Reichs-Marinier-Corps
The Reichs-Marinier-Corps was the marine infantry of the Reichsflotte and probably existed from 1848 until the final liquidation of the fleet properties in October 1853.
history
organization
The origins of the corps are uncertain. It is certain that Minister Arnold Duckwitz issued a regulation on the uniform of the unit on March 31, 1849, which was sent to frigate captain Karl Rudolf Brommy .
The corps had the typical tasks of a marine infantry, such as guard duty on board and on land as well as operating guns . The Mariniers may also have had a military police function. The nominal strength was in 1849:
- Officers : 6
- Seewebel ( Sergeant for the Sea): 1
- Sergeants : 5
- NCOs : 10
- Private : 15
- Battalion tambour : 1
- Drummers and Piper: 12
- Soldiers : 190
However, the actual size was a maximum of 86 members. So far nothing is known about the use of the corps. Presumably, smaller departments were quartered on the floating units and some were used to guard naval facilities in Bremerhaven . Since no commander is mentioned, it cannot be ruled out that the Mariniers reported directly to Brommy. Only four officers from a ranking of May 1, 1850 are known by name:
1. Captain in the Marinier Corps Ludwig Weber, b. 1813 Mannheim , "former engineer captain in the Greek service",
2nd Second Lieutenant in the Marinier Corps Ernst Rudolf Freudenthal, b. 1820 Posen , previously " Premier Lieutenant in Schleswig-Holstein ",
3rd Second Lieutenant Eduard Karl Leo Schöningh , b. 1825 Meppen , "Prussian one-year volunteer",
4. Head fireworker Johann Karl Blättermann, b. 1816 Mühlhausen / Thuringia , previously "Chief Fireworks in Prussian Services".
In October 1853, about six months after Brommy had issued the last daily order for the fleet, Captain Weber had sold the last of the material or transferred it to the federal fortresses . After that, the corps continued to exist, at least in remnants, after the actual fleet had been dissolved.
Uniformity
The uniform was determined by the above regulation of March 31, 1849. The uniform basically corresponded to that of the Prussian infantry with the exception of the leather helmet (" Pickelhaube "), which was designed in the style of the Prussian artillery . This had a ball instead of a tip in order to handle z. B. to avoid mutual injuries of the operating personnel from guns . According to the regulations, the officer's helmet should have a raised silver imperial eagle and a black, red and gold cockade .
The team helmet wore an imperial eagle made of brass . The service cap of the men corresponded to that of the Prussian infantry and had a black, red and gold cockade. The teams had a work shirt (blouse) from Zwillich , and in autumn 1849 a wool shirt was also introduced.
A red collar originally introduced on the tunic (also called a service jacket) was replaced by a blue one with red flaps from October 1849 . A gold-colored sash with woven black and red stripes was required for officers on duty . Overall, the appearance of the Mariniers largely corresponded to that of the Prussian infantry.
Armament, equipment
As armament, officers, including the sea gown, wore the Prussian officer's sword . The NCOs and crews evidently wielded a percussion rifle specially developed for the Navy . As sidearm one of the Prussian Infantry served saber ajar weapon.
The equipment included a knapsack in the style of the Prussian infantry. The gray coat could be attached to the knapsack with packing straps. There was also a waist belt made of black leather, a cartridge pouch , a tin can for primers , a primer pocket and a linen bread bag .
As far as is known, there is no contemporary illustration of the Mariniers. A colored reconstruction drawing is reproduced in Noeske / Stefanski, vol. 1, illustrated part, p. 16.
literature
- Wolfgang Petter: German fleet armor from Wallenstein to Tirpitz , in: Military History Research Office (ed.): German military history in six volumes 1648–1939 , Vol. V, Herrsching 1983, pp. 3–262. ISBN 3-88199-112-3
- Walther Hubatsch u. a .: The first German fleet 1848-1853 , Herford / Bonn (ES Mittler & Sohn) 1981. ISBN 3-8132-0124-4
- Rolf Noeske / Claus P. Stefanski: The German Marines 1818–1918. Organization, uniforms, armament and equipment , 2 volumes, Vienna (Verlag Militaria) 2011. ISBN 978-3-902526-45-8
- Paul Heinsius: Beginnings of the German Navy , in: Hubatsch, pp. 13-27.