German military figure who, along with his brother Axel, volunteered in the Franco-Prussian War, both brothers dying on their first day of combat. The only sons of Count Adolf von Taube, they had registered as volunteers and were mobilised with the Württemberg contingent at Paris. When the French tried to break the German siege ring around Paris, Erich was first mortally wounded in the Battle of Champigny, on 2 December 1870, at age 21. When Axel hurried to his brother and held him, a bullet hit him too. Axel, aged 19, died on the transport from the battlefield while Erich was brought to the hospital near La Lande. Prince Wilhelm von Württemberg, who also participated in the campaign, learned about the fate of his friend, Count Erich, who was one year younger. Shortly after the battle, he visited his seriously injured friend, who recognized and spoke to Prince Wilhelm in a weak voice. Prince Wilhelm visited his dying friend a second time a little later. He found him very weak, but still conscious. The hope of the parents hurrying from home to at least find their older son still alive was not fulfilled. They could only escort the bodies of both sons back to Stuttgart, where on 10 December 1870 their funeral was held.
Link to Wikipedia biography (German)