Family Born into an aristocratic Prussian family, Friedrich Wilhelm von Rauch was the son of the General of the Infantry Albert von Rauch (1829–1901) and his wife Elisabeth, née von Bismarck (1845–1923). His grandfather was the
Prussian War Minister and
honorary citizen of Berlin, General of the Infantry
Gustav von Rauch, his great-grandfather Major General
Bonaventura von Rauch. Friedrich Wilhelm von Rauch was the godson of Emperor Friedrich III.
First Foot Guard Regiment and Military Governor of William II's sons (foreground) After graduating from the Lyceum II in
Hanover, Rauch joined the
1st Foot Guard Regiment in
Potsdam in 1887 - as did his father in 1847 and his younger brother, later Colonel Leopold von Rauch (1876–1955), in 1894. In 1888 he was promoted to ensign, in 1889 to Second Lieutenant. In 1892 Rauch became
adjutant of the 1st Battalion. In 1894 Emperor
William II and
Empress Augusta Victoria chose Rauch as the Second Military Governor and educator of
Crown Prince William, as well as of his two younger brothers
Prince Eitel Friedrich and
Adalbert for their training in the
Princes' House on
Ploen Princes' Island in
Schleswig-Holstein. In 1896 Rauch was promoted to First Lieutenant, leaving in his command and in the position
à la suite of the 1st Foot Guard Regiment. In 1898 the imperial couple chose Rauch as the First Military Governor of their younger sons,
Prince August Wilhelm and
Prince Oskar. In 1899 Rauch accompanied the Empress and her two youngest sons on their journey through the
High Tauern and
Berchtesgaden Alps. After returning from
Austria, Rauch died in August 1899 in the Imperial Castle
Wilhelmshöhe near
Kassel of pneumonia. His successor as First Military Governor was Lieutenant (Imperial Navy)
Oskar Graf von Platen-Hallermund, Wing Adjutant of the Emperor, later Vice Admiral and longtime Court Marshal of Wilhelm II from 1911 to 1935.
Grave at Berlin Invalids' Cemetery Rauch was buried in his family's grave at the
Berlin Invalid's Cemetery and in the vicinity of his grandfather Gustav von Rauch's grave of honour. The preserved tomb of the Rauch family was designed by the royal court architect
Friedrich August Stueler on behalf of the Prussian
King Frederick William IV. == Literature ==