Preen, Friedrich Christian Dietrich von

General

born: 22.03.1787 in Arolsen

died: 19.03.1856 in Wiesbaden

Preen was a cadet in the Principality of Waldeck, then in Dutch service, from where he was taken on as a lieutenant in the 2nd Nassau Infantry Regiment in 1809 and transferred to the general staff as a captain in 1810. In 1815 he was a major in the 1st Nassau Infantry Regiment, in 1817 a lieutenant colonel in the 2nd Regiment, in 1820 he was a colonel in the 2nd Regiment, before transferring to the General Staff in 1837 and becoming a general in 1840. He took part in the campaign against Prussia with the Dutch army in 1806/07 and from 1808 in the war in Spain, where he transferred to Nassau service. In 1815, he was wounded in the Battle of Waterloo.

During the outbreak of the revolution in 1848, he was commander-in-chief of the Nassau troops in the absence of Duke Adolph zu Nassau. His decision to leave the soldiers in the Wiesbaden barracks prevented a bloodbath.

Preen retired in 1848 because he was not allowed to take vigorous action against the lack of discipline in the troops. He is buried in the Old Cemetery.