hotze's organization and leadership led to the overwhelming of the French lines. For his actions in this campaign, he was awarded a promotion on 29 April 1797, and received the Commanders cross of the Order of Maria Thersia. <!-- essential impact to a campaign that were undertaken on the officer's own initiative, and might have been omitted by an honorable officer without reproach --> With the signing of the Treaty of Campo Formio, Austrian left the war with France, and Hotze left Austrian service and returned to his home in Switzerland. Hardly had he arrived there when the government in Bern was overthrown, with the assistance of the [[French Directory]]; subsequently, the [[Swiss Confederation]] was broken. He returned to Austria, received a new commission, and a new command.<ref>Hürlimann, ''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz,'' 15/01/2008 edition, accessed 18 October 2009.</ref> ==War of the Second Coalition== {{Main|War of the Second Coalition}} When he took up arms against the French in Switzerland, the revolutionary Swiss government revoked his Swiss citizenship. As Lieutenant Field Marshall, he commanded over 15,000 troops in the [[Voralberg]] against France's Army of Switzerland, commanded by [[André Masséna]]. Fortifying [[Feldkirch]], he overwhelmed the fortress at [[St. Luzisteig]], an important pass ({{convert|713|m|0}}) in the [[Canton of Graubunden]] linking the Swiss Confederation and [[Liechtenstein]]. Then, realizing that the main French army had crossed the Rhine, and moved north of [[Lake Constance]], he organized the defenses of Feldkirch, and deputed command to [[Franz Jellacic]], an able officer and commander. He took 10,000 of the 15,500 troops designated for the defense of the Voralberg north of Lake Constance, to support [[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen|Archduke Charles]]' left wing at the battles [[Battle of Ostrach|Ostrach]] and, a few days later [[Battle of Stockach (1799)|Stockach]].<ref>Phipps, Ramsey Weston ''The Armies of the First French Republic,'' volume 5: "The armies of the Rhine in Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Egypt and the coup d'etat of Brumaire, 1797-1799," Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1939, pp. 49–50.</ref> In his absence, Jellacic's 5,500 men faced Massena's army of 12,000, and drove them out of the Voralberg, inflicting enormous casualties on the French while suffering minimal losses of their own.<ref>Digby Smith. ''The Napoleonic Wars Data Book.'' London, Greenhill, 1998. ISBN 1-85367-276-9 pp. 147-148.</ref> ===First Battle of Zürich === {{Main|First Battle of Zürich}} In the first Battle of Zurich, on 4-7 June 1799, Hotze commanded the entire left wing of Archduke Charles' army. This included 20 battalions of infantry, plus support artillery, and 27 squadrons of cavalry, in total, 19,000 men. Despite being wounded in his left arm, he remained on the field. His troops not only pushed the French back, but harassed their retreat. ===Death at 2nd Battle of Zürich === [[File:Schänis Kirche3.jpg|thumb|alt=A baroque-style church, white walls with tile roof, and a set of grave stones in front of it.|The village church at Schänis, where Hotze was originally buried.]] {{Main|Second Battle of Zürich}} On the morning of 25 September, as the Austrian army withdrew from Zurich, Hotze and his chief of staff Colonel Count von Plunkett were on a reconnaissance ride near the village [[Schänis]], on the [[Linth]] river. In the heavy morning mist, they stumbled upon a French picket, and were both shot to death. After Hotze's death, the command fell into disarray, and the French division of [[Jean-de-Dieu Soult]] crossed over the Linth unhindered. Initially, Hotze was taken from the battlefield to the church in Schänis, where he was buried. In 1851, his body was moved to [[Bregenz]] and established in a monument there. ==Family== Hotze never married. The war also touched his brother, Johann., who had studied medicine at Leipzig and Tübingen and established a practice in Richterswil. He was one of the first certified and licensed doctors to practice in the area. In his office he treated the emotionally disturbed, and offered in-house medical care for women in labor. He married Anna Elisabetha Pfenninger. During the unrest in Zurich, 1794-95 he unsuccessfully sought to remain neutral. In 1796, he moved to Frankfurt am Main to live with his daughter and son-in-law. <ref> Christoph Mörgeli, [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D14415.php Hotz [Hotze], Johannes]. ''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz'', 29/10/2007 edition, Accessed 18 October 2009.</ref> ==Sources== ;Citations {{Reflist|2}} ;Bibliography <references/> *{{de icon}} Ebert, Jens-Florian, "Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze," [http://www.napoleon-online.de/AU_Generale/html/Hotze.html ''Die Österreichischen Generäle 1792-1815'']. Accessed 15 October 2009. *{{de icon}} Hürlimann, Katja, [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D19630.phpHotz Johann Konrad (Friedrich von Hotze)], ''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz,'' 15/01/2008 edition, accessed 18 October 2009. * {{de icon}} Mörgeli, Christoph[http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D14415.php Hotz [Hotze], Johannes]. ''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz'', 29/10/2007 edition, Accessed 18 October 2009. * Phipps, Ramsey Weston ''The Armies of the First French Republic,'' volume 5: "The armies of the Rhine in Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Egypt and the coup d'etat of Brumaire, 1797-1799," Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1939, pp. 49–50. * Smith, Digby. The Napoleonic Wars Data Book. London: Greenhill, 1998. ISBN 1-85367-276-9 [[Category:Austrian Empire commanders of the Napoleonic Wars]] [[de:Friedrich von Hotze]] [[ru:Готце, Иоганн Фридрих фон]]'