‘von Gabain’ genealogy 4: the Prussian branch

The monument dedicated to the eleven Schilchchen Offizieren, Wesel (Germany)

Constantin Nathanael Johann Wilhelm

Constantin Nathanael Johann Wilhelm was the son of Prussian officer Carl Heinrich David von Gabain, who was ennobled by the king and given the titular designation ‘von’ to his name. Constantin attended the Rektoratsschule in Wesel and joined his father’s regiment in 1802 at the age of 16. He was captured near the town of Auerstedt, but managed to escape. He was one of eleven officers who subsequently joined Major von Schill’s freedom army. Later, he was captured in a street fight in Stralsund with Napoleon’s army, and sentenced to death on September 16^th 1809 by a military court in Wesel for ‘street robbery’. The sentence was carried out that same day. Constantin and his ten comrades were shot outside the city of Wesel on the Lippewiese.

Major Karl Emil von Webern (1790 – 1878) gave the impetus to establish a monument dedicated to the eleven officers of Schill. In 1833 he held a collection within the Prussian army for this purpose. According to the plans of Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the monument was made of cast iron by August Kiss, allegedly from molten French cannons, and placed on the site of execution, which also served as the burial site of the Schill officers, on the Lippewiesen. It is a simple, classicist tomb stele, designed after antique example. On the side of the city, the monument displays the mourning Borussia and the advancing goddess of victory at the altar of the fatherland. The altar, decorated with the Prussian eagle, displays the executioner’s ax, above which Victoria holds a wreath, turning the martyr’s death into a victory. Below are the names of the eleven officers: Leopold Jahn, Daniel Schmidt, Friedrich von Galle, Friedrich von Trachenberg, Adolf von Keller, Friedrich Felgentreu, Constantin von Gabain, the brothers Karl und Albert von Wedell, Johann Flemming and Karl von Keffenbrink. On the other side of the monument, the Prussian eagle enthrones above eleven stars and the motto: ‘They died as Prussians and as heroes on September 16^th 1809′. A wreath of previously planted poplars and acacias surrounds the monument, which turns the park into a memorial hedge.

**Gustav Adolf Gottlieb Eduard Adelbert von Gabain.** Prussian ‘Hauptmann’. Born in Königsberg (Prussia) on December 10^th 1824, killed in action in the Prussian-Austrian War on June 27^th 1866 in Trautenau (Trutnov, Czech Republic). Married on October 25^th 1859 to Baroness Hildegard Freiin Treusch von Butlar Brandenfels, born in Bregden on June 11^th 1837, died in Breslau on April 29^th 1921.

**Arthur Edward Otto Gustav von Gabain**. Prussian General. Born in Graudenz on August 1^st 1860, died in Berlin on March 6^th 1939. Married on September 24^th 1895 to Maria Antonie Anna Konstanze Plewig, born on September 9^th1866, died on June 9^th 1904.

**Georg Albrecht Friedrich Rudolf August von Gabain**. Prussian Major. Born in Graudenz on November 3^rd 1862, died in Berlin on January 19^th 1955. Married in 1909 to Amalia Komorowski, born on May 31^st 1889, died on June 3^rd 1951.

Walther Richard Heinrich Waldemar Victor von Gabain

Walther Richard Heinrich Waldemar Victor von Gabain was less than 5 months old, when his father Gustav Adolf Gottlieb Eduard Adelbert von Gabain was killed as ‘Hauptmann’ in the Prussian-Austrian War on June 27^th 1866 in Trautenau (Trutnov, Czech Republic). In 1881 he joined the army as a cadet in Wahlstadt at the age of 15. He continued his military education in Kulm (West Prussia). In 1882 he went to the main cadet training in Berlin, and became a second lieutenant in the 8^th East Prussian Infantry Regiment No. 45, stationed in Metz. He retired from the army on June 18^th 1889 and left for the Netherlands. There he was engaged on December 21^st 1889 as a volunteer soldier with the K.W.D. for 6 years, on the day of embarkation with a premium of 200 gulden. He was subsequently embarked on January 4^th 1890 in Amsterdam on board the steamship Princess Marie. On February 17^th 1890 he was debarked in Batavia and then posted to the 2^nd Department Battalion. On July 1^st 1890 he transferred to the 7^th Infantry Battalion, and back to the 2^nd Department Battalion on January 4^th 1891. On May 2^nd 1891 he was promoted to corporal, after which he transferred to the 8^th Infantry Battalion. On August 7^th 1892 he was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the 5^th Infantry Battalion. On October 1^st 1893 he transferred to the 4^th Department Battalion, and on December 9^th 1893, to the 7^th Dep. Battalion. On January 18^th 1896 he was engaged for 4 years with the colonial troops, both within and outside Europe, with a premium of 200 gulden with the Garrison Battalion of Celebes in Menado and Timor. There he served as a sergeant-instructor of the armed police in Koepang (Timor), and on February 6^th 1902 he was commissioned as the hoofdcommies Staatsspoorwegen op Java on Java. During the 1930s he exploited the pharmacy ‘De Ster’ in Bandung.

First wife: native Marie Louise Ngadijem, died 1905. Their son, Hendrik Willem von Gabain, was born in Koepang Timor on October 16^th 1905 and died on December 15^th 1905. Second wife: Anna Maria Louise Ngadijem (Marie Louise’s sister), born in 1882 in Doekoesari (Kedoe). Both were daughters of Sotroeno and Bok Ragil. They were married in Bandung on September 17^th 1913, and she died in Maastricht on September 7^th 1960. They had one daughter and two sons before their marriage, and two sons after their marriage.

Wilhelmina von Gabain, born in Magelang (Kedoe) on March 18^th 1907, teacher in the Dutch East Indies, died in The Hague on January 16^th 1991. Unmarried.

Heinrich von Gabain, born in Magelang (Kedoe) on January 18^th 1909, mentioned in 1938 as employee Siemens in Soerabaja, electrotechnician in Bandung, instrument maker in the Netherlands, died in Amsterdam on March 13^th1982. Married in Bandung on November 27^th 1940 to Josephine Anthonijs, born in Ponorogo (Madioen) on December 21^st 1907, died in Amsterdam July 21^st 1969, daughter of Anthoni Willem Anthonijs and Josephine Antoinette Feher and widow Steiginga. From this marriage Hildegard von Gabain was born in Bandung on November 2^nd 1940, died in Amsterdam on April 14^th 2015.

Walter von Gabain, born in Bandung on January 15^th 1912, second commissioner Ministry of Defense, died in Amsterdam on October 26^th 1989, married in Bandung on December 16^th 1953 to Catharina Alida ten Boom, born in Batavia on April 26^th 1919, died in Heerlen October 6^th 1984, daughter of Johan Christiaan ten Boom and Emelie Louise Bordeaux and widow of Sijtje Jeekel. From this marriage were born: 1. Elvire Mathilde von Gabain, born in Bandung on May 31^st 1946, married in Voerendaal on December 6^th 1968 to A.E. Schussler. 2. Marie Louise von Gabain, born in Bandung on February 28^th 1949. 3. Thea Catharina von Gabain, born in Bandung on June 7^th 1950, married in Landgraaf on January 15^th 1993 to L.M.F. Mulleners. 4. Charlotte Augustine von Gabain, born in Voerendaal on September 9^th 1955, married in Zoetermeer on October 1^st 2001 to W.J.J. Beij.

Arthur von Gabain, born in Poerwokerto (Banjoemas) on February 15^th 1917, mechanic first class at the radio laboratory of the P.T.T. in Bandung, died in Hengelo on January 19^th 2003, married in Batavia on November 28^th 1947 to Elsje Geertruida Jansen, born in Batavia on July 12^th 1925, died in Hengelo on January 9^th 2017, daughter of Karel Petrus Jansen and Sophia Theodora Pereira. From this marriage were born: 1. Gertrude Madeleine von Gabain, born in Bandung on September 24^th 1949. 2. Elviere Winia von Gabain, born in Bandung on February 25^th 1951. 3. Waldemar Victor von Gabain, born in Bandung in 1952, died there on November 25^th 1953. 4. René Arthur von Gabain, born in Hengelo on February 9^th 1958, married in Hengelo on August 12^th 1982 to Ida Elizabeth Buiting.

Gustaf von Gabain, born in Poerwokerto (Banjoemas) on December 15^th 1921, employee of Philips in Bandung, died in Uden on November 16^th 1994, married in Klimmen on November 28^th 1957 to Anna Wilhelmina Elisabeth Weerts, born in Klimmen on December 26^th 1926, died in Uden on January 24^th 1994, daughter of Franciscus Hubertus Josephus Weerts and Helena Franssen. From this marriage were born: 1. George Eduard von Gabain, born in Halsteren on April 14^th 1959, married on December 19^th 1986 to Conny van der Zanden, who died on October 8^th2015. 2. Heinrich Waldemar von Gabain, born in Halsteren on June 5^th 1960.