Georg Wilhelm "William" Eduard Schmidt von[2] der Launitz (Born Launitz; ‹See Tfd›Russian: Васи́лий Фёдорович Лауниц, tr. Vasíliy Fyodorovich Launits; 1802 – 26 October [O.S. 14] 1864) was a Baltic German general in the service of the Imperial Russian Army. Launitz was noted for being a strict and disciplined commander, and thanks to his effort, many of his troops’ living conditions were improved. Launitz also served as the first commander of the Kharkov Military District from August 1864 before dying from falling of his horse in October of the same year.
Georg Wilhelm Eduard von der Launitz was born on 9 August [O.S. 28 July] 1802 into the family of Christian Friedrich Launitz, a pastor in Grobin, and Dorothea Elizabeth Kolb, he was the brother of the sculptor Robert and nephew to another famous sculptor Eduard Schmidt von der Launitz. Little was known about the Launitz family’s (ru) history, the only known history was that first ever known ancestor was Jürgen Launitz, all what was known about him was that he was a landowner in Courland in the 16th Century.[3] The commoner family was recognized with Holy Roman nobility in 1802, but it was not until 1817 then the family adopted the title Schmidt von der Launitz.[4]
In 1842, Launitz married Baroness Mathilde Luise Henriette von Budberg, they had 5 children including Michael, who was a hussar[5] like his father. All of his children were baptized in Lutheran churches, although Michael soon came under the influence of his Russian Orthodox wife and converted to Orthodoxy.[6][7]
Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class (1829)
Order of St. George, 4th class (11.12.1840) Golden Weapon with the inscription "For Bravery" (1831).svg/1280px-RUS_Order_%C5%9Bw._Stanis%C5%82awa_(baretka).svg.png){kind=small}
Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st class
Order of St. Anna, 1st class Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class
Order of the White Eagle