Philipp Carl Christian Freiherr von Canstein
(04.02.1804 - 05.11.1877)
place of birth:  Eschwege
Königreich Preußen:  Stellv KG,  General der Infanterie

                            


Imperial Prussian general von Canstein
was a division-level commander and recipient of the Pour le Merite medal. He was married to Adelheid von Krauseneck, the daughter of Prussian Chief of General Staff Wilhelm von Krauseneck.

Canstein began his military career in 1819 when he joined the 2nd Infantry Regiment in Stettin as a cadet. He became a regimental commander himself in 1857 (11th Infantry) and then took part in the Danish War of 1864 as a brigade commander. It was during this conflict that he was awarded the Blue Max for his actions at the battle of Dybbol. Two years later, General von Canstein led the 15th Infantry Division in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, seeing action in the Battle at Königgrätz. For this, the oak cluster was added to his Pour le Merite, and he was then promoted to military governor of Magdeburg. As Prussia fought the French in 1870-71, von Canstein briefly served as Gustav von Alvensleben's acting commander in charge of IV. Army Corps headquarters in Magdeburg. He retired from active duty in 1872 and died in Kassel in 1877.
  

     
    Deutsch-Dänischer Krieg  1864

General der Infanterie  26.07.1870
Kriegs-Denkmünze  
Pour le Mérite  07.07.1864  (Eichenlaub:  20.09.1866)
Erinnerungs-Kreuz Deutscher Krieg  1866
Kriegsveteran  Deutsch-Französischer Krieg  1870–1871