Ducal Oldenburg Dragoon Corps

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The Herzoglich Oldenburg Dragoon Corps was a cavalry force of the Duchy or Grand Duchy of Oldenburg , which existed from 1813 to 1817 and also performed police duties.

Origin and organization

The Dragoon Corps emerged from the cavalry detachment of the Oldenburg military in 1813. Presumably for reasons of cost, after the French occupation of Oldenburg, the restoration of the police dragon corps, which was founded in 1784 and dissolved by the French in 1811, was for the time being dispensed with.

During the French occupation, the 34th Legion of the Imperial Gendarmerie , based in Bremen, was responsible for state police tasks .

The personnel strength of the Dragoon Corps was nominally 62 men, including 1 Rittmeister, 1 Prime Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, 2 NCOs, 5 Corporals, 2 Trumpeters and 50 Dragoons.

Until 1817 the corps had the following locations, in each of which parts were stationed: Delmenhorst , Wildeshausen , Vechta , Steinfeld , Löningen , Friesoythe (2 men as "Communications Commando"), Westerstede , Neuchâtel , Cloppenburg .

Apparently no location was found necessary in Oldenburg itself. The background was probably that the residence was the location of the Oldenburg Infantry Regiment and could be used if necessary.

Uniforms, armaments and equipment

uniform

The corps wore a blue uniform with a caterpillar helmet based on the Prussian pattern , in detail:

  • 1 mounting skirt made of blue cloth with a red collar and lapel as well as a lining with yellow buttons,
  • 1 under- camisole made of blue cloth with sleeves,
  • 1 white cloth vest,
  • 1 linen underpants,
  • 1 chanilge made of blue cloth with a large collar,
  • 1 overpants made of blue cloth, apparently trimmed with leather,
  • 1 linen cover (apparently for the summer),
  • 1 collar made of black fabric,
  • 1 shirt,
  • 1 pair of leather gloves (white linen gloves in summer),
  • 1 field cap made of blue cloth,
  • 1 pair of boots with horseshoes and so-called inserted iron spurs ,

Presumably a coat of unknown shape and color was also worn.

Armament

The armament consisted of a carbine , two pistols and a side gun or saber .

equipment

The equipment included a cartridge pouch with a bandolier , a sword belt made of white leather with a brass shield, a snap strap with hook, the caterpillar helmet (contemporary called a casket), a coat sack made of blue cloth with leather, a sack made of linen, a feed pouch , a forage rope and one Canteen .

For the horses were a Hungarian saddle , a sub-ceiling of wool, a Wall Trappe of blue cloth with red trim and a holster leather provided.

use

In 1815 the entire corps was moved to Cloppenburg; the background is unknown.

During the summer campaign of 1815 a sergeant and four dragoons were assigned to the staff of the Duke of Oldenburg Infantry Regiment.

In the autumn of 1815 the corps was deployed in the north of the duchy. Count Bentinck, who ruled in Varel , had occupied the Kniphausen lordship, which belonged to Oldenburg, with six officers and 30 infantry and had proclaimed a claim to it. The ducal government immediately took diplomatic and military measures and sent the government councilor Ittig, who was to urge Bentinck to withdraw from Kniphausen immediately. If necessary, Bentinck should be arrested and transported to Oldenburg.

On October 9, 1815, Rittmeister Lehmann appeared with the entire corps from Kniphausen Castle, where Bentinck was staying. However, as the drawbridges were raised, it was not possible to enter the castle. Nevertheless, Ittig's negotiations were successful; Rittmeister Lehmann had sent a message to the castle and announced the arrival of two guns from Oldenburg; the message, however, was fictitious. Apparently Count Bentinck had even counted on the support of the local farmers, who, however, kept quiet. His own troops were infantry freshly recruited for Dutch service and intended for colonial service for the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). Regardless of the Rittmeister's false report, Lieutenant Sonsfeld was actually set in motion from Oldenburg with 100 infantry to Varel to support the Dragoons Corps if necessary.

resolution

Together with a state reform and the introduction of a new constitution in 1816, the re-establishment of a regular state police force was also considered. In April 1817 the preparations were completed and the Oldenburg part of the duchy received a real gendarmerie called Landdragonerkorps , which existed under this term until 1867 and was then renamed the Gendarmerie . It existed continuously until 1946. The year 1817 is therefore considered to be the founding year of the Oldenburg Gendarmerie, as the Dragoon Corps was viewed as a military force that only performed police duties on the side.

See also

literature

  • Udo Elerd (ed.): From the vigilante to the armed forces . On the history of the garrison and the military in the city of Oldenburg . Isensee-Verlag, Oldenburg 2006, ISBN 978-3-89995-353-4 (Publications of the Stadtmuseum Oldenburg; 54).
  • Frank Langer: The uniforms and equipment of the Oldenburg troop corps 1813-1867 . Heiber Verlag, Schortens 2009, ISBN 978-3-936691-35-1 . P. 49f.
  • Heinrich Lankenau : The Oldenburg Land Dragon Corps (1817-1867) . Stalling Verlag, Oldenburg i. O. 1928.
  • Heinrich Lankenau: The police dragon corps of the Duchy of Oldenburg (1786-1811). The history of the oldest association of the Oldenburg state police. In: Oldenburg Yearbook of the Association for Archeology and Regional History , Vol. 30, Oldenburg i. O. 1926.
  • Staff Oberwachtmeister Wintermann: Grand Ducal Oldenburg Gendarmerie Corps 1817-1917. Memorandum for the centenary of the corps . Publishing house Littmann, Oldenburg i. Size 1918.

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