Uhlan regiment "Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, King of Hungary" (1st Royal Saxon) No. 17

The Uhlan regiment "Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, King of Hungary" (1st Royal Saxon) No. 17 was a Uhlan regiment in the 1st Royal Saxon Division .

history

The officer corps of the royal Saxon Uhlan regiment No. 17, "Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, King of Hungary", approx. 1908

On April 1, 1867, Oschatz became a garrison town . The squadrons of the 1st Royal Saxon University Regiment No. 17 quarters. The regiment consisted of 8 squadrons (one squadron = 60 men). The 1st Squadron housed the commander and his staff. The remaining squadrons took turns training the recruits . The 6th, 7th and 8th squadrons were only nominally deployed and were used to reinforce personnel in the event of war. The strength of Ul.Reg. 17 in peacetime was 350, in the event of war a strength of 500 riders was planned.

After the Franco-Prussian War (1870 to 1871) the regiment moved into the newly built barracks . Due to the royal decree of May 30, 1891, the addition: "Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, King of Hungary" was added to the troop designation with effect from November 21, 1891. The name was changed to "Kaiser Franz-Joseph Kaserne" on November 26, 1891. The 1st and 3rd Squadrons moved into these barracks. Another barracks construction followed in the years 1901 to 1902 and was financed by Mr. Gadegast, owner of the city estate, also known as Thalgut Oschatz. The 5th Squadron was housed in this. The Gadegast barracks, also known as the "Red Barracks", were given the name König-Georg-Kaserne. The Oschatz scales factory "Kopp & Haberland" financed 2 further buildings immediately adjacent to the König-Georg-Kaserne. The building complex was completed by May 1913. The 2nd squadron was quartered in the König-Friedrich-August-Kaserne and the 4th squadron in the Prinz-Albert-Kaserne.

On September 16, 1900, the regimental annals recorded the death of Prince Albert of Saxony (the youngest son of the later King Georg ), Rittmeister and chief of the 4th Squadron, after a car accident near Nossen . Another unlucky day was September 12, 1911. Nine Uhlans drowned during a maneuver patrol ride through the Elbe near Posta. When the Austrian ruler, Emperor Franz Joseph died on November 21, 1916 and his son Karl succeeded him on the same day, the regiment was transferred to the 1st Royal Saxon Uhlan Regiment No. 17 "Emperor Karl of Austria, King of Hungary" and his appointment as head of the regiment with effect from December 15, 1916. On January 28, 1919, the regiment with the troops remaining in the home garrison (4th Squadron) was formally dissolved in Oschatz, and on January 31, 1919 the remainder of the regiment in Königsbrück near Dresden was dissolved.

From 1870 the regiment went through two army reforms, some of which included the experience of the American Civil War (1861–65), but also the Franco-German War. Numerous troop tests with new weapons were carried out. From 1898 the regular armament of the German Army consisted of the Mauser M98 cal. 8 X 57 IS carbine . This carbine was introduced in all branches of the armed forces (army and navy ). After the Dreyse needle gun and its successor models were retired , this carbine was almost revolutionary. Only with the mounted formations did the weapon have to be hung over the back when riding and was therefore difficult to handle.

The Oschatz Uhlans made troop tests with a light carbine that was produced in the USA. This was the Winchester repeating rifle model 1895 in the lighter caliber .30-06 Winchester. This carbine had a lever action, the weapon could be handled almost with one hand, was much lighter and could be carried in a saddle shoe.

In addition to the traditional edged weapon of the cavalry, the Saxon cavalry saber model M 92, which was identical to the Prussian model and differed only in the royal Saxon coat of arms with a diamond on the quillons and the handguard, every rider in the regiment owned the Luger army pistol 08 (introduced in 1909) in cal. 9 X 19 ( 9 mm Parabellum ). This gun triggered 79 Kal the Reichsrevolver Mod M 10.6 mm from whose take-down and tap the clamping system of the US.. Smith-and-Wesson - revolver was borrowed "Russian".

The 1st and 3rd squadrons were equipped with the Winchester repeating rifle M 1895 in cal. 30-06 Winchester from 1912 onwards. This was a musket version with a device for attaching bayonets . The weapon had a sight with settings up to 800 m (approx. 900 yards). The remaining squadrons of Uhlan Regiment 17 were still equipped with K 98 carbines.

All weapons were trained. The classic weapon of the Uhlans, the lance , remained on the training plan. From 1910, however, it was only carried out by the cavalrymen on parades and public occasions. The classical attack of the cavalry with drawn saber, Franz. Called "CHOC". From the experiences of the American Civil War and the War of 1870/71 it was clear, however, that the cavalry would have no chance against the modern weapons of the infantryman in a frontal attack.

The cavalry regiments of the Imperial German Army were increasingly deployed and trained as fast operative infantry on the battlefield.

The 3rd Squadron of the 1st Royal Saxon. Ul.Reg. 17 also provided the majority of the riders for the German protection force of General Lothar von Trotha in the colony of German South West Africa .

The establishment of the Oschatz Uhlan Regiment

The Berlin Peace Treaty of October 21, 1866 brought Saxony's entry into the North German Confederation . This involved the incorporation of the Saxon troops into his land power. The Saxon army was rearranged and increased. Two cavalry regiments were among the new troops. Following the tradition of the old Saxon-Polish Uhlans, they became Uhlan regiments and, following the Prussian Uhlans, were given numbers 17 and 18. To set up each of the four old cavalry regiments, each of the four old cavalry regiments had formed a 6th squadron and then each had two the lot was given to certain squadrons to the new regiments.

The guard regiment consisting of brown horses only released one squadron and gave up the 4th squadron without further ado because of their many brightly colored horses. All sorts of horses were given to the 17 Uhlans, plus the 1st squadron. The 1st and 3rd squadrons were drawn from the “Crown Prince” cavalry regiment.

The 2nd Uhlan Regiment received two squadrons each from the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Regiment. April 1, 1867 was the foundation day. The Uhlan Regiment No. 17 was placed in the following places:

• Staff and 1st squadron to Oschatz
• 2nd and 3rd squadrons to Rosswein - from June 1, 1867 to Oschatz
• 4th squadron to Wilsdruff - from June 1, 1867 Oschatz

After the war of 1870/71, the Riesa riders also moved into Oschatz, so that the regiment was rightly called "the Oschatz Uhlans". The 5th squadron was formed on October 1st, 1867. In 1867 the regiment consisted of 29 officers, 722 NCOs and men and 708 horses. The regiment received the blue ulanka with a red collar and lapels, yellow buttons and a white advance as a uniform.

The long blue trousers of the men had one, those of the officers with two red stripes. A Polish " Tschapka " and a white cap with blue stripes served as headgear . That meant a mixture of Polish-Prussian-Saxon traditions. The regiment had 900 lances with white and green flags, 960 sabers and 700 smooth pistols.

The officers had transferred from the existing cavalry regiments and the former Hanoverian army. The commander, Lieutenant Colonel v. Miltitz , come. From the thrown together squadrons a unified whole had to be created, which received a new armament and which had to be trained according to different regulations. This succeeded, and the regiment had its first inspection on May 28, 1865, during which King Johann provided the lance given by Corporal Hosemann with a label (inscription IR May 28, 1867) and a silk flag . From now on this lance was called "King's Lance".

In 1868 the Saxon designations: Commander, First Lieutenant and Squadron were replaced by the Germanized former French names: Commander, Premier Lieutenant and Squadron. These were only changed with the 1st Army Reform from 1871. Now the officers used the German names again, only squadron and commander remained.

Peacetime training and service

exercise

The basic training of a cavalryman of the 17 Uhlans took a year. In addition to the infantry basic training, which lasted six months and included sniper and infantry hand-to-hand combat , the next six months formed the basic equestrian training. Veterinary care was on the roster as well as off-road riding under difficult combat-like conditions. The 17 Uhlans were known for having bulletproof horses . These horses were the pride of the regiment. Their training was tedious.

Rittmeister Noack, then ensign, describes the training of the Remont horses and the operational horses as follows:

“We always bought our rides from private breeders. Saxon warmblood horses were preferred , after all , they were in Saxony. They came to us when they were 3 to 4 years old. There was a farmer on Dresdner Strasse who delivered us feed. We set the escape instincts , i.e. the stimulus threshold, higher in the horses . This happened by getting used to gunshots, sources of noise, fluttering towels and the like. It usually took up to eight months for the training to be completed. Then the horses came to the remonte or to the daily training. Since every rider owned his own horse, for which he was solely responsible, a relationship between humans and animals quickly developed. That paid off in every respect, but above all in the front line. During my time in Oschatz there were never any accidents with horses. "

- Captain Noack

The training of cavalry combat horses

In contrast to today's sport horses of English riding, other, much higher demands were made on cavalry horses . Not only did they have to be fast, agile and persistent, they also had to have strong nerves and literally go through “fire” for their rider. The training was lengthy and was only carried out by experienced, veteran soldiers . The future mission horse began its training at the age of three and a half to four years.

In the beginning there was the floor work. Here the animal was made familiar with all unfamiliar situations. These were shots from pistols and carbines, fire, fluttering cloths, slamming doors and, from 1910, also getting used to motor vehicle engines. At the same time, the horse learned to lie down on command and to tolerate a rider firing shots (first with blank cartridges, later with live ammunition) with the carabiner placed on the horse's stomach and thus lying in cover. Once the horse had learned this, it started training.

In contrast to today's sport riding and English riding, brute force and blows were e.g. B. "parallel bars" (blows on the coronet of the front hooves to make jumping higher) not only unusual, but also prohibited. Once a horse was beaten, the Uhlans of the Oschatz regiment regarded it as messed up.

The horse training was not only lengthy, but also reserved for certain people who had the necessary specialist knowledge. Sergeant Friedrich Schmitz (died as a lieutenant in Russia in 1915), who had trained in the US cavalry and made it to lieutenant , was one such man.

After the groundwork it was time to prepare. In contrast to other cavalry regiments, the Oschatz Uhlans rode with the " Neck Reining " that is common in the USA . H. the commands to change direction were not given with the inner rein, but with the outer one. This made one-handed riding much easier. Because the motto was: “ One hand for horse, one hand for man ” (German: “One hand for the horse, one for the weapon”).

“Our horses were also given thorough gymnastics. I ca n't count the many volts I've ridden. There were certainly thousands. We didn't use sharp bits . Because we were eager to dismantle the aid. We also rode with the reins slack in all gaits. In the training we rode our horses through buildings and over inclined planes. Jumping with horses from a slowly rolling freight train was also practiced. When mobilizing , we set a 'world record' in Metz in 1914. Load 400 riders onto the railroad in about 10 minutes !! We made turns with horse on the spot. Anyone who has ever experienced a ' Great Zapfenstreich ' on the market square in Oschatz is sure to have had a 'cold shower' running down their spine when sitting still after the song 'I pray to the power of love' and the command: 'Great Zapfenstreich' ! Squadrons return, march! ' 200 riders turned their horses 90 degrees on the spot, the horses touching down with their front hooves in the air, turning on their hindquarters, as if in one fell swoop. 600 horseshoes slammed into the paved ground at once. Sparks struck and it crashed like an artillery strike. The subsequent command of the officers could no longer be heard due to the frenetic applause of thousands of spectators. "

- Rttm. Willy Noack

Another goal of the training was to get the young horses used to artillery fire. For this purpose, the regiment moved to the Rominter Heide to Goldap / East Prussia. A lot of time was spent on special training here.

“This training was only started when the Wmstr. Schmitz introduced. I still believe today that Prince Albert's death in the car accident near Nossen on September 16, 1900 could have been prevented with this targeted training. After a motor vehicle engine misfired, the horses of the Crown Prince's carriage team ran over and the car fell down an embankment. "

- Rttm. Willy Noack

The horses of the Oschatz Uhlan Regiment were very popular because of their training. Even the King of Saxony rode a horse from the Oschatz Uhlans, which was run by Wmstr. Schmitz was trained. It was customary among the Uhlans for every rider to own his "own" horse, for which he alone was responsible. This quickly created a deep relationship between horse and rider.

In 1911 there was almost a scandal. Lieutenant Colonel von Arnim, regimental commander, based on the 7th US Cavalry, envisaged that every squadron should ride horses of the same color. The consequence would have been that horses and riders had to change. This would also have made that jagged parade display possible, which Colonel George Armstrong Custer , commander of the 7th US Cavalry Regiment, liked at the time . The men were furious at this superfluous and inconsiderate arrangement. Finally von Arnim gave up on his plan. A short time later he was transferred.

"Remondis" - The horse of August III. King of Saxony

It was part of the tradition in German royal houses that a ruler had to learn the art of riding. However, this did not always go as smoothly as can be seen in the examples of Wilhelm II, Emperor of the German Empire, and August III, King of Saxony.

Despite family relationships, there was a natural competition between the royal houses. Wilhelm II suffered from a cripple in his left arm, the amplexus syndrome, which was to cause him problems for life. It was precisely for this reason that he meticulously switched to riding, because when sitting high in the saddle you could no longer see his handicap. In later years, however, especially in his Dutch exile, the stick became his constant companion. But even as a rider he was only seen in standing positions, at most riding his horse at a step.

To his cousin, August III. He looked down on King of Saxony, smiling and haughty. This by nature rather unsportsmanlike, was according to his nature a calm person. Any sporting activity was averse to him.

So while Kaiser Wilhelm II used every opportunity to triumph over his Saxon relative, the latter remained calm. He should still get his lesson.

Photo documents show Wilhelm II on horseback during imperial maneuvers. Contemporary witnesses, especially cavalry officers, attest him to have moderate to poor riding skills. Wilhelm II, however, never missed an opportunity to stand out from his Saxon cousin .

In 1912 the measure was full. During a troop visit in Königsbrück , Captain von Kageneck, the adjutant of the Saxon king, noticed the horses of the Oschatz Uhlan regiment. In short, Wmstr. Schmitz was in conversation and was introduced to His Majesty. In the following time Wmstr. Schmitz a rare appearance in the daily operations of Ul.Reg 17. The result of the hidden, mostly nocturnal training was called "Remondis", a horse, Saxon half-breed, whose training was higher than the riding skills of his new master. On it, the Saxon ruler stole the show from the German emperor. “Remondis” carried out all commands with minimal assistance and was always at the side of his master during maneuvers, parades and public military events. In 1918 he followed his master into exile in Sibyllenort in Silesia .

Wmstr. Friedrich Schmitz was ordered by August III. promoted to lieutenant with effect from January 1, 1915, in order to finally be able to prevail over the envious of officers. His US lieutenant patent served as proof of specialist knowledge, a rather unusual practice in the German Empire.

“Remondis” followed the funeral procession of August III., His friend, the last Saxon ruler, when he was buried in Dresden in 1932.

Shooting training

Shooting with pistol 08 from a horse

On average, the horses were better trained than their riders, who had to learn the craft with great difficulty. Shooting with the pistol 08 from a horse posed a particular problem. The Parabellum 08 service pistols issued to the German cavalry had a specially adjusted higher pressure point , i.e. an extremely hard dry trigger . This was around 1800 grams. A smooth trigger ran the risk of hitting one's own horse. The stiffness of the trigger was desired because the cavalryman put in a "fire stop" to shoot. The wild shooting around of a galloping soldier calmed one's nerves and was appropriately called Loose or Panic Fire by the US cavalry , but it is a senseless waste of ammunition.

The horses were so trained that they stopped abruptly to stop the fire, the rider shot with the outstretched hand indicated and instinctively aimed, the horse then returned to the desired gait . But it was never shot over the horse's head.

In the 1st Kgl. Saxon. Ul.Reg.17 was a motto: “Weapon in holster = secured, weapon in hand = ready to fire. Pistol in hand - riding - secured - what's the point? ”The handling of a weapon, as well as its meaning and effect, were part of the training. Manual backup can only be replaced by excellent and consistent training. A secured weapon on the battlefield means the death sentence for the wearer; because he signals to the opponent with the weapon in hand a lethal intention, but cannot carry it out because his weapon is secured. But his counterpart does not recognize this secure state and takes the threat seriously.

A rider of the Oschatz Uhlan Regiment was considered to have been trained to use the pistol if he could hit a target the size of a chest within 30 meters from a horse.

Shooting with the K98 carbine and the Winchester M 95 from a horse

Shooting training with the K98 carbine or the Winchester M 95 from the horse was much more complex and put the nerves of the regiment's trainers to the test. Due to the length of the weapon, it was more difficult to use. At first the shooting of the weapon was practiced in a purely infantry manner. If the recruit had command of his weapon from all four positions: lying, kneeling, standing, and standing freehand, he was led to shooting from a horse. The use of blank cartridges was mandatory. Laconic comment by the former regimental training officer Rttm. a. D. Noack: "We were cavalrymen, not horse butchers."

In contrast to shooting with the pistol, when stopping fire, the carbine was placed over the horizontal, angled left arm drawn at eye level, and the horse was turned to the right across the target. This was practiced by drill. A special feature of the Oschatz Uhlans were their horses, which could lie down on command in a fire fight so that the rider could take cover behind them. Trained on the K98 and M95 carabiners, anyone who could hit a 60 cm x 60 cm target from a horse at a distance of 100 meters was considered.

Twice a year the regiment moved to East Prussia to the Goldap garrison , in the middle of the Rominter Heide . Heavy artillery was used here and the interaction between infantry, cavalry and artillery was practiced.

A special kind of incident involving "high animals" occurred during the spring maneuver in 1914. It happened in the officers' mess of the Goldap garrison.

“His Excellency Kaiser Wilhelm II and King August III. of Saxony  stood together during the reception when the emperor asked the Saxon king, as his latest guns of Krupp have fallen. Answer of the Saxon King: "Se bang loud!" "

- Captain Noack

Garrison service

The service with the Uhlans was by no means slack and funny. This is borne out by the innumerable disciplinary sanctions that have been imposed for the slightest offense . Order, cleanliness and drill were on the daily roster. The leaders of the corporations watched over their subordinate soldiers with eagle eyes. The squadrons' commanders were characterized by energetic crackdown in daily operations. For a carelessly rubbed dry, poorly groomed horse, a rider had to run 50 laps around the small riding arena with a carbine held high above his head with both hands. That was about five kilometers. Hart was also cracked down on officers of the regiment.

“One evening two officers, Lieutenant Faber, platoon leader of the 4th Squadron and another, whose name I can't remember, had extensively given alcohol. Coming from the officers' mess they then held target practice with their pistols in the riding arena. A lost projectile then seriously injured a resident who lived behind the "Kaiser Franz Joseph" barracks. Both were arrested, tried by a military tribunal, demoted and brought to Dresden. You were both transferred to the infantry as common soldiers. Faber later fell in Flanders. "

- Captain Noack

The regiment was popular with the Oschatz business people, especially the owners of restaurants and restaurants. Incidents with drunken soldiers were rather rare. Conflicts with civil populations were more likely when it came to the favor of local female beauties. The hard service did not allow the regiment's men to have too tight ties. 60 years later, Rittmeister Noack just dropped the one dry sentence: "An Oschatzer Ulan was a man who luckily lacked a wife."

You can see it either way. Certainly not ironic. Because in order to be able to get married, officers of the royal Saxon needed. Army a marriage license from their regimental commander. However, this was not to be understood as a harassment, rather the aim was to prevent social impoverishment, because many officers in other armies of the German Reich were heavily in debt. The officer wishing to marry had to reveal his financial situation. Especially with the cavalry, due to the specialization of the troops, there was an increasing number of transfers, which caused a longer absence of the riders from their home garrison. What is certain is that Oschatz, as a provincial garrison, did not offer a large selection of “amorous adventures”.

Off-duty officers and men frequented separate bars. The officers of the regiment mainly frequented the “Schweizerhaus” restaurant, to which the crews were not allowed and which presented a more elegant style.

The daily routine of a rider of the Uhlan Regiment 17 began at 5 a.m. with the wake-up call and only ended with the tattoo at 10 p.m., the signal of which was traditionally blown on the trumpet . All unmarried soldiers and officers up to the age of 30 were required to be barracks. The teams up to the sergeant only got exit on exit slip until wake-up, which was issued daily by the main sergeant (head of the squadron's office). From sergeant upwards, the rider automatically had an exit until woken up, except of course during duty hours.

Officers from lieutenant, including sergeant lieutenant, were not subject to any official supervision. The Eskradron chiefs (captains and majors ) lived mostly outside the barracks in the city. Even outside of regular duty, officers were expressly permitted and encouraged to ride their service horse, albeit in uniform . Even when not on duty, the soldiers and officers carried weapons in public. Men and NCOs wear the M92 cavalry saber , officers the service pistol on their paddock , and the M92 saber on the saddle when riding out. Soldiers in the team rank were not permitted to carry firearms off- duty, except on the express order of the regimental commander .

There was no military police in the Oschatz garrison at the time the Uhlan regiment 17 was stationed. However, there were officer patrols on horseback who checked the town's bars for unlawfully staying soldiers, especially on weekends when they were off duty. These were easy to recognize because the riders were forbidden to own and wear civilian clothes. Only civil underwear and personal items for keeping things clean and for daily hygiene were allowed.

Salary

The pay of the riders was based on the respective rank and position . In 1914, a simple rider as a recruit received 20 Reichsmarks per month from the regimental paymaster, and a lieutenant 100 RM in the first year . That was a lot of money for the time. A factory worker earned an average of just RM 30–40 a month. The salaries of officers and men in the Royal Saxon Army were around 30% higher than in other armies of the German Empire. The soldiers of the Kingdom of Prussia received the lowest salary .

"Kaiser Franz-Joseph barracks"

Civilian support personnel, as can be found in today's armed forces , was rather rare among the 17 Uhlans. Repairs to buildings that were easy to accomplish were carried out by the troops themselves. The riders took care of the riding themselves. The officers' mess , a blacksmith's shop , the regimental veterinary building with clinic-like equipment, the regimental stables (divided into squadrons), a thermal power station (built in 1904), a bakery, team canteen, and an armory were located on the extensive site of the "Kaiser Franz Joseph" barracks with a workshop, the saddlery , whose special orders were carried out by the Kettner saddlery in a neighboring town, and finally the regimental kitchen, which prepared the daily meals for the soldiers and was also responsible for catering for the officers. Their menu differed from that of the teams, only in maneuvers was there the same catering for all members of the Uhlan regiment. The soldiers were accommodated in the accommodations of their respective squadrons, divided into corporal groups of 8 to 10 men each in one room. We slept in two- and three-bunk beds.

A locker measuring 1 × 1 × 2 meters was used to store the equipment and the M92 cavalry saber. The handguns were in the corridors of the gun niches set into the walls .

The carbines of the teams on leave were in the armory, commanded riders took their weapons with them so that the subordinates could see the current workforce at any time by inspecting the corridors. The service pistols of the teams were also stored in the armory, which was located in the buildings of the respective squadrons, the ammunition was kept in containers outside the accommodations.

The internal cleaning of the squadron building was carried out by the soldiers themselves. The hall floors in the "Kaiser Franz-Joseph" were rough tiled, the hall walls were half tiled. The floor in the crew quarters was made of wood and the walls were plastered. The wood was cleaned with iron filings once a week and then preserved with floor wax. In quiet, maneuver-free times, the riders closed at around 12 noon on Saturday. Each squadron had a train service that had to take care of the horses on days off.

The squadron building was heated at the beginning of the barracks occupancy (from 1871) by means of cannon ovens, which were located in the respective rooms. In 1904, a thermal power station (coal) was built on the barracks grounds, which fed the property's radiators with superheated steam. In the same year, the barracks' properties were electrified.

In the barracks there were two staircases per squadron building that led into the individual corridors so that the units could quickly leave the building in the event of an alarm.

The squadron building of the 1st Kgl. Saxon Uhlan Reg. 17, 5th squadron (Gadegast barracks) were made of red brick and were so robust that they withstood the stationing of the Soviet armed forces after 1945 and the associated vandalism . They were demolished in late 1999. However, the buildings of the 1st and 3rd Squadron, which were put to civilian use in 1919, have been preserved.

The regular service period of a Uhlan was three years in terms of peace. Due to this long period of service by today's standards, a rider could easily reach the rank of sergeant ( non-commissioned officer ).

Thus trained in peace, the troops were ready for their first war deployment after 1870/71.

The period from 1871 to 1914

In the peace years from 1871 to 1914, the experiences of the campaign were processed. Renewals of material and weapons were necessary. In addition, the regiment went through two army reforms. The appearance of the riders was changed by the introduction of the high riding boots and the shorter breeches (American model), when the troops were introduced in 1871.

There were also major changes in the armament. Karabiner armament K88 and K98, as well as the winchester model M 1895 as a trial (successfully completed, but not introduced because Russia also equipped) and the new cavalry saber M92, which was much easier to handle. Ultimately, the introduction of the new Army Pistol 08, introduced in 1909.

New service regulations such as KDv 10/88 - "The cavalry horse in combat", issued in 1888 and the new garrison regulations contributed to tightening the troops and making them more effective.

Changes of government resulted in swearing-in on the new warlords:

• November 29, 1873 on King Albert.
• June 21, 1902 on King George.
• October 16, 1902 on King Friedrich August.

Prince Albert, Duke of Saxony

In 1874 the deserving Colonel von Miltitz resigned to take over as major general in the 24th Cavalry Brigade . He died in 1880 as the city commander of Dresden. The Miltitzplatz and the Miltitzstrasse in the garrison town of Oschatz were named after him, the Miltitzplatz still reminds of the first commander of the Uhlan regiment.

On November 21, 1891, the name was changed to 1. Kgl. Saxon. Ul.Reg. 17 “Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, King of Hungary”. The 25th anniversary of service was celebrated on April 1, 1892. At the same time the renaming of two squares and one street: Douzyplatz, Miltitzplatz and Miltitzstraße. The officer corps decided to erect a monument to the fallen, which was carried out in the form of an obelisk at the main guard.

The Saxon royal family honored the regiment by having its members serve in it. Mainly in the 4th squadron. In September 1892, Prince Max , who later became a priest, entered, and in 1898 Prince Albert, who as Rittmeister and head of the 4th Squadron, had a fatal accident on September 16, 1900 in a car accident while maneuvering near Nossen. In 1901 the regiment erected a memorial stone at the site of the accident. A year later, the new barracks on Dresdner Strasse were moved into.

During a maneuver patrol ride through the Elbe, 9 Uhlans drowned at Posta on September 12, 1911. A memorial stone was also erected here by the regiment.

War missions

Franco-German War 1870/71

On July 29, 1870, the regiment was loaded into Döbeln and drove via Leipzig , Halberstadt , Paderborn and Wetzlar to Mosbach am Rhein, where it arrived on July 31, 1870. According to the "Ordre de bataille", the 17th Uhlan Regiment and the Guardsmen formed the 23rd Cavalry Brigade under Major General Krug von Nidda, which made up the 12th Cavalry Division with the 24th Cavalry Brigade under Major General Senfft von Pilsach. It was led by Gen. Lt. Graf zur Lippe. She belonged to the 12th Army Corps, which initially formed the reserve of the 2nd Army with the 9th Army Corps. This was under the command of Prince Friedrich Karl and was almost 200,000 strong. The 1st Army (60,000 men) gathered near Koblenz under the command of General von Steinmetz , the 3rd Army under the Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich gathered near Mannheim (130,000 men). It met the enemy on August 4, 1870 near Weißenburg (Alsace) and was victorious near Wörth (Alsace) on August 6, 1870.

On the same day, parts of the 1st and 2nd Armies defeated the French at Spichern . Thereupon the French General MacMahon withdrew with his troops ( French Rhine Army ) to his camp near Châlons-sur-Marne . The hoped-for decision had thereby been thwarted, but the German victories were still of great importance. Napoleon III gave the command to Marshal Bazaine , who tried to lead the Rhine army from Metz to Châlons.

This was thwarted by the battles at Columbey (August 14, 1870), Mars-la-Tour / Vionville (August 16, 1870), and Gravelotte on August 18, 1870. General Bazaine was surrounded by the 1st and 2nd Armies in Metz . From the Guard Corps , the IV. And XII. Army Corps and the 5th and 6th Cavalry Divisions, the 4th (Maas) Army was formed under the Saxon Crown Prince Albert .

The Uhlan regiment played only a small part in this fighting. His advance went from Mosbach via Heidesheim, Alzey to Langmeil, where the Weißenburg victory became known on August 5th and 8th, 1870, further via Ramstein to Homburg , where the Prussian king visited the troops. On August 9, 1870, the French border was crossed at Habkirchen (Saarland) and Frauenberg (Lorraine). Then it went via Fremersdorf , Thionville to the area of ​​Solque, Secours and Achatelle, which the regiment did not see again until 1914. On August 16, 1870, the Moselle was crossed at Pont-à-Mousson . The real war work began on its western bank:

• Outpost position between Buxerulles and Heudicour
• Patrol service to St. Mihiel
• Fight for the fortress of Metz

Here the Uhlan Regiment belonged to the Maas Army after the French had been enclosed in the fortress, which advanced with its 3rd Army into the interior of France. It was hoped to meet the enemy in Chalons or before Paris . However, on August 21, 1870 , General MacMahon had turned north on the orders of the Paris government to join Marshal Bazaine's army. This was thwarted by the Germans through the battles at Beaumont and Sedan .

After the capture of the French emperor Napoléon III. at Sedan the republic was proclaimed in Paris. However, the war continued. On August 23, 1870, the Meuse Army began its advance on Chalons. The division marched via Haudiomont, daring a vain coup d'état on Verdun , to Dieue. On August 26, 1870, the order to start the north march via Varennes called them off from patrol work. The stripes of the lancers and the guardsmen met enemy troops at Grand Pre and Buzanch at around 4 a.m. on the afternoon of the same day . The regiment came to Bayonvisse. The Uhlans pursued the retreating French troops and discovered an enemy camp in the Beaumont area. This led to the battle of August 30th, 1870. This resulted in the famous bravura piece by Douzy .

Then the regiment was ordered back to the north of Paris and used to fight gang violence, secure food supplies, guard railways and bridges, carry out punitive expeditions and later to fight the French Northern Army. This happened in the Compiègne , Beauvais, Creil and Etrepagny area.

In the meantime the war situation had changed. When Metz was surrendered on October 27, 1870, the siege troops were released. The 2nd Army withdrew to the Loire , the 1st Army under General Manteuffel advanced against the French Northern Army . These had gathered near Lille, Amiens and Rouen. On November 20, 1870, the 12th Cavalry Division had established contact with the 1st Army. She then had to take over from Prince Albrecht Sohn's department at the Epte. The 17 Uhlans secured in the Gisors - Dangu - St. Claire line. On November 28, 1879, 40,000 French men under General Briand, standing near Rouen, pushed south. The attacks increased; The Uhlans suffered greatly from the betrayal of the residents, who gave their compatriots strength and positions of the German troops.

To curb the enemy's aggressiveness, two columns were sent north. It was on this occasion that the nightly raid of Etrepagny (November 30, 1870), notorious in regimental history, took place. The 2nd squadron had 12 dead, 12 wounded and 18 missing. The total loss in the division that night was 6 officers, 159 men and 70 horses. The fallen were buried on December 1, 1870 in Gisors . The residents of Etrepagny were driven out and the city set on fire.

On December 5, 1870, the 1st Army occupied Rouen. The Uhlans had been picked up and marched to the east. Here they reached Conziegne on December 15, 1870 and came to the Nohon area. After the enemy troops had been driven out there, they were withdrawn to Beauvais. On December 25, 1870, they marched via St. Just and Roye to the St. Quentin area, where fierce fighting broke out. They also came to places that the Germans did not see again until the 1916 Summer Battle. At the beginning of February 1871, the 17 Uhlans were placed in the resting quarters in Compiègne. On February 25, 1871, the troop parade took place in front of Crown Prince Albert.

March 1871 brought the preliminary peace; but the troops had to keep northeastern France occupied until part of the war indemnity had been paid. On June 9, 1871, the march back via Gissone, Varennes, Verdun, Metz and Forbach to Frankfurt, where it was loaded on July 3, 1871. From there the Uhlan Regiment 17 drove via Fulda, Erfurt, Leipzig to Priestewitz in order to take up quarters nearby. On July 8, 1871, it marched to Dresden to take part in the big parade in front of King Johann the next day. He returned and moved into Oschatz on July 13, 1871.

First World War

When the First World War broke out , the Uhlan Regiment 17 was serving as border security in the west (Lorraine) of the German Empire in the association of the 8th Cavalry Division. This consisted of the 23rd Cavalry Brigade with the Guard Regiment and the Oschatzer Uhlans. After the separation from the division, the Uhlan Regiment 17 was first deployed in the east . Only the 4th squadron remained in the "Kaiser-Franz-Joseph" barracks and became a replacement division for the regiment. Here she was photographed for the last time on April 1, 1917 on the occasion of the regiment's 50th anniversary on the Neumarkt in Oschatz. The regiment went along with the advance on Riga and was then divided into cavalry intelligence departments. From 1916 the Crimean peninsula was a new operational area . Here parts of the regiment served as a local troop with garrisons in Odessa and Poti . Another task of the cavalry intelligence departments was the maintenance of the indu line (telephone cable) that led from England to Calcutta .

When stationed on the Black Sea , parts of the Uhlan Regiment 17 faced almost insoluble logistical problems. A supply of food from home was excluded. So the regiment became self-sufficient. In order to meet this demand, the regiment improvised and deployed appropriately trained riders to ensure food. A bakery, a butcher shop and a complete agricultural business with poultry, pigs and cattle were built under regimental control. Barter with the population supplied the regiment with horse fodder, fruit, sugar, spirits and tobacco.

After the peace treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3, 1918, quiet times began for the regiment's riders. Rittmeister Wilhelm (Willy) Noack reported sixty years later about holiday-like service conditions.

Rittmeister Noack led his cavalry intelligence departments as the longest Uhlan patrol from Odessa on the Black Sea back to their Saxon homeland. They confiscated freight trains (in accordance with the Hague Land Warfare Regulations ) and headed north first. 278 horsemen of the 17 Uhlan Regiment reached Dresden on December 24, 1918 by jumping over the tracks on horseback and fighting with enemy soldiers, especially in Hungary .

1. Deployment in Russia

On August 31st, the order to move east came. From the Peltre loading station near Metz it was a 78-hour drive on the 1400 km long route that led the cavalrymen via Saarbrücken , Worms , Frankfurt am Main , Bebra , Leipzig , Falkenberg, Posen , Bromberg , Dirschau , Marienburg to Maldeuten . The order was to destroy the Russian Northern Army, which was under the command of General Rennenkampf and had advanced on the Wehlau- Angerburg- Aryso line .

Deployment and attack

The 8th Cavalry Division was deployed from its unloading station, which is far back. The Oschatz Uhlans marched from September 5 to 8, 1914 via Mohrungen, Liebstadt, Seeburg and Rhine to the Löwentinsee, where the first fighting with Russian forces took place. After the defeat of the Narew Army near Tannenberg, the aim was to destroy the connections to the rear of the Russian army. The 2nd and 5th squadrons advanced through Arys on Lyck . Around noon on September 10, 1914, the riders of the Ulanenreg rode. 17 in Elk a.

“The first German soldier to move into Lyck, which was liberated by the Russians for the second time, on the morning of September 10th, was an Oschatzer Ulan. A German patrol has probably never been received with such jubilation after the Russians have been chased away, as the Saxon Ulan from Oschatz, who was the first German soldier to return to Lyck after Russian rule, said in a letter from an Lycker. "

- Leipzig latest news

The Germans pursued the fleeing Russians, because Rennenkampf did not want to experience a second Tannenberg. In numerous patrol battles, the German riders got to know the very skillful Russian retreat tactics.

Again it was Uhlans who rode into Goldap as the first German troops on the evening of September 10, 1914. The journey continued on the southern edge of the Rominter Heide, and on September 12, 1914 the Uhlans crossed the Russian border near Wisstyniec .

The attack area of ​​the Russian carbine regiment was crossed on September 13, 1914. After heavy fighting, the Uhlans were forced to retreat. The patrol of Lt. d. Reserve Franz Herschel intercepted the retreating cavalrymen and rode the Sumski attack with them. The combat strength of the regiment had dropped from 570 to 389 men. The unit was then moved to Darkehmen .

On September 23, 1914 they went via Allenstein , Thorn , Gnesen and Kreuzburg to Lublinitz to help the Austrians, who had been pushed back by superior Russian forces.

The 8th Cavalry Division gathered near Czestochowa . The new order was to attack the enemy cavalry near Łódź .

“The march and patrol rides were extremely grueling on the baseless, muddy paths. The horses fell like flies. Therefore it was not possible to intercept the Russians flowing back to Warsaw ”

- First Lieutenant W. Noack on the transfer from Radomsk to Petrikau

Battle for Warsaw

On October 12, 1914, the regiment was 25 km from Warsaw . The 8th Cavalry Division was tasked with holding the Utrala section, i.e. the army's left flank. But since the Russian army attacked with such a large mass, the Germans broke off the battle for Warsaw. The Ul.Reg. 17 withdrew from the enemy unnoticed and went back to the southwest. In Łódź, on October 27, 1914, the Uhlans took a break for the first time. The combat strength was only 200 of the previous 434 men.

Refreshment and advance on Riga

The regiment spent the following time to regroup after the heavy losses. New riders had arrived from the replacement division of the regiment, which was represented at home by the 4th Squadron. However, the cavalrymen were dependent on self-sufficiency. The problem was solved with rich “hunting strips” in the former hunting ground of the tsars in Spała .

The positions behind Bzura and Rawka were again deployed . A positional war of five months had begun here, with the village of Godzianow forming the garrison or regimental command post . On May 24, 1915, the Oschatz Uhlans were replaced by Landsturm troops, the regiment was reloaded to Rogow and reorganized. After loading, the regiment drove via Skierniewice , Lowlez , Kulno , Thorn , Dirschau , Elbing , Königsberg to Memel , where it arrived on June 16, 1915.

After the unit had only advanced to Windau, it was used in the attack on the Nyemen army. At Dobeln the Windau was passed through and on August 1, 1915, a locking bolt was erected east of the town of Mitau .

A new advance brought the 17 Uhlans to the Düna. After the occupation of the position in the dunes from Dübena to Menkenhof, parts of the regiment were transferred home on October 26, 1915. This involved a total of 126 riders from parts of the 1st, 3rd and 5th squadrons.

The remaining units of the Uhlan Regiment occupied the ski position from December 26, 1916 to March 24, 1917. The Russian Revolution broke out in mid-March, but it did not end the war. The Bolsheviks conducted the peace negotiations so slowly that the Germans resumed the advance. Livonia and Estonia were occupied. The Uhlan regiment left the coastal positions to ensure order and peace in the Livonian counties of Wenden, Wolmar and Lemsal. It had to clear the forests and villages of enemy soldiers.

The November Revolution in Germany was hardly noticeable in the regiment. Each squadron elected 2 shop stewards .

The cavalrymen then guarded the railway line at Slutsk. This guard duty was the last task of the Uhlan Regiment 17 in Russia and happened at the time when their comrades posted to Odessa and Poti were on their way back home.

On January 20, 1919, the evacuation began, which ended on January 23 with the arrival of the regiment in Oschatz. It was here that the reunification with the news departments took place.

2. Use in Russia

Use as a cavalry intelligence force

After the regiment returning from Russia arrived, a cavalry intelligence force was created from November 5, 1915 to February 22, 1916. This was trained until May 4, 1916, reinforced and then marched to Odessa on the Black Sea. The trip via Hungary and Belarus to the new locations took about two weeks. Loaded in railroad trains, the units arrived on May 20, 1916 with their training. They strengthened the army units stationed in Odessa and Poti. Her new job was to repair and secure the Indu telephone and telegraph line, which went as a long-distance cable from England to Calcutta.

However, since the news departments were cut off from any supply from home, they went over to self-sufficiency and set up a farm for self-sufficiency. This brought so much surplus that the riders engaged in a lively bartering with the local population.

Until November 1917 the riders spent vacation-like days on the Black Sea coast. Then the second Bolshevik revolution took hold in Russia. After the armistice of Brest-Litovsk, the riders of the intelligence department settled down for a longer stay. There was no home leave for the soldiers, it was not possible due to the distance to Germany.

Uhlan patrol

After the armistice on November 9, 1918, the order to march back home was given on November 12. Left to their own devices, the Uhlans had to provide transport space themselves.

“It took us officers two full days to plan this project. Many were of the opinion that this was by no means possible. We prepared ourselves for improvisation from the start. My unit, which consisted almost exclusively of men from the 1st Squadron, had taken part in the advance on Riga and the ongoing trench warfare at Rawka. They wanted to go home, especially because the news that reached us from there was worrying. "

- Captain Willy Noack

The regiment drove with requisitioned freight trains and got through Belarus with almost no difficulty; They reached Hungary riding and driving. The former kingdom of the k. and k. The monarchy was in full turmoil. Often times the cavalrymen had to use their firearms to save their lives. Riding through Prague, the communications department, led by Rittmeister Noack, reached Dresden on December 24, 1918. There she was immediately used to maintain order and security.

Use as security forces

As a self-contained military association, the regiment's intelligence departments acted on behalf of the provisional Saxon state government (USPD) against looting and murder. The deployment order No. IV / Par. 5 of December 24, 1918 provided for the termination of criminal gang activity in the Dresdner Heide . Some members of the Uhlan Regiment No. 17 were accepted into the regular police .

In contrast to other cavalry regiments, no evidence could be provided that former members of the Freikorps regiment had joined. In contrast to the soldiers of Gen. Lt. Georg Maercker ("Bloodhound von Ebert"), who on April 9, 1919 caused a bloodbath among civilians in Magdeburg , the action of the Uhlan Regiment 17 was purely police.

After the reclassification into a cavalry intelligence regiment (1916), the parts of the 1st Royal Saxon deployed in Dresden owned. Uhlan Reg. No. 17 almost no more heavy weapons.

In the divisions of Uhlan Regiment 17, which were deployed as an intelligence force, as well as in the units of the regiment that had fought in northeast Russia, no signs of disintegration due to the turmoil of the revolution had appeared. The riders of the Uhlan Regiment No. 17 came back to their Saxon homeland as a self-contained military unit. These soldiers did not allow their officers' shoulder boards to be torn off, as happens elsewhere in many units, but shot immediately.

When asked about the proverbial “Ulan loyalty”, Rittmeister a. D. Willy Noack in an interview conducted in 1977:

“It was rather the case that 4 years of military service had tied the regiment's men to their officers, who had shared everything with them. In contrast to other military units, the cavalry was not commanded from the depths, i.e. from command posts in the back, but the officers led the battle at the front. The riders therefore accepted their officers who they knew and were not ready to chase after a utopia. On the other hand, we were fed up with the war and were shocked by the conditions in our home country. After the collapse of the German Empire, we only saw ourselves as Saxon soldiers. "

- Captain Willy Noack, "Memoirs 1977"

When the "Red Soldiers" asked the men and subordinates of the news departments who had returned to Dresden to disarm and hand over their officers, to set up machine guns and take up positions, 200 riders formed a square around their officers and said: "Well then, come and get it." so happened on December 24, 1918). In return, the Uhlans disarmed the rioters and were employed by the provisional state government as independent "police forces".

“During the briefings with the police command, who only had weak, poorly armed forces, and with the city ​​administration , it was clear that“ private bills ”were being settled in the course of the“ revolution ”. Murder, pillage, and crimes of the lowest motives were exposed. So we played the fire brigade for the executive , which, curiously, was politically left-wing, i.e. oriented towards social democracy. Negotiations could hardly remedy these conditions. So we formed mounted patrols that appeared unexpectedly, staked the enemy down in an orderly fire fight and pinned them down. For this we received support from parts of a Landwehr battalion , which could not intervene in the fighting because it was poorly trained. We therefore use them to guard the prisoners. The ringleaders received long prison terms in the 1920s. I testified on these matters before the Dresden Regional Court in 1923 and before the Potsdam Military Court in 1924. "

- Retired Captain Willy Noack

The end and the dissolution in 1919

Under the command of Colonel von der Wense, the regiment moved into the Oschatz garrison on January 28, 1919. The regiment and the parts deployed in Dresden were disbanded on January 31, 1919 at the Königsbrück military training area near Dresden. The administrative processing (barracks, properties, clothing store and equipment) was carried out under the direction of Government Councilor Habermann, Major S. von Haugk and the former sub-officers from April 1, 1919 to the end of 1919.

From the sergeant upwards, the relatives were allowed to keep their personal weapons (pistol and saber). Another problem was the handling of the mount. At full strength, the regiment had almost 600 horses, including the remonte. Almost all of the horses were bought from local butchers. Few escaped their fate. One of them was "Nihilist", the horse of Rittmeister Willy Noack, who simply did not want to see why he had accompanied his comrade, who had accompanied him from France to Riga, from Memelland to Odessa on the Black Sea and back to his home in Saxony, should let you down. For the sum of 45 Reichsmarks, payable to the settlement office of the regiment, he went into civilian life with his horse. "Nihilist" is 29 years old in 1932 in well-deserved retirement, which he took with the Rttm family. aD Noack was allowed to spend, died peacefully.

Armament from 1900

Lever Action Carabiner M 1895 - Winchester

The last Winchester Lever Action carbine created by the designer John Browning is the Model 1895 . It was characterized by the new box magazine and the use of smokeless nitro powder . This meant that high-speed cartridges could also be fired. The weapon used by the Oschatzer Uhlans had the caliber 30-06. It had a lever action, was much lighter than the K 98 carabiner, could be carried in a saddle shoe and could be repeated with one hand.

The largest individual customer was, besides the German Reich (approx. 8,000 pieces), the government of Tsarist Russia with over 295,000 copies, which, however, were set up in Russian caliber 7.62 mm. These weapons were built in accordance with the contract in 1915-16 and served during the First World War. The reason why the cavalry of the German Reich was not equipped with this weapon after the delivery contract to Russia became known can also be seen here. The weapons from the delivery for the Russian Empire were built under license in Belgium by the FN (Fabrique National) Liège . The barrel length for the Russian order was 36 inches (91 cm). The barrel length for the German Empire is 22 inches (56 cm).

German army pistol 08

The last Reichsrevolver M 79 and M 83 were issued by the German army and the imperial navy in 1897. This happened even though the royal Prussian rifle testing commission in Berlin-Spandau (GPK) knew that the outdated gunpowder revolvers should be retired and that only a self-loading pistol could be used as a replacement.

The Commission examined 1895 different designs including the Borchardt pistol of the Berlin company Ludwig Loewe & Cie. This weapon worked perfectly but fired cartridges in the calibers 7.63 mm to 7.8 mm, but their man-stopping effect appeared militarily inadequate.

However, the Borchardt pistol was too heavy, had a steep grip angle and a protruding return spring housing that was bulky. The developer of the weapon, Hugo Borchardt, categorically rejected changes to his weapon.

When the Löwe company became part of the German Arms and Munitions Factory in Berlin (DWM) in 1897, Georg Luger (1849–1923) was commissioned to fundamentally revise the Borchardt pistol while retaining the locked knee joint. The from Tyrol originating engineer worked since 1891 for Lion and knew as a former kuk Landwehr lieutenant the needs of a military pistol.

He redesigned the breech by letting the extension of the rear knee joint no longer run against a deflection surface, but against a control curve on the rear pistol frame. By relocating the return spring in the back of the grip and the position of the grip piece at an ideal angle to the core axis of the barrel, the newly designed pistol has the ideal basic shape of all Parabellum pistols. Georg Luger had his changes patented. Since then, this pistol has been known abroad under the name Luger, in Germany as Parabellum.

The USA bought 1,000 units in April 1900 for troop testing with the cavalry. However, because of the inadequate man-stopping effect, this was not introduced. Instead, the M1911 A1 Colt pistol in cal. 45 ACP, also known as "Government", was introduced.

In order to introduce the weapon to the German army, the Bavarian Lieutenant Adolf Fischer (1869–1938), who was responsible for pistol issues at the GPK since 1901, worked out proposed changes. All major changes to the details of the pistol and cartridge are the result of the collaboration between Luger and Fischer. On Fischer's advice, Luger widened the bottle-shaped neck of the 7.65 case to 9mm. This is how the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge was created, which is now known as the 9 mm Luger or 9mm x 19.

The official names for the pistol are “Pistole 1904” for the Navy and “Pistole 08” and “Long Pistole 08” for the Army. There has never been a designation “Marine 08”.

The budgetary procurement of the pistols was regulated by the 1904/05 Reich budget. The Reich budget totaled 2.9 billion marks, of which 800 million (gold) marks went to maintenance and new purchases by the army. The pistol, including holster and 2 replacement magazines, cost 43.75 marks. Outstanding penetration with low recoil and trouble-free use characterized this weapon. You have to multiply the value of the Goldmark to the euro by 50 to produce an approximate relation to today's purchasing power.

Cavalry saber-M92

The saber came to Europe from the Orient. Its most distinctive feature is the curved blade. The curvature of the blade enables it to be pulled through the wound when it is struck and the cut deepens it. The Pallasch was a specialty, it had a saber hilt with a straight blade.

From 1764 onwards, all mounted units of the Saxon army were equipped with a saber, which the soldiers called "butchers" due to its weight and its relative unwieldiness. Its handle had a hand guard that enclosed it as a basket.

The Kingdom of Saxony noticed in equipping the cavalry with slashing the rule that the heavy cavalry with Palla's, the Hussars and the Lancers were equipped with a saber. Around the middle of the 19th century, the entire mounted formations of the Saxon army were equipped with a uniform saber type.

The Saxon cavalry saber M92 was based on the Prussian model of the same name. The slightly curved, single-edged blade is in its lower third two cutting edges on both sides in the blade center located fillet and consisted of Damascus steel . The saber was introduced to the Uhlans in 1892 and replaced the predecessor models M86 and M89, which were more difficult to handle.

The M92 model was produced in two modifications, one for enlisted men and one for the officer corps. In the officer's version, the blade was etched and gilded on both sides of its upper part and on the back. On the outside of the version of the M92, the weapons manufactured from 1904, the ruler initials FA of the Saxon King Friedrich August III can be found under the royal crown . (1865–1932 reigned from 1904 to 1918), the Saxon diamond coat of arms with two lions holding a shield and the royal crown on the inside in a gold-plated cartridge. The wooden handle is covered with snakeskin and wrapped with twisted brass wire. The officer's version was paid for by the owner himself, made for the wearer by the Dresden witness office and provided with his initials on request.

Officer ranking in regimental list

Regimental commanders

• 1867–1874 Lieutenant General Centurius Wilhelm August Bernhard von Miltitz
• 1874–1878 Colonel Ernst Bernhard Count Vitzthum von Eckstädt
• 1878–1880 Lieutenant Colonel Karl Albert Edler von der Planitz
• 1880–1883 ​​Colonel Kurt Heinrich Alerius Hildebrand von Einsiedel
• 1883–1889 Colonel Friedrich Leopold von Polenz
• 1889-1892 Colonel Georg Hans August von Schimpff
• 1892–1894 Colonel Adolph Karl Enoch von Stieglitz
• 1894–1899 Lieutenant General Philipp von Haugk
• 1899–1902 Colonel Baron von Stein zu Lausnitz
• 1902–1904 Major General Hermann Freiherr von Salza and Lichtenau
• 1904–1909 Major General Hans Dedo Freiherr von Milkau
• 1909–1911 Lieutenant Colonel Georg Wolf Henning von Arnim
  • Major von Schönberg (deputy)
  • Lt. Mosig von Aehrenfeld (adjutant)
• 1911–1914 Major General Arthur Bernhard Gustav Wilke Freiherr von Bodenhausen
• 1914–1915 Colonel Dr. Hans Georg Walter von Mangoldt-Gaudlitz
• 1915-28. January 1919 Colonel Ernst August von der Wense (Appointed Reg.Kdr. On July 1, 1915, promotion to Colonel on November 30, 1917 and at the same time 1st Adjutant of the Mobile General Command 19, took action with him.)

Officers and subordinates of the squadrons

(Status: 1911-1914)

I. Squadron

• Squadron chief: Rittmeister Kraus
• Deputy Squadron Chief: First Lieutenant von Minckwitz

• Back office manager / squadron sergeant: Wachtmeister Klausch

Technical services:

• Arms mastery: Sergeant Heye
• Regiment saddlery: Sergeant Opitz
• Horse training: Sergeant Friedrich Schmitz; promoted to lieutenant on January 1, 1915; killed in Russia on June 12, 1915

Platoon leader:

• 1st train: First Lieutenant von Minckwitz
• 2nd platoon: Lieutenant Wilhelm (Willy) Noack; at the same time regimental training officer

II. Squadron

• Squadron chief: Rittmeister Bayer
• Deputy Head of Eskdr: Lt.Siegfried von Haugk

• Back office manager / squadron sergeant: Wmstr.Reißig later: Wmstr.Pohle

Platoon leader:

• 1st train: Lt. S. von Haugk
• 2nd move: unknown

III. Squadron

• Squadron Chief: Captain von Pape
• Deputy Chief Executive Officer: Lt. Walther von Haugk

• Back office manager / squadron sergeant: Wmstr. Freudenberg

Platoon leader:

• 1st train: Lt. W. von Haugk
• 2nd train: Lt. Friedrich Kirchner

IV. Squadron

• Squadron chief: Captain Count von Castell-Castell
• Deputy Chief Executive Officer: Lt. from Ehrenstein

• Back office manager / squadron sergeant: Wmstr. child

Platoon leader:

• 1st train: Lt. von Ehrenstein / Lt.v.Arnim
• 2nd train: Lt. Helmut Faber (demoted in 1914 and transferred to the infantry) later: Lt.Stresemann

V. Squadron

• Squadron chief: Rittmeister von Schönberg-Rotschönberg
• Deputy Head of Eskdrive: Olt. from Bocksberg

• Back office manager / squadron sergeant: Wmstr. Ulrich

Platoon leader:

• 1st train: Olt. from Bocksberg / Lt. Kirschner
• 2nd train: Olt from the ceiling / Lt. Mr. Heinz von Luttiz

Regimental doctors

• Chief Physician: Dr. Wichmann
• Oberstabsvet .: Dr. Flower step
• Staff: Dr. Yeniche
• Senior veterinarian: support

Regimental officials

Administration:

• Paymaster Pohle
• Chief Administrative Inspector Habermann
• Provisions Office Inspector Schulze
• Provisioner Eichler

Technical services:

• Regiment saddlery: Wmstr. Opitz / Kettner Company
• Arms mastery: Sergeant Heye

Rank designations of the royal Saxon cavalry

Teams:

• Rider (rt)
• Oberreiter (ORt)
• Corporal (OGefr)

NCOs:

• Corporal (corp)
• Sergeant (Sgt)

Portepee NCOs:

• Constable (Wmstr)
• Oberwachtmeister (OWmstr)
• Chief Sergeant (HWmstr)

Officers:

• Sergeant Lieutenant (FwLt) - promoted from the rank of non-commissioned officer with no opportunities for promotion
• Lieutenant (Lt) /
• First Lieutenant (OLt)
• Rittmeister (Rttm)

Garrison stories from the Uhlan era

The following events actually occurred during the stationing of the 1st Royal Saxon State Reg. 17 and afterwards and are still present in parts of the population today.

• Stories about Count von Luckner called: The "Red Count"

• Conversation with long cutlery

Sergeant Heye, the head of the regimental armory, was a civilian gunsmith. He knew how to manufacture edged weapons and how to use them like no other. In the evenings he also trained in free style fencing in the riding hall with the heavy M 92 cavalry saber, which he had slightly modified for his handling.

The blade of his saber had a cutting edge that was wafer-thin but post-hardened.

A special feat, which he only showed in the closest circle, was to pierce a burning candle about 5 cm in diameter with the saber so that both parts remained on top of each other and the flame did not go out. He had learned this trick from an artist from the Sarrasani circus in Dresden, and he was able to astound his audience again and again.

One Saturday evening he and a comrade from the 1st Squadron Officer Patrol were riding in Oschatz when they were stopped by the gendarme and pointed out to a fight in the “Zum Schwanen” inn.

Once there, they got caught up in a tangible argument between several soldiers of a country defense unit who wanted to gain respect with the side gun . Sergeant Heye took his saber out of his saddle, rode his horse into the restaurant and explained the arrest to the amazed Landwehr soldiers. After a short astonishment, however, they regained their composure and threatened the officer in turn. Heye didn’t hesitate, but struck a burning candle with his bare weapon that hung under the ceiling. That worked. The soldiers were instantly sober. In retrospect, so it was said in Oschatz, the soldiers grabbed their necks when they were arrested, probably to check whether everything was still firm.

• Leave the thinking to your horse, it has a bigger head

In 1914, a sergeant Friedrich Schmitz served in the 1st Squadron. He was of German descent and had lived in the USA for years and served there in the US cavalry . This Schmitz was not only popular with his comrades, but also with the officers of the regiment. He had an excellent understanding of horse training and had the reputation of being able to train even the most unrideable horse. Word got around quickly. The number of his admirers grew as quickly as that of the envious. One of these envious people was Lieutenant Helmut Faber, platoon leader of the 4th Squadron. The horse training was carried out by squadrons and so it came about that Wachtmeister Schmitz was commanded into the 4th squadron. One day he and Lieutenant Faber got so caught up in each other that Faber yelled at the experienced cavalryman:

“... and in the future you leave the thinking to your horse, it has the bigger head. That is an order, understand? !! "

A short time later, the 4th Squadron moved to a combat exercise in the Dresdner Heide.

In the evening, the officers discussed the tactics of the cavalry, including those of other countries, in the officers' mess in Königsbrück. His royal majesty's adjutant was present and Sergeant Schmitz was summoned to the casino to clarify a question. He was asked the question that only he could answer because of his service in the US cavalry. Sergeant Schmitz replied that he knew little about that. Then Captain Count von Castell-Castell: “Then think hard about it.” Sergeant Schmitz's reply: “With all due respect. Herr Rittmeister, on the express orders of Herr Lieutenant Faber, thinking about myself may only be carried out by my horse. ”The reaction from the officers is not recorded.

• Ulan loyalty

At the time of National Socialism , many politically dissenting people were persecuted. Others, on the other hand, who had distinguished themselves in the First World War, were courted and courted by the organs of the NSDAP . The former officers of Uhlan Regiment 17 were exposed to these advertisements. That a German officer could also be a social democrat was inconceivable for many people with brown thinking. Rittmeister a. Responded to advertising attempts by the National Socialists. D. Stresemann hasn't been for a long time. In the meantime he had also resigned from the war clubs and had built up a modest existence as an entrepreneur in Dresden. After the Reichskristallnacht (Reichskristallnacht) there was now a desire to do a lot of cleaning among the Social Democrats and former officers with social democratic attitudes. One day the Dresden Gestapo came to Stresemann with a protective custody order. Stresemann was taken away and, to the amazement of the local Gestapo officials, the "catch" was taken from them by an SS-Hauptsturmführer and two other officers of the Reich Main Security Office  (RSHA) right in front of the detainee's doorstep . The SS officers did not give any reasons. After the collapse of the Third Reich, Stresemann clarified the riddle from his exile in Switzerland : The Hauptsturmführer was a former ensign of the Oschatz Uhlan Regiment, who had shown his former boss loyalty to the Uhlan.

Barracks and military properties in the garrison town of Oschatz in the Ulan period (1867–1919)

City quarters

Until the completion of the first barracks complex, the staff and 3 squadrons were housed in citizen and city quarters. The officers of the regiment had set up a casino in Oschatz in the “Zum Löwen” inn and in Riesa in the restaurant on the “Elbterrasse”. During the existence of the regiment, all officers from Rittmeister upward lived in city quarters.

Great Barracks (Fiscal Barracks I)

Since November 21, 1891 Kaiser-Franz-Joseph-Kaserne. The construction of this barracks, which began in 1870, was completed by the time the regiment moved into Oschatz on July 13, 1871, except for the crew building. Thus, the 2nd and 4th squadrons from the former Riesa location had to be temporarily housed in urban quarters of the city of Oschatz. The barracks were still occupied in 1871. By order of the regiment commander, a change of quarters within the regiment took place on July 1, 1882. The 2nd and 4th Squadrons, previously quartered in the barracks, moved into city quarters and the 1st and 3rd Squadrons occupied the barracks.

King Georg Barracks (Rented Barracks II)

The building, also known as the "Gadegast barracks", has become known through the builder and owner of the property, the Oschatz manor owner Gadegast. In 1901 and 1902 a team building, a stable building, a riding house, a fitting forge, a wagon shed and a chamber building were built. The 5th Squadron was housed in this complex.

King Friedrich August Barracks (Fiscal Barracks III)

In the years 1909 to 1911 a team building, a stable building, a riding house, a wagon shed and a forge with the armorer's workshop were built for the 2nd Squadron directly on the property of the King Georg barracks.

Prince Albert Barracks (Fiscal Barracks IV)

For the 4th Squadron, the 4th and last construction phase of the barracks for the 1st Royal Saxon Uhlan Regiment No. 17 was completed by 1913. A team building, a stable building, a shed for peace tools, a forge and a riding house were built.

Garrison hospital

On the edge of Oschatz city center, the Reichsmilitaryfiskus bought the former spinning mill from private property in 1870 and after the necessary renovations, the hospital was built. The property can now be found vacant at Seminarstrasse 20.

Old guard

At Sporerstraße 1, directly on Neumarkt, the Uhlans gradually took over the building from 1867 to 1899. After that, only the guard on the ground floor was used until 1912.

Riding houses in the city area

The riding house in Reithausstraße was initially used by the Uhlans. With the construction of the riding houses in the barracks, the Oschatz fire brigade moved into the building. Another riding house for the regiment was built on Theodor-Körner-Straße. This building is also still in private use today.

After 1919 all facilities of the regiment were put to civil use. Only the Fiscal Barracks III and IV continued to be used for military purposes.

literature

• KTB des Reg. Vol. 01-32 Archive: Frank Helmut Noack
• KTB des Reg. Vol. 29-33 Archive: Frank Helmut Noack
• Albert Schmaltz: Notes on the 1st Royal Saxon Uhlan Regiment No. 17: With two plans and an overview map. Ernst Siegfried Mittler and Son, 1891.
• Archive: Dresden Police Headquarters
• Defense business Research Institute Freiburg
• Archive Winchester Firearms, New Hawen (now Olin Group)
• RL Wilson "Winchester" 1977
• Hans Reckendorf and Volker Gremler "Parabellum Pistols of the Empire"
• Frank Helmut Noack "Handguns of the German Cavalry" - K98 carbine as document weapon lecture 1995
• Frank Helmut Noack "Handguns of the German Cavalry" - Pistole 08 as a document weapon - lecture 1995
• Frank Helmut Noack “Edged weapons of the europ. Cavalry "lecture 1995
• Frank Helmut Noack "Weapon Expertise for Saxon Cav. Saber M92" - Cav. Saber M92 as a document weapon-1995
• Frank Helmut Noack "Training instruction for weapon handling in horse training" Instruction FHNoack - BW Ranch 2006/7
• Willy Noack “Memories 1910–1945” personal notes 1910–1945
• Willy Noack "Uhlan Regiment 17 and Oschatz - Memories" - sound recording 1977
• Frank Helmut Noack “Telephone directory. Ul.Reg 17 “- documents Rttm. W. Noack
• Frank Helmut Noack "Inspection records of the 'Kaiser Franz Joseph Kaserne' in 1995"
• Dipl. Ing. Gert Jubisch "Collection Ul.Reg.17" - private archive
• Dipl. Ing. Gert Jubisch "Barracks in Oschatz" - private archive
• "The Hindenburg Monument for the German People" - 1923 Leipziger Volksverlag
• Frank Helmut Noack "German Lanciers under Warflag" - Lecture 2007
• Cavalry service regulations (KDv 10/88 Vol. 1–4) “The cavalry horse in battle” 1888 - Frank Helmut Noack archive

Historical newspaper articles

• “Leipzig Latest News” of October 10, 1914 - FHNoack archive
• “The Oschatzer Land” July 1924 - Private Archives - Dipl.-Ing. Gert Jubisch - Oschatz

Image documents

• 

  City map Oschatz 1912

• 

  Emperor Franz Joseph barracks

• 

  King Georg barracks

• 

  King Friedrich August barracks

• 

  Prince Albert barracks

• 

  Main station in Oschatz

Individual evidence

1. ^ Smith and Wesson "A Legend of American Firearms" 1968
2. ↑ ^{a b} “German Lanciers under Warflag” - Lecture 2007 - Frank Helmut Noack
3. ↑ ^{a b} KDV 10/88 “The cavalry horse in battle” - Frank Helmut Noack archive
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Willy Noack - "Memories 1910–1945" - Frank Helmut Noack archive
5. ↑ Regimental Diary Volume 1-14
6. ^ The Hindenburg Monument for the German People, Leipziger Volksverlag, 1923
7. ^ Frank Helmut Noack, weapons expertise for Sächs. Kav. Saber M92 - Cav. M92 saber as a document weapon, 1995
8. ^ Archives of the Dresden Police Headquarters
9. ↑ Dipl. Ing. Gert Jubisch “Barracks in Oschatz” - private archive