Baron Vladimir Ivanovich Staël von Holstein (Russian: Владимир Иванович Сталь фон Гольштейн; 29 June 1853 – 21 September 1921) was an Imperial Russian Army officer who reached the rank of lieutenant general. He spent most of his career on the staff of the Petersburg Military District and served as vice-commandant of the Peter and Paul Fortress from 1908. He commanded the fortress during the February Revolution.
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Background and early career
Vladimir Ivanovich Staël von Holstein was born in Saint Petersburg on 29 June 1853 into a Baltic German noble family. His father was General Ivan Karlovich Staël von Holstein (1798–1868), baptized Johann Alexander; his mother, Maria Karlovna (1820–1895), was a daughter of General Karl Gerbel. His brother Alexei Ivanovich Staël von Holstein also rose to lieutenant general.
He was educated at the Stavropol gymnasium and entered military service on 29 September 1870. He completed the Stavropol Cossack Junker School in 1873 and was commissioned ensign with seniority from 20 December 1872. On 15 August 1875 he transferred with the rank of cornet to Her Majesty's Life Guards Uhlan Regiment.