Battle of Altenzaun
The battle of Altenzaun on October 26, 1806 was a battle of the rearguard of the Prussian troops near the town of Altenzaun after the battle of Jena and Auerstedt .
Prehistory and course
The Prussian troops were forced to evade due to the defeat at Jena and Auerstedt on October 14, 1806. The majority of the defeated forces dispersed because proper leadership due to the fatal wounding of the army commander-in-chief ( Duke of Braunschweig ) and a timely successor appointment had failed. Only General Blücher was able to unite part of the defeated army under his command and to lead it back across the Elbe in an orderly manner.
The then Colonel von Yorck proved himself here . The crossing over the Elbe was supposed to be secured with Yorck's troops so that the main forces could cross the river at Sandau . Yorck was given the command to secure the march north. On October 26, 1806, he occupied a well-chosen position between Altenzaun and Schwarzholz (Polkritz) with six hunter companies, three fusilier battalions and two guns .
By lighting a fire on a hill in the distance, he intended to make the enemy think they were lingering there. So he could attack from ambush and had an advantage.
He not only repulsed violent attacks by the numerically superior enemy, but also responded with a counterattack and thus enabled the main army under Blücher to cross the Elbe . With this battle - the first Prussian victory since the defeat of Jena and Auerstedt - the colonel consolidated his reputation as a tactician.
During the village festival in 2006 the events 200 years ago were remembered.
The historical battle will be recreated on October 29, 2016.
literature
- Corrie Leitz: The battle near Altenzaun on October 26, 1806. In: Kulturverein Östliche Altmark eV (Ed.): 1806 - 2006 200 years battle near Altenzaun. Jubilee volume, Hohenberg-Krusemark 2007, pp. 50–81.