Infantry Regiment "Herwarth von Bittenfeld" (1st Westphalian) No. 13

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Infantry Regiment "Herwarth von Bittenfeld" (1st Westphalian) No. 13

Seal mark K.Pr. Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld W0320241.png

Seal of the regiment
active June 1, 1813 to 1919
Country Prussia
Armed forces Prussian Army
Branch of service infantry
Insinuation VII Army Corps
Location Muenster
Nickname Thirteen

The Infantry Regiment "Herwarth von Bittenfeld" (1st Westphalian) No. 13 was an infantry joined the Prussian army . The regiment was formed in East Prussia in 1813 , then moved to the Province of Westphalia in 1817 , which recently belonged to Prussia. The most important garrison location was Münster . During its existence the regiment took part in all major wars in Prussia and the German Empire , including a. in the Wars of Liberation 1813–1815 and the three Wars of Unification 1864–1871. In 1889, the Prussian Field Marshal Eberhard Herwarth von Bittenfeld was posthumously honored as the namesake of the regiment . After participating in the First World War 1914-1918, the regiment was disbanded.

history

Formation and Wars of Liberation (1813-1817)

In the autumn and winter of 1812 Napoleon's Russian campaign failed and the French expeditionary army was devastated. On December 30, 1812, the Prussian General Yorck was responsible for the armistice between Prussia and Russia . In practice, the Prussian troops left the forced alliance with the French army and took the side of the Allies in the fight against Napoleon . On February 9, 1813, general conscription was introduced in Prussia , initially only for the time of the war. On March 17, 1813, the Prussian king called on the people to fight for liberation (" To Mein Volk ") and on the same day declared war on France.

In the course of the reconstruction of the Prussian army , the strength of the army grew from 42,000 men (upper limit according to the Peace of Tilsit , 1807) to 300,000 men (1813). On July 1, 1813, according to AKO, twelve reserve infantry regiments were formed in the eastern provinces of Prussia that were not occupied by the French. Each of the twelve reserve infantry regiments was assigned to one of the existing twelve line infantry regiments; regiment number and garrison were each identical. Accordingly, the later Infantry Regiment No. 13 was initially set up as the 1st Reserve Infantry Regiment in Königsberg and assigned to the 1st East Prussian Infantry Regiment , which was also stationed in Königsberg . The list was made from the I., II. And III. East Prussian Reserve Musketeer Battalion and the I. Litthauische Reserve Fusilier Battalion with locations in Königsberg (2nd and 3rd Battalion and Fusilier Battalion) and Graudenz (1st Battalion). Normally an infantry regiment only had two instead of three musketeer battalions and one fusilier battalion. When the reserve battalions were formed, more units than could be distributed among the line regiments. Therefore, some of the reserve regiments received an additional battalion.

The soldiers of these four battalions came from the Prussian provinces of East Prussia and West Prussia as well as from Lithuania and were predominantly of Protestant faith. The soldiers' level of training was inconsistent. Some of the soldiers were well trained as reservists in their active time, but this was different long ago. Then there were soldiers with short training who had completed four to eight weeks of training in the body system , and finally recruits without any training. The battalions were reinforced by volunteer hunters who formed a command reserve. The equipment and armament of the soldiers was inconsistent and in some cases in poor condition: the 1st Battalion, which had been set up earlier, had received new uniforms from English production, but the other three battalions were wearing uniforms from their regular regiment: blue skirts with brick-red collars and lapels, the armpits were white, trousers and coats gray. The main armament consisted of French muskets captured from the Russian army in 1812 .

All four battalions of the regiment fought against Napoleon's armies in the War of Liberation 1813–1815. The later 1st Battalion of the 13th Infantry Regiment took part in the enclosure of Stettin from the end of March 1913 . The siege corps led by Tauentzien consisted of 13 reserve battalions, which relieved line troops. The later II., III. and IV. Battalion of the 13th Infantry Regiment took part in the battle near Luckau on June 4, 1813 , where they were in the III. Corps were under the leadership of Bülow . On July 30, 1813, the 1st Battalion was merged with the three other battalions in Ziesar and merged to form the 1st Reserve Regiment.

From then on, the regiment was deployed as a single unit in the Hirschfeld Division in the IV Army Corps and took part in a number of skirmishes and sieges: Battle of Königsborn (August 21, 1813), Battle of Hagelberg (August 27, 1813), Siege of Wittenberg , Siege of Torgau (October 18 to December 26, 1813) and siege of Magdeburg fortress in spring 1814. The regiment was in reserve at the Battle of Großbeeren and the Battle of Dennewitz , but was not deployed. After Napoleon's abdication, the Peace of Paris was signed on May 30, 1814 . The regiment moved into Mainz , on April 25, 1815 the IV. Battalion was disbanded, the previous III. Battalion became a fusilier battalion. When Napoleon returned from his exile and was about to intervene again in European events during the reign of the Hundred Days , the regiment was also deployed again: From July 7, 1815, it took part in the siege of Landau with I., Fusilier battalion and hunters, the 2nd battalion stayed in Mainz. In total, the regiment's four battalions suffered losses of 72 dead and 423 wounded between 1813 and 1815 .

With AKO of March 25, 1815, the 1st Reserve Infantry Regiment was renamed the 13th Infantry Regiment and was thus a line regiment. The same procedure was followed for the 2nd to 12th Reserve Infantry Regiment, the number offset is uniformly 12: The 2nd Reserve Infantry Regiment became the 14th , the 3rd became the 15th Infantry Regiment and so on up to the 12th Reserve Infantry Regiment, which became the 24th Infantry Regiment . The regiment returned in February 1816 after a two-month march via Eisenach , Halle / S. , Wittenberg , Landsberg adW , Graudenz returned to the Königsberg garrison. The 2nd Battalion was initially housed in Rastenburg and Rößel , but in July 1816 joined the staff, the 1st and Fusilier Battalion, which were already in Königsberg.

Relocation to Westphalia, March Revolution and Reformation (1817–1860)

In 1817 the regiment was transferred to the new Prussian province of Westphalia , which had come to Prussia as a result of the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The regimental staff and 1st battalion were quartered in Munster , the other two battalions in Soest and Wesel .

Initially, there was mistrust and aversion to the Prussian military in the new, Catholic garrison , but that changed by the end of the 19th century. The drafting of Westphalian, mostly Catholic, conscripts also contributed to this.

During the revolution of 1848/1849 , smaller parts of the regiment - platoons , companies - were involved in various places in the region to fight riots or prevent the outbreak by being present. In particular, the regiment was involved in the suppression of the revolt in Iserlohn in 1849 .

In 1859 the regiment gave men and officers to the 5th Westphalian Infantry Regiment No. 53 , which was officially set up in May 1860.

German-Danish War (1864)

In the war against Denmark of 1864, the regiment took part in the 13th Infantry Division in the 1st Combined Prussian Army Corps and was involved in the following combat operations:

  • 0February 1st - Cover for the artillery that had taken position in Sandkrug and on Mövenberg to bombard the Danish corvette Thor and the armored schooner Esbern Snare
  • 0February 2nd - Battle of Missunde , participation with the Fusilier Battalion
  • Battle at Rackebüller wood
  • Battle in front of Düppel
  • Enclosure of the Düppeler Schanzen , storming on April 18, 1864
  • June 29, 1864 - transfer to Alsen

The regiment suffered losses of 15 casualties or injuries in the war against Denmark, including one officer. There were also 32 soldiers who died of illnesses, most of whom succumbed to fever or typhus.

War against Austria (1866)

In 1866 the regiment took part in the German war against the German Confederation under the leadership of Austria . It belonged to the Göben division in the Main Army and took part in the following battles:

The regiment recorded casualties of 56 war dead, including seven officers, during the war of 1866. The regiment suffered almost all of these losses in just two days: on July 4, 1866, 25 members of the regiment died near Dermbach, Wiesenthal and cell and on July 14, 26 members of the regiment died near Aschaffenburg, or received wounds there that later led to death. In addition, there were 21 deaths from diseases, mostly typhoid or cholera .

In September 1866 the regiment handed over the 13th, 14th and 15th companies to the newly formed Infantry Regiment No. 85 , which was part of Holstein, which had been added to Prussia.

Franco-German War (1870/71)

The regiment took part in the war against France as part of the 13th Infantry Division in the VII Army Corps and was involved in the following battles:

The regiment recorded 107 casualties during the war, including seven fallen officers. The regiment suffered more than two thirds of these losses on August 14 at Colombey. In addition, there were 123 regimental members who had died of illnesses - mostly dysentery or typhus - and two missing persons. So a total of 232 men died and several hundred were wounded.

Garrison period in the German Empire (1872–1913)

In 1872 a memorial was erected on Ludgeriplatz in Münster for the fallen soldiers of the infantry regiment of 1870/1871, the so-called “Mourning Germania”. The location of the monument was only the second choice, originally the monument was to be erected on the battlefield of Colombey . This could not be realized, so the choice fell on the garrison location of the regiment. On a pedestal was a two meter high statue of Germania with a shield and sword, clad in chain mail and cloak and adorned with a laurel wreath and crown. Germania lowers her head in a sad pose and with a melancholy expression on her face. The memorial was designed by the sculptor Johann Bernhard Allard (1825–1897) from Münster. The names of the regiment's 109 fallen soldiers were written on the pedestal. The memorial was later moved to the Neubrückentor and destroyed there in the Second World War.

Infantry Regiment No. 13 was the "most important and best-known regiment in Münster", the soldiers - called "13s" - enjoyed great popularity in Münster.

In 1881 the regiment gave the 7th Company to the newly formed Infantry Regiment No. 131 , which was located in Lorraine . This province was added to Prussia as a result of the war in 1870/71. In 1887 a fourth battalion was formed, consisting of the 3rd company of the regiment, the 2nd company of the 5th Westphalian Infantry Regiment No. 53 and the 11th company of the 2nd Westphalian Infantry Regiment No. 15 . This IV. Battalion was given up in 1890 to the newly formed Infantry Regiment No. 140 in West Prussia . In 1893 the regiment formed a half-battalion, which in 1897 was transferred to the newly established Infantry Regiment No. 158 , again in Lorraine.

First World War (1914-1918)

The regiment was mobilized in 1914 at the outbreak of World War I and took part in the 13th Infantry Division . The regiment was used exclusively on the Western Front in Belgium and France, including in Liège , Namur , St. Quentin , Reims, Lille, Verdun and Sedan. The mission in the Battle of Verdun was particularly costly. More details in the combat calendar of the 13th Infantry Division.

4,213 members of the regiment were killed in the First World War, whether on the battlefield or later as a result of wounds. The armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, at which time the regiment was mostly in Champagne. The regiment was brought back home on foot and by train. On December 8, 1918, the survivors moved into Münster and were welcomed by the population.

Dissolution and aftermath (from 1919)

The regiment was disbanded on September 30, 1919.

Thirteen Monument in Munster

The Thirteen Memorial was erected from 1923 to 1925 in Münster on the promenade at the Stadtgraben to honor the fallen of the Infantry Regiment "Herwarth von Bittenfeld" (1st Westphalian) No. 13 and the Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 13 from the Commemorate World War 1. The design came from the local sculptor Heinrich Bäumer senior. (1874-1951). After 1945, the dedication of the memorial was extended to include the fallen soldiers of the 79th Infantry and Panzer Grenadier Regiment from World War II , which was part of the tradition of the IR-13.

The central commemorations for the day of national mourning in Münster with the participation of the Bundeswehr took place at this memorial . In 2015, this tradition was criticized with reference to the inscription “Treue um Treue” on the memorial, because this saying was part of the later tradition of the paratroopers or the SS (“ Our honor means loyalty ”). Among other things, introduced PDS - MPs Hubertus Zdebel to the Bundestag a request . In 2013, the Federal Ministry of Defense issued a directive prohibiting the use of the inscription “Treue um Treue” on the Bundeswehr plaques. In 2016, the commemoration was moved to the day of national mourning and has since taken place on the Peace Square in the courtyard of the Münster town hall .

Commanders

The honorary title of regiment chief was Ernst von Pfuel from 1842 to 1849 , then from 1851 to 1853 Grand Duke August von Oldenburg , from 1861 to 1884 the later namesake Eberhard Herwarth von Bittenfeld , followed from 1892 to 1896 by Duke Wilhelm von Württemberg , then from 1897 to 1910 Wilhelm von Blume .

Commanders of the regiment were by year of appointment:

From Commander (life data) From Commander (life data)
1813 Langen, Karl von (1762–1820) 1869 Frankenberg and Ludwigsdorf, Moritz von (1820–1890)
1815 Quadt and Hüchtenbruck, Konstantin von (1781–1868) 1873 Dallmer, Leopold von (1827–1901)
1815 Ledebur, Alexander von (1774–1850) 1879 Schaumann, Karl von (1835–1900)
1830 Natzmer, Wilhelm von (1770–1842) 1885 Specht, Wilhelm von (1838–1910)
1836 Björnstjerna, Gustav Heinrich von (1784–1840) 1888 Alvensleben, Friedrich von (1837-1894)
1841 Klein, Philipp (1788–1875) 1891 Warendorff, Heinrich von (1841–1915)
1847 Schröders, Karl (1796–1867) 1894 Hentschel von Gilgenheimb, Leopold (1845–1919)
1850 Roedern, Louis von (1795-1857) 1896 Fransecky, Heinrich von (1842–1917)
1855 Mülbe, Otto von der (1801-1891) 1897 Blankenburg, Hermann von (1851–1922)
1857 Plessen, Hermann von (1803–1877) 1899 Schack, Hans von (1853–1934)
1858 Ingersleben, Albert von (1805-1891) 1902 Brozowski, Wilhelm von (1852–1945)
1861 Witzleben, Gerhard von (1808–1880) 1905 Rosenberg-Gruszczynski, Horst von (1855–1923)
1865 Gellhorn, Paul von (1813–1867) 1909 Homeyer, Otto von (1853–1924)
1867 Goetzen, Louis von 1912 Ziegesar, Hermann von
1868 Barby, Rudolf von (1821–1906) 1914 Delius, Hermann

Garrisons and barracks

Königsberg was garrison from 1813 to 1817. The later II. And III. The battalion and the fusilier battalion were set up here in 1813, but were soon relocated to take part in the battles of the Wars of Liberation. The whole regiment returned to Königsberg in 1816 and was housed in citizens' quarters .

Soldiers of the regiment in the courtyard of the Aegidii barracks in Münster (1910)

Munster was the regiment's main garrison throughout its existence. After the relocation from Königsberg to Münster in 1817, the members of the staff, 1st and 2nd battalions were quartered in private houses, which was increasingly difficult to manage with the increasing number of soldiers in Münster. In addition, permanent billeting was not popular with the citizens. In the autumn of 1820, the first two companies of the regiment were barracked in Münster in the converted Minorite monastery, where an officers' casino was also set up. The Minoriten barracks on Neubückenstrasse was not far from the Apostle Church , which was used as a military church after renovation. The remaining six companies remained in civil quarters. With the construction of the Aegidii barracks, which was located on the site of the demolished former Aegidii monastery at today's Aegidiimarkt , that also changed. The preliminary planning for this use was made by the building officer Lehmann from Münster in 1817, and Wilhelm Salzenberg provided the building plan in 1827 / 29. The foundation stone for the barracks was laid in 1828, and in 1831 the six not yet barracked companies of the regiment moved into the Aegidii barracks. The three-story building in the classical style consisted of two wings that met at right angles. The northern wing ran along today's Johannisstraße / Bispinghof, the eastern, slightly curved wing along Aegidiistraße. The inner courtyard between the wings was used as a parade ground. The regiment used the Aegidii barracks until it was disbanded in 1919, after which it housed a police school and a main supply office for the Reichswehr . The barracks were badly damaged in World War II, demolished after the war and replaced by a new building with an underground car park. In 1913 work began on building another barracks for the regiment on Grevener Strasse, which was not completed until 1922 - the regiment never moved into the building, which is now a listed building. After the Second World War, the British troops moved into the area under the name Lincoln-Kaserne , after the withdrawal in 1994 it was converted into a residential area.

The fortress town of Wesel was the regiment's most important garrison after Münster. The Fusilier Battalion moved there in 1817 after being relocated from East Prussia and was housed in citizens' quarters. In May 1818 two of the four companies of the Fusilier Battalion were barracked in Wesel, and in autumn 1820 the remaining two companies as well. The fusilier battalion was in Wesel until 1833, except for brief interruptions (in Soest and Warendorf ). From 1833 the battalion joined the rest of the regiment in Münster, but returned to Wesel in 1836. The battalion remained there until 1864. From 1851 to 1856, Wesel was the location of the entire regiment.

Hamm was a garrison from 1866 to 1877.

Paderborn was a garrison from 1887 to 1890.

literature

  • Wilhelm von Blume : History of the infantry regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1st Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century. Mittler, Berlin 1910. (Digitized available: urn : nbn: de: hbz: 061: 1-83405 )
  • Felix Cramer: History of the Royal Prussian First Westphalian Infantry Regiment Nro 13: From 1838 to 1868. Coppenrath'sche Buchdruckerei, Münster 1868. (Digitized available: urn : nbn: de: bvb: 12-bsb10595466-6 )
  • Carl Groos, Werner von Rudloff: Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1st Westphalian) No. 13 in the World War 1914-1918. Stalling, Oldenburg 1927. (Volume 222 of the series “Former Prussian Troop Units” in the memorial sheets of German regiments ). (Digitized available from the Württemberg State Library ).
  • Albert Mischke: History of the Royal Prussian Thirteenth Infantry Regiment, from 1813 to 1838. Coppenrath'sche Buchdruckerei, Münster 1838. (Written for the 25th anniversary of the regiment, Mischke was company commander in IR-13. Digitalized available .)
  • Heinrich Schoene: Under the victory banner of the thirteen. The infantry regiment Herwarth v. Bittenfeld (1. Westf.) No. 13 in d. Wars 1813–1871. Coppenrath, Münster 1913.

Web links

Commons : Infantry Regiment "Herwarth von Bittenfeld" (1st Westphalian) No. 13  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Prussian Army of the Wars of Liberation , Volume 2 ("The Prussian Army in 1813"). Mittler-Verlag, Berlin 1914, p. 308f. and Appendix 25 (Cabinet Order of July 1, 1813).
  2. ^ Mischke: History of the Royal Prussian Thirteenth Infantry Regiment, from 1813 to 1838. Münster 1838, pp. 12-13.
  3. ^ Georg Gaebel: The Siege of Stettin in 1813. Leon Saunier's bookstore, Stettin 1913, pp. 15-16. ( Digitized version )
  4. ↑ Mischke: History of the Royal Prussian Thirteenth Infantry Regiment, from 1813 to 1838. Münster 1838, p. 55.
  5. ↑ Karl von Blume: History of the Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1. Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century. Mittler und Sohn, Berlin 1910. ( Extract from the list of losses 1813/15 )
  6. ↑ Wilhelm von Blume: History of the Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1. Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century . Mittler and Son, Berlin 1910, p. 59.
  7. ↑ a b 200 years of Infantry Regiment No. 13 , exhibition in the Münster City Museum (2013)
  8. ↑ Wilhelm von Blume: History of the Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1. Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century. Mittler and Son, Berlin 1910, Appendix IV, pp. 20-21. (See also extract from the list of losses in 1864 )
  9. ↑ Karl von Blume: History of the Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1. Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century. Mittler and Son, Berlin 1910. ( Extract from the list of losses from 1866 )
  10. ↑ Wilhelm von Blume: History of the Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1. Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century. Mittler and Son, Berlin 1910, Appendix IV, p. 23ff.
  11. ↑ War memorials: Aesthetic power and sorrow (Resting lion, Dortmund 1869; Mourning Germania, Münster 1872) In: Westphalian history of the LWL.
  12. ↑ Wehrmacht slogan heats up tempers . In: Westfälische Nachrichten of November 14, 2015
  13. ↑ Participation of the BMVg in events on the day of national mourning with the motto "Treue um Treue" , printed matter of the Bundestag No. BT-Drs 18/6932.
  14. ^ T. Wiegold: Problems with tradition: Bundeswehr forbids 'loyalty for loyalty' . In: eyes straight ahead! dated June 5, 2014.
  15. ↑ Wreath laying is relocated In: Westfälische Nachrichten of May 11, 2016
  16. ^ A b Exhibition Aegidii: Monastery, Barracks, Market , City Museum Münster from February 28 to August 16, 2015.
  17. ↑ a b Wilhelm von Blume: History of the Infantry Regiment Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1st Westphalian) No. 13 in the 19th century . Mittler and Son, Berlin 1910, p. 60.
  18. ↑ Manfred Balzer (Ed.): Westphalian History , Volume 2 ( The 19th and 20th Century: Politics and Culture ). Schwann, Düsseldorf 1983, ISBN 3-590-34212-9 , pp. 447f.
  19. ↑ Historical city maps from the city of Münster.
  20. ^ Wilhelm Kohl: The Diocese of Münster , Volume 10 ( The Cistercian convent, later the Benedictine convent of St. Aegidii in Münster ). de Gruyter, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-021254-9 , p. 16.
  21. ↑ Monument protection and preservation - The Lincoln barracks on the website of the city of Münster.