| 1st Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment in 1813 | |
| Active | 1717-1919 |
| Country | Kingdom of Prussia |
| Type | Dragoons |
1st Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment (Lithuanian: 1-as lietuvių dragūnų pulkas; German: Dragoner-Regiment „Prinz Albrecht von Preußen“ (Litthauisches) Nr. 1) was a Prussian Lithuanian dragoon regiment of the Royal Prussian Army.[1] The regiment was formed in 1717 and disbanded in 1919. This regiment was one of the eldest in the whole Prussian army.
The regiment was recruited almost exclusively from volunteers from its immediate homeland, i.e. Lithuania Minor, and was well reputed in the army at all times for having the best horses and riders.[2] In the memoirs of the inhabitants of Lithuania Minor it is written that they were proud of serving in this regiment.[3]
18th century
On 19 April 1717, King Frederick William I of Prussia ordered major general Heinrich Jordan von Wuthenau to form a regiment from 780 Saxon cavalrymen and dragoons, which Augustus II the Strong gifted the Prussian King. Already in May, von Wuthenau divided the regiment into eight companies.[2] The uniform consisted of a white coat with light blue embroidering, because of which the regiment was called the "Porcelain regiment". In December, the regiment was ordered to march to Insterburg (Lithuanian: Įsrūtis), Tilsit (Lithuanian: Tilžė), Ragnit (Lithuanian: Ragainė), Goldap (Lithuanian: Geldapė), Stallupönen (Lithuanian: Stalupėnai) and Pillkallen (Lithuanian: Pilkalnis). In 1718, the whole regiment was assembled in its entirety to a single place for military exercise in Insterburg and by the August of that year, the regiment already had ten companies. In 1725, it was established that every company would have 110 dragoons, and each company was renamed to squadrons.
When general von Wuthenau died in 1727, the regiment was divided in two regiments, which were that of von Cosel and von Dockum. The regiment von Cosel maintained the same uniform and was assigned all of the same garrisons except Tilsit. The dragoon regiment von Dockum remained in Tilsit with its five squadrons and received white coats with red embroidering. After a year, the regiment received silver timpani. The dragoon regiment von Dockum was later called the 7th Dragoon regiment.
In the period between 1734 and 1746, the regiment was often relocated to various places such as Berlin, Magdeburg, Potsdam or Tilsit. Finally, in 1746, Tilsit was established as the regiment's permanent garrison.
First Silesian War (1740-1742)
During the First Silesian War, the regiment fought in the Battle of Chotusitz with the Imperial and Royal von Birkenfeld Cuirassier regiment. The dragoon regiment's Leibstandarte was lost when the enemies grenadiers seized it from the seriously wounded junker von Roop. The regiment lost four officers and 152 soldiers, with six officers and 71 soldiers being wounded. In addition, three officers and 280 soldiers were taken prisoners of war.
Second Silesian War (1744–1745)
During the Second Silesian War, adjutant lieutenant von Blankenburg lost the timpani and flag in the skirmish near Niederzehren. However, in the battle of Kesselsdorf, the dragoon regiment attacked the Saxon Karabiniers-garde and mounted grenadiers. The Lithuanian dragoon regiment defeated the Saxon Foot Guard and also the Saxon infantry regiment Niesemeuschel. The victorious regiment took away the flags of both of these regiments. In addition, the regiment seized the flag and silver timpani of the Saxon Karabiniers-garde.
19th century
Napoleonic wars
After the Treaties of Tilsit and the cabinet's order of 14 September 1808, regiments were no longer named after their commanders. During the Prussian Army's reorganization, the regiment was initially called the East Prussian Dragoon Regiment (Ostpreußisches Dragoner-Regiment), and after the cabinet's order of 14 September 1808, the regiment was called the 3rd Dragoon Regiment. The Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment was at first established in Tilžė and Įsrūtis.
Two of the regiment's squadrons were made part of the 1st Mobile Dragoon Regiment, which was part of Yorck's Prussian Auxiliary Corps. This corps fought on Napoleon's side in the French invasion of Russia in 1812. Later, the regiment fought in Germany and France in 1813 and 1814. The Lithuanian Dragoons repeatedly distinguished themselves in Yorck's Corps, especially at Möckern.[4] In the Battle of Leipzig, the regiment captured a French Imperial Eagle.[5]
After the Napoleonic wars
Circa 1815–1816, the regiment's soldiers were dispersed into other parts of the Prussian Kingdom, i.e. Berlin, Demmin or Tilžė. In 1819, the regiment was renumbered from being the 3rd in the dragoon regiments' sequence to being the 1st.[6] During 1860–1866, the regiment garrisoned different parts of East Prussia such as Įsrūtis or Ragainė.
Finally, from 1879, the regiment was located only in Tilžė.
20th century
World War I
Even until the end of the First World War, the signs outside the soldiers' barracks were in Lithuanian and German languages.[7]
Uniforms
During World War I, the uniforms of the regiment's soldiers had red piping.[8]
Commanders
The regimental commanders were the following:[9]
| No. | Portrait | Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oberst Anton Ludolph von Krosigk (1667–1737) | 19 April 1717 | 31 March 1721 | 3 years, 346 days | |
| 2 | Oberst Franz Christoph von Friesenhausen | 31 March 1721 | 15 June 1727 | 6 years, 76 days | |
| 3 | Oberstleutnant Wilhelm von Rappe | 15 June 1727 | 3 May 1737 | 9 years, 322 days | |
| 4 | Oberst Friedrich von Stosch (1689–1752) | 3 May 1737 | 1 November 1744 | <7 years, 5 months | |
| 5 | Oberstleutnant Friedrich Ludwig I. Truchseß von Waldburg (1711–1777) | 1 November 1744 | 19 January 1746 | <1 year, 2 months | |
| 6 | Oberstleutnant Joachim Wilhelm von Ahlimb (1701–1763) | 19 January 1746 | 17 April 1754 | <8 years, 2 months | |
| 7 | Major Johann Heinrich Friedrich von Spaen (1705–1762) | 17 April 1754 | 18 February 1759 | <4 years, 10 months | |
| 8 | Major Carl Sigismund von Pogrell | 1759 | ? (c.1760) | <10 months | |
| 9 | Major Heinrich Ernst von Loßberg | ? (c.1760) | until September 1760 | <8 months | |
| 10 | Oberst Joachim Anton von Massow | 23 September 1760[10] | 29 November 1762 | <2 years | |
| 11 | Major Karl von Eberstein | 29 November 1762[11] | 27 October 1778 | <15 years, 10 months | |
| 12 | Major, then Oberstleutnant, later Oberst and then Generalmajor Sylvius von Frankenberg und Proschlitz (1732–1795) | 6 November 1778 | 26 September 1790 | <11 years, 10 months | |
| 13 | Oberst Joseph Albrecht Christoph von Bieberstein-Pilchowsky (1730–1815) | 26 September 1790 | 27 November 1793 | <3 years, 2 months | |
| 14 | Major, then Oberstleutnant, then Oberst Franz von Quoos | 27 November 1793[12] | 25 September 1798 | <4 years, 9 months | |
| 15 | Oberstleutnant, then Oberst Joseph Theodor Sigismund von Baczko (1751–1840) | 25 September 1798 | 18 November 1806 | <8 years, 1 month | |
| 16 | Oberst Helmuth Dietrich von Maltzahn (1761–1826) | 18 November 1806 | 1 February 1813 | <6 years, 2 months | |
| 17 | Oberst Gottlieb Wilhelm Christian von Platen (1765–1819) | 1 February 1813 | 30 June 1813 | <4 months | |
| 18 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Theodor von Below (1765–1839) | 30 June 1813 | 5 January 1816 | <2 years, 6 months | |
| 19 | Oberst Rudolph Hiller von Gaertringen (1771–1831) | 5 January 1816 | 15 November 1827 | <11 years, 10 months | |
| 20 | Oberstleutnant Wilhelm von Tietzen und Hennig (1787–1869) | 30 March 1828 | 30 March 1836 | <8 years | |
| 21 | Major Karl von Broesigke (1790–1852) | 30 March 1836 | 29 March 1839 | <2 years, 11 months | |
| 22 | Heinrich Gregorovius | 30 March 1839 | 23 March 1841 | <1 year, 11 months | |
| 23 | Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald (1792–1848) | 23 March 1841 | <6 years | ||
| 24 | Major Karl von Dunker | 27 March 1847 | 8 March 1848 | <11 months | |
| 25 | Major then Oberstleutnant, then Oberst Otto von Trotta genannt Treyden | 9 March 1848 | 7 August 1854 | <6 years, 4 months | |
| 26 | Major then Oberstleutnant Eduard Kehler | 5 October 1854 | 13 March 1857 | <3 years, 2 months | |
| 27 | Major then Oberstleutnant then Oberst Richard von Kalckreuth (1808–1879) | 14 May 1857 | 15 September 1862 | <5 years, 4 months | |
| 28 | Major then Oberstleutnant then Oberst Otto von Bernhardi (1818–1897) | 16 September 1862 | 21 March 1868 | <5 years, 6 months | |
| 29 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Ferdinand von Massow (1830–1878) | 22 March 1868 | 1 December 1871 | <3 years, 8 months | |
| 30 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst August von Egloffstein | 17 December 1871 | 15 October 1873 | <1 year, 9 months | |
| 31 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Otto von Holtzendorff | 16 October 1873 | 4 August 1875 | <1 year, 9 months | |
| 32 | Major then Oberstleutnant then Oberst Richard Manché | 5 August 1875 | 4 July 1883 | <7 years, 10 months | |
| 33 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Albert von Kemnitz | 5 July 1883 | 16 January 1888 | <4 years, 6 months | |
| 34 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Hans von Meyer | 17 January 1888 | 27 July 1892 | <4 years, 6 months | |
| 35 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Gustav Kühls | 28 July 1892 | 13 May 1894 | <5 years, 4 months | |
| 36 | Major then Oberstleutnant then Oberst Hans von Gersdorff (General) (1847–1929) | 14 May 1894 | 17 August 1898 | <5 years, 4 months | |
| 37 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Kuno von Ruppert | 18 August 1898 | 21 April 1901 | <2 years, 8 months | |
| 38 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Julius von Platen (1853–1922) | 22 April 1901 | 9 September 1908 | <7 years, 4 months | |
| 39 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Wedig von Glasenapp | 10 September 1908 | 3 April 1913 | <4 years, 6 months | |
| 40 | Oberstleutnant Georg von Eicke und Pollwitz | 4 April 1913 | 11 December 1913 | <8 months | |
| 41 | Oberstleutnant then Oberst Karl von Kanitz | 12 December 1913 | 21 March 1918 | <4 years, 3 months | |
| 42 | Oberstleutnant Hermann Osterroht | 22 March 1918 | June 1919 | <1 year, 2 months |
![Julius von Platen [de]](../I/JuliusVonPlatenUndEhefrau.jpg.webp)
Legacy
A statue commemorating the regiment's fallen soldiers was built after World War I.[7] Within the Reichswehr, the regiment's traditions were passed on by the 1st Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment, part of the 1st Cavalry Division.[13]
See also
References
- ↑ Matulevičius 2020.
- 1 2 Goetzke 2003.
- ↑ Rėklaitis 1968.
- ↑ von Ramin 1967, p. 64.
- ↑ von Haber 1877, p. 101.
- ↑ Berckenhagen & Wagner 1982, p. 240.
- 1 2 Jakužaitis 1952.
- ↑ Bull 2000, p. 51.
- ↑ Günter Wegmann (Hrsg.), Günter Wegner: Formationsgeschichte und Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Streitkräfte 1815–1990. Teil 1: Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815–1939. Band 3: Die Stellenbesetzung der aktiven Regimenter, Bataillone und Abteilungen von der Stiftung bzw. Aufstellung bis zum 26. August 1939. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1993, ISBN 3-7648-2413-1, S. 44–46.
- ↑ Sammlung ungedruckter Nachrichten. Band 3, S. 19.
- ↑ Louis Ferdinand Eberstein: Geschichte der Freiherren von Eberstein. Band 1, S. 1185.
- ↑ Gothaisches genealogisches Taschenbuch der adeligen Häuser. Gotha 1904, S. 689.
- ↑ Richter 1968, p. 77.
Sources
- Bull, Stephen (2000). Newark, Tim (ed.). World War One: German Army. Brassey's History of Uniforms. ISBN 1574882783.
Lithuanian
- Rėklaitis, P. (November 1968). "Mažosios Lietuvos Dragūnų Pulkas". Karys (in Lithuanian). 9: 307–311.
- Jakužaitis, Hermanas, ed. (1952). "Prūsų Lietuvių Pulkai ir Batalionai". Keleivis (in Lithuanian). 1–2: 7, 14.
- Matulevičius, Algirdas (2020). "dragūnai". Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 2020-10-29.
German
- Goetzke, Harry (2003). "Das Dragoner-Regiment Prinz Albrecht von Preußen (Litthauisches) Nr. 1 in Tilsit". Tilsiter Rundbrief (in German). 33. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17.
- "Die neuen preußischen Regimenter 1808 - 1918 ; Dragoner" (in German). Archived from the original on 6 July 2005.
- von Ramin, Hans Henning (1967). "Aus der Geschichte ostpreußischer Reiterregimenter (II), abschließender Teil: 1808 bis 1914". Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch (in German). München-Lochhausen: Schild Verlag. 15.
- Richter, Klaus-Christian (1968). "Die Blauen Dragener sie reiten...: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Dragoner". Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch (in German). München-Lochhausen: Schild Verlag. 16.
- Berckenhagen, Ekhart; Wagner, Gretel (1982). Der bunte Rock in Preußen (in German). ISBN 3886090299.
- Sieg, Alexander (1883). Geschichte des Dragoner-Regiments Prinz Albrecht von Preußen (Litthauisches) Nr. 1. 1867 bis 1881 (in German). Berlin: E.S. Mittler & Sohn – via Google Books.
- von Abel, Paul (1905). Stammliste der Königlich preußischen Armee (in German). Berlin: E.S. Mittler & Sohn. pp. 221–223.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - von Haber, R. (1877). Die Cavallerie des Deutschen Reiches: Derselben Entstehung, Entwickelung und Geschichte nebst Rang-, Quartier-, Anciennitäts-Liste und Uniformirung (in German). Vol. 2. Helwing'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Th. Mierzinsky). pp. 101–103.
- Alt, Georg (1870). Das königlich preußische stehende Heer: Kurzgefasste Geschichtge seiner sämmtlichen Truppenkörper. Nebst den Regiments-Geschichten derjenigen Norddeutschen Bundes-Contingente, welche durch Conventionen der preussischen Armee angereiht sind, sowie der Geschichte der höheren Militair-Bildungsanstalten (in German). Vol. 2: Geschichte der Königl. Preußischen Kürassiere und Dragoner seit 1619 resp. 1631–1870. Berlin: S. Schropp (L. Beringuier & A. Berg). pp. 201–213.