Born 1819 in Ilbenstadt (Hessen, Germany) from a military family. He entered the Austrian army; married the Hungarian Elíz Sissány, in 1844. His regiment was ordered to Temesvár in 1848. Volunteered to fight Serbian insurgents. He also fought in Honvéd units, and in the spring 1849 offensives received promotion to General. Became a friend of Görgey and rumored to have executed Austrian prisoners during a siege in Buda. He always denied this allegation, even in his last statement.