Paul Würtz

Paul Würtz (also Paulus, and Würz Wertz or Wirtz) (30 October 1612 - 23 March 1676) was a German officer and diplomat, who at various times was in German, Swedish, Danish, and Dutch service.

Life
He was born in Husum, Dithmarschen.

During his tenure as governor of Cracow, during Swedish-Transilvanian occupation of the city between 1655–1657, he is renowned for looting and destruction of many priceless works of art, including a silver sarcophagus of Saint Stanislaus dating to 1630 and a silver altar created in 1512, both from the Wawel Cathedral.

He was a Swedish Pomeranian general major and commander of the Stettin fortress from 1657 to 1659. With his 2000 men garrison he successfully withstood a siege by Brandenburgian troops in 1659. During the siege In a nightly raid he captured a column of wagons carrying munitions. The Brandenburgians and Austrians lifted the siege and withdrew early November 1659. From 1661 to 1664, he was vice governor of Swedish Pomerania.

On his death, at Hamburg, he supposedly left a large fortune and a will which was disputed. Legal claims on the estate continued into the 20th century.