Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt

Bernhard Ditlef von Staffeldt was born on 23 October 1753 in Kenz, Swedish Pomerania, as the son of Lieutenant Bernt von Staffeldt, of Pomeranian nobility, and Catherine Eleonore von Platen. Both his parents died in 1755 while he was still a child; he was raised at his married sister's estate in Denmark and was taken into the court of Queen Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach in 1767.

Early years At Queen Sophie's death in 1770, Staffeldt joined the military and traveled to Norway, where he in 1771 was promoted to second lieutenant. His stay in Norway, however, was to be short, because in 1773 he was transferred back to Copenhagen as part of the Life Grenadier regiment.

When his company in 1788 were included in the newly formed Norwegian Jäger corps, Staffeldt was promoted to major. In the same year he participated with his new unit, in the skirmish at Kvistrum bridge during the Theater War against Sweden. therefore met Staffeldt's forces as they moved across the border on 24 April, and were surrounded and forced to surrender at Trangen.

After Denmark-Norway's final defeat during the Napoleonic Wars in 1814, the Treaty of Kiel was finalized by representatives from Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and it was determined that Norway should be ceded to Sweden. This however, was something the Norwegians opposed, and instead declared themselves independent and appointed Prince Christian Frederick to Norwegian king. On 22 May that year Staffeldt was appointed to lieutenant general, was intended to lead an important role in Norway's defense during the subsequent campaigns against the Swedes. He was given command of a brigade of around 4,000 men who was to lead an active defense east of Glomma. The active defense would, however, prove unsuccessful since King Christian Frederik drew the Norwegian troops back across Glomma against von Staffeldt's advice. The responsibility for the army's weak leadership and the subsequent withdrawal was largely put on von Staffeldt, who had to relinquish his position in favor of Major General Arenfeldt and was instead assigned to ensure the front's left flank. The war was from the Norwegian side also affected by confusion and unclear orders from the headquarters, and after the war Staffeldt was one of those who was convicted.

Death Staffeldt nevertheless was not found guilty by the war commission, but when the verdict was presented for the Supreme Court he was sentenced to death on 17 December 1816. This sentence was already then considered unfair by the Norwegian population, and Crown Prince Charles John reduced the sentence to imprisonment in Fredriksten Fortress. Here he sat from February to May 1817, but because of his health he was released and moved to his property at Hedrum, where he died on 11 January 1818.