Albrecht von Roon

Albrecht Theodor Emil Graf von Roon German pronunciation: ; 30 April 1803 – 23 February 1879 was the Prussian soldier & statesman. As Minister of War from 1859 to 1873, Roon, along with Otto von Bismarck together with Helmuth von Moltke, was a dominating figure in Prussia's government during the key decade of the 1860s, when a series of successful wars against Denmark, Austria and France led to German unification under Prussia's leadership. A moderate conservative and supporter of executive monarchy, he was an avid modernizer who worked to improved the efficiency of the army.

Bibliography

His son published Denkwürdigkeiten aus dem Leben des Generalfeldmarschalls Kriegsministers Grafen Roon Memorable experiences from the life of General Field Marshal and Minister of War Count Roon 2 vols., Breslau, 1892, and Kriegsminister von Roon als Redner politisch und militärisch erläutert Minister of War Roon's Political and Military Speeches Examined Breslau, 1895. His correspondence with his friend Professor Cl. Perthes, 1864–67, was also published at Breslau in 1895.