Berg was most notable for his role as the viceroy of Finland and Poland. He led Russian military efforts during the Åland War, a minor theater of the Crimean War, and also played a crucial role in suppressing the 1863 January Uprising by Congress Poland; during the uprising, the Poles carried out numerous unsuccessful assassination attempts on him, which led martial law to be consequently declared in Poland. Berg also held responsible for improving the economy and industry of Finland and Poland during his time as viceroy.[3] As a German, Berg was never keen of the Russification policies introduced in Poland, being opposed to the Pan-Slavism ideology of the Russians and keen towards the foreign policies of Germany.[3] Outside of his military career, Berg was also a topographer and geodesist, being one of the founding members of the Russian Geographical Society. He died in St. Petersburg in 1874 and was buried in his family estate in Korten, Livonia (in now Pilskalns, Latvia).
Biography
Origin
The Sangaste manor, where Count von Berg and his siblings spent their childhood. The current Neo-Gothic building was built after Count von Berg's death by his nephew Friedrich Berg.
Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert von Berg was born on 15 May 1794 (26 May according to the Julian calendar in use in Russia at the time), in the family estate in the small village of Sagnitz, in the Kreis Dorpat of the Governorate of Livonia. His father Friedrich Georg von Berg (1763–1811) was a state councillor and his mother Gertruda Wilhelmine von Ermes (1774–1844) was a young noblewoman, the younger Friedrich was the first cousin once removed[b] of generals Gregor (1765–1838) and Burchard Magnus von Berg (1764–1838), both of whom served in the Russian Imperial Army during the course of the Napoleonic Wars. Genealogists still debate[7] where the Livonian noble Berg family originated in, many speculated they originated in Westphalia. The first known ancestor of the family to appear in Livonia was Otto von Berg. His son, who was also named Otto, was a vassal of the Livonian Knighthood.
Friedrich belonged to the Sagnitz branch of the Luist line of the family. The Luist line[5] was formed by Captain Gustav von Berg (1656–1715), and the further divided Sagnitz branch[6] was formed by Friedrich's grandfather Major Gotthard Ernst von Berg (1714–1766).
Early life
Berg along with his siblings spent their childhood in the Sagnitz castle and were home educated by the young Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve.[8] He was brought up as a Lutheran.[9] After he finished his home education he studied in the Tartu Gymnasium in Dorpat. Originally not seeking a military career as a family tradition, Berg enrolled into the Philosophy faculty of Imperial University of Dorpat in 1810.[10] But after Napoleoninvaded of Russia in 1812, Berg dropped out from university and voluntarily entered the Russian Imperial Army. He entered the army as a Fahnenjunker and was enlisted into the 6th Libau Infantry Regiment which was stationed at the north-western part of Russia to defend against Napoleon. Berg's bravery during the war of 1812 rewarded him the rank of lieutenant from Alexander I personally. He was also appointed second to the quartermaster due to his high education and being multilingual among Russian soldiers at the time.
Berg was born the eldest son of a family with three siblings, including his younger brother Gustav "Astaf" Gotthard Karl von Berg, owner of the Alt-Ottenhof Manor.[10] His other brother Alexander was a diplomat and consul in Naples and London.[10] Count von Berg married late in his life. In 1839, after a long relationship with the Baroness de Sassè, he married[10] a rich Milanese aristocrat Leopoldina Cicogna-Mozzoni (1786–1874), the widow of the Italian politician Alessandro Annoni, with whom he had no children. However, after his brother Gustav's death in 1861, Friedrich adopted his orphaned nephews and brought them under his care:
Friedrich Georg Magnus Graf von Berg (1845–1938)
Alexander Rembert Joachim Graf von Berg (1847–1893)
Georg Erich Rembert Graf von Berg (1849–1920)
Emilie Wilhelmine "Minni" Anna Marie Ulrike Pauline Gräfin von Berg (1852–1945)
Since his marriage was childless, his Austrian and Finnish comital titles were inherited by his nephews/adoptive children.
Le feldmaréchal-comte Berg, namiestnik dans le royaume de Pologne. Notice biographique. Warsaw 1872 – Autobiography
Notes
^Regarding personal names: Until 1919, Graf was a title, translated as 'Count', not a first or middle name. The female form is Gräfin. In Germany, it has formed part of family names since 1919.
^Gregor and Burchard Magnus von Berg were the children of Magnus Johann von Berg,[4] while Magnus Johann was the brother[5] of Gotthard Ernst who was the grandfather[6] of Friedrich Wilhelm Rembert
