Vedette (military)

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In historical military affairs , the Vedette is the advanced alert position of a field guard . Etymologically, the word Vedette is a diminutive of the Italian “veglia” or “viglia” (guard).

According to the Militair-Conversations-Lexikon of 1841, a vedette includes “all single or double guards, regardless of whether they are from the cavalry or infantry , who are set up by the field guards to guard the area. A number of such outposts are called Vedettenlinie or Chaine. ”During the day, the task of the Vedette is mainly to observe the enemy, at night Vedettes are also used as listening posts. In principle, particularly experienced and trustworthy soldiers are to be used for vedettes, since they are also most likely to have direct contact with enemy saboteurs , deserters or parliamentarians . Vedettes are not allowed to leave their post under any circumstances and should communicate with the field guard behind them about hand signals and the like; There is an exception for double or triple vedettes, where a man can report.

A military science journal published in Vienna from 1869 to 1919 was also called “Die Vedette”. Her employees included Edmund Glaise von Horstenau .

In his main work The World as Will and Idea , Arthur Schopenhauer compares the human brain with a vedette: "The brain, with its function of knowing, is nothing more than a vedette set up by the will for its external purposes, which above, while looking around through the window of the senses, watching where disaster threatens and where benefit is to be foreseen, and according to the report of which the will decides. Like everyone on active duty, this vedette is in a state of tension and exertion, so it likes to see it when it is withdrawn after the watch has been taken; how every guard likes to leave the post. This withdrawal is falling asleep, which is therefore so sweet and pleasant and to which we are so compliant: on the other hand, being shaken up is unwelcome because it suddenly calls the Vedette to the post again. "

supporting documents

  1. ^ Gerhard Hirschfeld / Gerd Krumeich / Irina Renz: Encyclopedia First World War . Ferdinand Schöningh Verlag, Paderborn 2003 ISBN 3506739131
  2. ↑ Harry Horstmann: The soldier in language and tradition. A manual . Achilles Verlag, Lüneburg 2010 ISBN 383918603X p. 78f.
  3. ^ Hans Eggert Willibald von der Lühe (ed.): Militair-Conversations-Lexikon . Bd. 8 Adorf Verlags-Bureau Leipzig. 1841 p. 451. online at google books
  4. ^ Philipp von Bechtold: Military reference library for the officers of the Imperial and Royal Austrian Cavalry , Bd. 3 JG Heubner, Vienna 1837 p. 51ff. online at google books
  5. ^ ÖAW: List of abbreviations and symbols. (PDF; 228 kB)
  6. ↑ "Arthur Schopenhauer: The world as will and concept" at Zeno.org .