Vigilante
The vigilante or civil guard ( French garde bourgeoise ) is a military-like institution that emerged in the 19th century from the obligation of the citizens to use arms to defend their city . The vigilante groups were vital in the March Revolution . With the development of the standing armies , the vigilante groups lost their importance and since then have been just soldiers' games in many places. But there were also some significant missions. For example, the Kolberg vigilante commanded by Joachim Nettelbeck stood out in the defense of their city from 1806–1807. Vigilante groups have only been folkloric associations since the First World War .
Berlin
On October 16, 1848, some workers in the Luisenstadt Canal were to be laid off.
As the authorities expected resistance, a section of policemen and a battalion of the vigilante had been set up in the neighboring parade house . A group of workers demonstratively wanted to move into the city, but were prevented by the vigilante. The situation escalated. There were swearwords and mutual threats, ultimately throwing stones, whereupon the vigilante shot at the workers.
Three workers were killed and two more died from the injuries. The dead were carried through the city, which again resulted in shootings and two more workers were killed. As a result, the workers erected barricades in the afternoon on Köpenicker, Dresdener, Roßstrasse and Alten Jakobstrasse . The vigilante group stormed these barricades, again killing three workers. A vigilante also died when he tried to tear down a flag waving on the barricade and ran into the gunfire of his own people. On October 20, 1848, the fallen workers were buried in the cemetery in front of Hallesches Tor with great participation, including most of the vigilante battalions.
Vigilante groups in southwest Germany
Especially in the southwestern German states of Baden , Württemberg and Hohenzollern , the civil guards look back on centuries-old traditions as city defenses or vigilante groups emerged in the wake of the March Revolution of 1848/49. From a military point of view, they were of little importance, because the equipment was usually completely inadequate and at most suitable for intimidating troublemakers. Psychologically, however, the order issued in 1848 to set up vigilante groups was of great importance because, in addition to the subjective impression of a certain degree of security, they also gave the population the feeling that their rule was finally being taken seriously.
The trigger for the March Revolution in Germany was the February Revolution in France in 1848 , which led to the deposition of the king and the proclamation of the Second French Republic. Since the new bourgeois government described the treaties of 1815 as a disgrace for domestic political reasons, the German princes feared a French campaign to regain territories that were then lost. So they gave in, lifted the Karlsbad resolutions and thus the censorship and agreed to convene a national assembly in Frankfurt am Main. In this way they eased the revolutionary situation.
At the end of the 1840s, parts of the vigilante groups, especially in southern Germany, found new tasks in the fire fighting and rescue service. In addition to the gymnast fire brigades and voluntary rescue organizations , they are considered to be the forerunners of the volunteer fire brigades .
Württemberg and Hohenzollern
Württemberg was elevated to a kingdom in 1806 and was granted Upper Swabia and many former church areas by Napoleon. It was determined that feudalism , which had prevailed since the Middle Ages, would be abolished. 15,800 Württemberg soldiers took part in Napoleon's campaign to Russia. Only three hundred of them came back alive in 1813. After the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig , at the latest after the Battle of Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the restoration followed . H. the creation of pre-revolutionary conditions and the suppression of liberal aspirations. This was also followed in Württemberg , albeit not as rigorously as in other German states.
In March 1848 in Württemberg and Hohenzollern there were violent riots in many places, especially among the peasantry, against feudal rule. At the end of March 1848 the rumor spread at lightning speed that forty thousand French people had penetrated Baden, set fire to Wolfach and were on their way to the east. Now finally, within a few days, the Württemberg state parliament decided to replace the feudal lordship . To ward off the French invasion, vigilante groups were ordered across the country. Even when the rumor turned out to be untrue, following the example of Switzerland , the establishment of regular vigilante groups began. Every independent citizen was obliged to serve. In the absence of weapons, coordination and training, however, it remained a heterogeneous event in most places, which for the most part dissolved by itself in 1849.
However, some vigilante groups remained and gradually became folklore. Nowadays there is a big national meeting every year, where the individual companies march and parade in the procession, often accompanied by marching bands . They appear locally at the Corpus Christi procession, at the church fair and at city festivals.
The historic vigilante groups in Württemberg and Hohenzollern joined the State Association of Historic Vigilantes and Stadtgarden Württemberg and Hohenzollern e. V. merged. This is based in 89584 Ehingen / Donau; State commander is currently Colonel Jürgen Rosenäcker (Crailsheim Civil Guard).
Only vigilante groups that can prove that a long tradition exists or that it is being re-established can become members. The uniforms are often reminiscent of those of the imperial era.
Self-published a book “Citizens in Colorful Rock”, which provides detailed information about all the vigilante groups and guards involved.
to bathe
The Margrave of Baden had also shown himself to be a loyal vassal of Napoleon and was able to significantly expand his previous national territory. In view of the close proximity to the French border and in consideration of many previous invasions by French armies, militias and vigilante groups had been established or, if they already existed, were accepted, albeit under the very watchful eye of the rule.
After returning from the Frankfurt pre-parliament, where the radical democrat Friedrich Hecker was unable to assert his ideas, he and Gustav von Struve triggered the Baden revolution . After the lost battle of Kandern , Hecker fled to nearby Switzerland and emigrated to the USA. With the capture of Rastatt fortress by Prussian troops in July 1849, the uprising was finally put down. Since various Baden vigilante groups had participated on the part of the rebels, all vigilante groups in the state were banned as early as 1848, with the exception of two vigilante groups, today's historical vigilante groups Karlsruhe and Sipplingen, which had distinguished themselves as loyal to the rule. Some others survived in successor organizations such as B. Fire departments.
The historical vigilante groups in Baden are organized in the regional association of vigilante groups and militias Baden / Südhessen eV .
Bavaria
In 1807 the old vigilante groups were converted into the citizen's military, which has now been introduced in all cities and market communities throughout Bavaria . Further reorganizations and finally the expansion to the "flat country" took place in 1809 and 1813. The name Landwehr has been used since 1814. The civilian military is more of a police force than the Bavarian army . It could only be used in the city or in the district of his regional court. It was not until the Landwehr order of 1826 that a real war mission was planned, but it only took place in 1866. The civil military was dissolved in 1869. The Königsberg vigilante in Bavaria prides itself on being the only one in Bavaria that was founded in 1848. Königsberg is in a region that only became Bavarian in 1920.
The other associations in the regional association there are traditional associations, the origins of which can usually be traced back to regular royal Bavarian or princely associations. See mountain riflemen
Austria
Both in Austria and in South Tyrol , comparable traditions and a. Maintained by the Tyrolean riflemen . They exist under the name of Bürgergarden in a number of larger cities, such as Salzburg (armed citizenship, Salzburg civil military - today: Citizen Guard of the City of Salzburg), Hallein and Villach . In Innsbruck this historical association is called the Stadtgarde. Mostly under the name Schützengarde they exist in numerous places in Austria. In Upper Austria there are 19 such associations under the name of Citizens' Corps or Rifle Corps. In Lungau they are represented in Mauterndorf , Sankt Michael im Lungau and Tamsweg , in Upper Styria in Krakaudorf and Murau . The last-mentioned citizen guards appear especially during the Samson parades there.
The forerunners of today's civil guards in Austria mostly go back to the time of the Imperial and Royal Monarchy, but in a number of places they go back to the early 17th century, the time of the Turkish Wars or even further back. In Vienna there was a vigilante group until 1815 (also known as the civil guard or citizen militia); In 1866 another brief attempt was made to set up a vigilante group.
General
The national associations mentioned only accept associations as members that can prove that they have a long tradition or that they are reviving the tradition of associations that have disappeared. Outside of the above-mentioned state associations, vigilante groups are rather rare under this name and then mostly of a carnival nature. In Bavaria and Austria as well as South Tyrol, the clubs and associations comparable to the vigilante groups appear. a. under the designation "Stadtgarde", "Bürgergarde", "Schützengarde" or "Schützenkompanie".
In the National Socialist state , individual vigilante groups were affiliated with the SA . In 1945, the vigilante groups were confiscated from their carbines, most of which were from World War I. The reorganization in Württemberg was already successful in 1948, tolerated by the French occupiers . Switzerland supplied them there with rifles that were decommissioned but still usable, which since then have been used in almost all the affiliated Württemberg vigilante groups exclusively for parade and salute shooting. In 1951 the US military government approved the reconstitution of Bavarian associations.
The Volkswehr emerged from the vigilante group. The rifle brotherhoods have their origin in the vigilante group.
Historic vigilante groups and civil guards in Germany
(This list only takes into account vigilante groups and guards that have been recognized as traditional associations by one of the state associations mentioned)
| 88361 Altshausen | Wttbg | Citizen Guard on horseback "Yellow Hussars " Altshausen | 1744/1930 |
| 88279 Amtzell | Wttbg | Vigilante Amtzell and Justini Grenadiers | 1774 |
| 63739 Aschaffenburg | Bavaria | Royally privileged shooting society 1447 Aschaffenburg | 1447 /? |
| 97980 Bad Mergentheim, Germany | Wttbg | Histor. Rifle Corps Bad Mergentheim | 1824/1977 |
| 97980 Bad Mergentheim, Germany | Wttbg | Histor. German Order Company in Mergentheim | 1695/1977 |
| 77740 Bad Peterstal | to bathe | Citizen militia Bad Peterstal | 17th century / 1860 |
| 72574 Bad Urach | Wttbg | Historic vigilante group Urach | 1848/1972 |
| 64625 Bensheim | Hesse | Heimatverein "Oald Bensem" e. V. | 1810 |
| 75015 Bretten | to bathe | Bretten vigilante group | 1824/1972 |
| 56812 Cochem | R-Palatinate | Cochem vigilante group | 1848/1949 |
| 75564 Crailsheim | Wttbg | Civic Guard Crailsheim 1830 e. V. | 1830 |
| 89165 Dietenheim | Wttbg | Vigilante Dietenheim | 1313/1949 |
| 78166 Donaueschingen | to bathe | Princely Fürstenberg Fusilier Guard 1732 | 1732 |
| 84307 Eggenfelden | Bavaria | KB Landwehr battalion from 1826 Eggenfelden | 1826/1980 |
| 89584 Ehingen / Danube | Wttbg | Histor. Citizen Guard Ehingen | around 1618 |
| 73479 Ellwangen | Wttbg | Citizen Guard Ellwangen | 1439/1958 |
| 78234 Engen | to bathe | Vigilante Engen 1504 | 1812 |
| 73728 Esslingen / Neckar | Wttbg | Citizens Guard Esslingen | 1820/1955 |
| 76275 Ettlingen, Germany | to bathe | Historic vigilante group Ettlingen 1715 eV | 1715/1927 |
| 79098 Freiburg | to bathe | Historic Freiburg vigilante group | 1293/1954 |
| 88045 Friedrichshafen | Wttbg | Civil Guard Friedrichshafen | 14th century / 1962 |
| 77723 Gengenbach | to bathe | Citizen Guard Gengenbach e. V. | 1812 |
| 94475 Grafenau | Bavaria | Grafenau vigilante group | 1790? / |
| 77716 Haslach | to bathe | Historical vigilante group Haslach e. V. | 1813/1990 |
| 72379 Hechingen | W-Hohenz. | Historical Citizens Guard Hechingen e. V. | 1255/1950 |
| 78183 Hüfingen | to bathe | Vigilante Huefingen 1741 | 1741 |
| 73460 Hüttlingen | Wttbg | Citizen Guard Hüttlingen | 1849/1985 |
| 76131 Karlsruhe | to bathe | Historic vigilante group Karlsruhe | 1721 |
| 97486 Koenigsberg | Bavaria | Vigilantes 1848 Königsberg | 1848 |
| 96317 Kronach | Bavaria | Historic vigilante group Kronach | ? / 1976 |
| 96328 Küps | Bavaria | Musketeers zu Küps of the imperial free knighthood, local government e. V. | ? /? |
| 88069 Laimnau | Wttbg | Laimnau vigilante group | 1840 |
| 73466 Lauchheim | Wttbg | Vigilantes in Lauchheim | 1431/1910 |
| 91359 Leutenbach | Bavaria | Royal Bavarian Landwehr Leutenbach | 1849? |
| 88512 quantities | Wttbg | Vigilante groups | 1276/1826 |
| 88441 Mittelbiberach | Wttbg | Citizen Military Corps Mittelbiberach | 1599 |
| 89597 Munderkingen , Danube | Wttbg | Corpus Christi grenadiers from 1870 | 1618/1870/2006 |
| 73765 Neuhausen adFildern | Wttbg | Civic Guard Neuhausen | 1805 |
| 92660 Neustadt a. d. Waldnaab | Bavaria | Historic vigilante group Neustadt / WN | 1538/1982 |
| 88239 Niederwangen | Wttbg | Vigilante Niederwangen | 1848 |
| 77784 Oberharmersbach | to bathe | Historic vigilante group Oberharmersbach e. V. | 1660/1862 |
| 88416 Ochsenhausen | Wttbg | City Guard on Horseback - King Dragons | 1686 |
| 88214 Ravensburg | Wttbg | Civil Guard of the City of Ravensburg 1830 | ? / 1995 |
| 78479 Reichenau | to bathe | Vigilante Reichenau Island | 1108 |
| 72762 Reutlingen | Wttbg | Historical Stadtgarde Reutlingen 1828 e. V. | 1828/2002 |
| 88499 Riedlingen , Danube | Wttbg | Vigilante Riedlingen e. V. | ? / 2005 |
| 72108 Rottenburg a. Neckar | Wttbg | Rottenburg Civil Guard | 1314/1852 |
| 88348 Bad Saulgau | Wttbg | City guard on horseback Saulgau | around 1750/1926 |
| 88348 Bad Saulgau | Wttbg | Saulgau vigilante guard | 1320/1819 |
| 84069 hemlock | Bavaria | Kgl. Bay. 2. Chevauxleger Regiment Taxis e. V. | 1811? |
| 72355 Schömberg | Wttbg | Citizen Guard Schömberg | 1537/1967 |
| 91126 Schwabach | Bavaria | Historically Royal Bayer. Vigilante Rifle Company Schwabach | 1809? / 1975 |
| 74523 Schwäbisch Hall | Wttbg | Settlement rifle company Schwäbisch Hall | ? / 1981 |
| 72488 Sigmaringen | W-Hohenz | Hohenzollern cuirassiers Sigmaringen | 1664/1984 |
| 78354 Sipplingen | to bathe | Citizen militia Sipplingen e. V. | 1540 |
| 92721 Störnstein | Bavaria | Lobkowitz Grenadier Guard Störnstein | 1790? / 1989 |
| 70173 Stuttgart | Wttbg | City Guard on horseback Stuttgart | 1652 |
| 79761 Waldshut-Tiengen | to bathe | Tiengen vigilante group | MA / 1962 |
| 72818 Trochtelfingen | W-Hohenz | Trochtelfingen vigilante group | 16th century / 1957 |
| 72070 Tuebingen | Wttbg | City Guard on horseback Tübingen | 1514 |
| 77737 Unterharmersbach | to bathe | Historic vigilante group Unterharmersbach e. V. | 1862 |
| 78048 Villingen-Schwenningen | to bathe | Historic vigilante group Villingen 1810 e. V. | 1774 |
| 88289 Waldburg | Wttbg | Vigilante Waldburg | 1848 |
| 79183 Waldkirch | to bathe | Histor. Waldkirch vigilante group | 1804/1933 |
| 94065 Waldkirchen | Bavaria | Histor. Vigilante market Waldkirchen | 1807 |
| 93449 Waldmünchen | Bavaria | Hist. Kgl. Bay. Rifle company Waldmünchen | 1492? / 1983 |
| 71263 Because of the city | Wttbg | Citizen Guard because of the city | 1828/1999 |
| 88250 Weingarten | Wttbg | City guard on horseback Weingarten | 1646/1953 |
| 69469 Weinheim | to bathe | Vigilante "Alt Weinheim" | 1934 |
| 69257 Wiesenbach | to bathe | Vigilante Wiesenbach 1955 e. V. | 1681/1965 |
| 91452 Wilhermsdorf | Bavaria | Historical castle guard from 1621 to Wilhermsdorf market | 1621/1978 |
| 77709 Wolfach | to bathe | Vigilante Wolfach 1827 e. V. | 1827/1976 |
| 77736 Zell am Harmersbach | to bathe | Volunteer vigilante group in Zell am Harmersbach | 1803/1862 |
See also
- Lübeck Citizens Guard
- Hamburg citizen military
- Vigilante groups
- Vigilante (Mönchsberg) , fortification in Salzburg
- Lorenz Cantador
- Neighborhood watch
- Militia (people's army)
- People's Army
- Vigilante Bensheim
literature
- Werner Heinz: "Fellow citizens, take up arms" The revolution of 1848/49 in Upper Swabia, University Press Konstanz 1998, ISBN 3-87940-618-9
- Dietmar Sommer / Wolfgang Stooß: "Citizens in colorful rock, historical vigilante groups and Stadtgarden Württemberg-Hohenzollern", Studiodruck GmbH Nürtingen, 2002 (?).
- Streckfuß, Adolf: 500 years of Berlin history, Berlin 1886, 2nd volume, pp. 1144/1145
- Urban Bacher: German march music - soldiers and their music using the example of the vigilante group, Hartung-Gorre Verlag, Konstanz 2013, ISBN 978-3-86628-457-9 ; 2nd edition, Konstanz 2019
- Urban Bacher: The vigilante groups in southwest Germany, in: Heidler (Ed.) Military music in discourse, Volume 14 - Military music and bourgeois music culture, Bonn 2019, pp. 65–80
Web links
- http://www.bayern-buergerwehr.de/in1.html Federation of Historical Citizens' and Land Defense in Bavaria
Individual evidence
- ↑ Age determination of fire brigades on feuerwehrgeschichte.de
- ^ Daniel Hohrath and Christoph Rehm: The price of the new crowns. Württemberg and Baden as Napoleon's vassals. The Rhine Confederation from 1806 . Accompanying volume to the special exhibition in the Defense History Museum Schloss Rastatt, 2006, ISBN 3-9810460-1-3 , p. 88
- ^ History of the Murau Citizens Guard. Retrieved August 29, 2010 .
- ^ Vienna History Wiki: Bürgerwehr , Citizens Militia
- ↑ historisches-schuetzencorps.de ; Retrieved June 22, 2012
- ↑ buergerwehr-bretten.de ; accessed on March 1, 2013