At the age of 71, retired Prussian military leader Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher returned to active service after war broke out (again) between Prussia and France in early 1813.
Later the same year, he was one of the victors in the Battle of Leipzig (the “largest military engagement in 19th-century Europe”), and, in mid-1815, he became an important contributor to the Allied defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
Many dozens of babies were named for Blücher in the early 1800s. Most of them were born in Germany and England, but others were born in the U.S. and elsewhere. Here’s a sampling…
- Frederick Von Blucher Scrutton, b. 1814 in England
- John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus, b. 1814 in the U.S. (North Carolina)
- His grandson, John C. B. Ehringhaus, became the 58th governor of NC.
- William Blucher Dolton, b. 1814 in England
- Christian Gebhard Lebrecht Karup, b. 1814 in Denmark
- Blucher Wellington Macan, b. 1815 in England
- Gebhard Leberecht Friedrich Wilhelm Klammrott, b. 1815 in Germany
- His second two given names could refer to Gen. Friedrich Wilhelm, Freiherr von Bülow.
- Wellington Blucher Peirce, b. 1815 in the U.S. (Vermont)
- Friedrich Gebhard Leberecht Conrad, b. circa 1815 in Germany
- Henry Wellington Blucher Haggis, b 1816 in England
- Blücher Wellington Bülow Leopold Herrmann, b. circa 1816 in Germany
- His third given name no doubt refers to Bülow. :)
- Franz Blücher Wellington Victor Fischer, b. 1816 in Prussia
- Gebhard Lebrecht Weltzein, b. 1816 in Germany
- Blucher Ingham, b. circa 1817 in England
- Paul Gebhard Lebrecht Riebow, b. 1818 in Germany
- Nelson Wellington Blucher Jefferys, b. 1819 in England
- Wellington Blucher Fisher, b. 1819 in the U.S. (West Virginia)
- Picton Blucher Liddle, b. circa 1820 in England
- His first name refers to Gen. Thomas Picton, who was killed at Waterloo.
- Marshall Blucher Dumford, b. circa 1821 in the U.S. (Ohio)
- Friedrich Wilhelm Gebhard Leberecht Büttner, b. 1822 in Germany
A handful of German baby girls got feminized versions of the name, such as Blücherdine, Blücherine, Blüchertine, and Blücherhilde (hilde means “battle, war”).
Blücher’s middle name, Leberecht, was a relatively recent Protestant coinage made up of the German words lebe, “live,” and recht, “right.”
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