Greetings to Kiel
The March Greeting to Kiel (Army March II, 158 and Heeresmarsch II, 130) was composed in 1864 by the Saxon military musician Friedrich Spohr .
history
In the course of the federal execution against the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg in 1863 , which was then followed by the German-Danish War , the Kingdom of Saxony had also moved a contingent to the north to occupy the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg . With these troops, Spohr marched into the capital of Holstein Kiel on December 29, 1863 . In memory of this, Spohr composed the march.
"Greetings to Kiel" was the parade march of the 3rd Royal Saxon Infantry Regiment No. 102 , Zittau, the 6th Royal Saxon Infantry Regiment No. 105 , Strasbourg, the 16th Royal Saxon Infantry Regiment No. 182 , Freiberg, and the III . Battalion of the 10th Infantry Regiment of the Reichswehr , Dresden.
Due to its title, “Greetings to Kiel” later quickly became a popular naval march, especially when the massive expansion of the German fleet began in 1890 under Kaiser Wilhelm II . In its role as the figurehead of the naval armed forces , the march has become internationally known today. In Germany it is often played to greet incoming or outgoing warships . “Greetings to Kiel” is heard from the staff of Defense Area Command I and the Naval Section Command North as a traditional march .
In Switzerland , the march is also known as the "Zofinger March" (named after the town of the same name in the canton of Aargau ). However, there is one detail that makes the Zofinger March the same for the locals: in a real Zofingen March, in contrast to the “Greetings to Kiel”, tambours are also used.