The Napoleonic Intermezzo (1806 – 1813/14)

Prussian troops had left the city of Münster in September 1806 and withdrawn eastward. In the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt on 14 October 1806 two Prussian armies were defeated, and in the aftermath of a rigorous pursuit the once highly effective military instrument of the state formation of Prussia broke apart — unexpectedly for contemporaries — without major resistance.

The supposedly strict Prussian government was followed by the initially welcomed entry and passage of French–Dutch units in the autumn of 1806. On this, Prior Protasius Göttlinger of the Order of the Brothers Hospitaller reports in his preserved diary as follows: “Anno 1806, 22. Octobris kamen 17 Dragoner von der französischen Armee und nahmen von der Stadt Münster Besitz, den 23. reiseten sie wieder ab. Den 24. kamen drei Regimenter, welche hier einquartiert wurden. Den 25. gingen einige Compagnien wieder weg, und am Abend rückten wieder holländische Truppen ein, wovon wir 6 Mann abends halb 8 zur Einquartierung erhielten. An eben diesem Tag kamen einige Kanonen mit Pulverwagen auf den Domhof zu stehen. Den 26. kamen wieder verschiedene Regimenter und wurden einquartiert. Abends halb 5 Uhr kamen Seine Majestät der König von Holland hier an und stiegen im Schloß ab, wurden mit 30 Kanonenschüssen salutiert. Ein freudiges Vivat-Rufen ertönte von einer unzähligen Menge Volkes. Den 27. rückten wieder sehr viele Truppen ein, teils Cavallerie, teils Infanterie, und wurden alle einquartiert. Wir erhielten wieder 6 Mann. Sehr viele Kanonen sind durchgeführt worden, einige blieben auf dem Domhof. An diesem Tag schätzte man die Anzahl der Kriegsvölker allhier auf 15000 Mann. Unter allen zeichneten sich die Königlich holländische Garde zu Fuß und zu Pferde aus, welche außerordentlich schön montiert und schöne Leute waren.“[1]. Kochendörffer writes on this: “The population was entirely pro-French; people rejoiced to be rid of the hated Prussians; the act of homage before the governor turned into a general day of rejoicing; indeed the provincial diet even thanked the governor for the dismissal of Vincke.”[2]

[1] Quoted according to Helmut Lahrkamp.

[2] Ibid., Territorial Development and Administrative Constitution of Westphalia 1802 – 1813, p. 139.

Since 1807 Münster belonged to the Grand Duchy of Berg, a state construct created by imperial decree. The capital was Düsseldorf. The Grand Ducal Berg contingent of about 5,000 men took part in the fighting in Germany and suffered heavy losses in the campaigns in Spain and Russia. The small army was recruited according to the French form of "general" conscription, the levy. There were no genuine Münster troops after the decline of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster, but men from Münster also served in the Grand Ducal Berg army (and after 1811 in the French army) through levies. Their uniforms followed the style of the national French army, but the basic color (of the foot troops) was white. The artillery wore dark blue uniforms. The Berg light cavalry (Chevaulegers) was well known. General Marx von Murat was entrusted with organizing the regiment at the end of May 1807. Münster was one of the preferred recruiting grounds for this regiment. It was to initially comprise eight squadrons with around 800 men. At the beginning of 1809 it counted 43 officers and 968 men. The muster took place in front of the Münster castle. In that year it also received lances. The regiment saw its main deployment in Spain. Of the 1,800 members of the formation, a total of 1,200 are said to have fallen (1810–13). A newly formed 2nd regiment was deployed to Russia in 1812. There it was almost entirely wiped out. The last 160 (180) men fell into Russian captivity at the Berezina. The uniforming followed the Polish style of the French lancers. To the white kurtka pink insignia and white epaulettes were worn, together with the Tschapka adorned with feathers. Later a green uniform with pink insignia was introduced.

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Münster belonged — as stated — from 1807 to the Grand Duchy of Berg and thus to the Confederation of the Rhine, and from 1811 even to the Empire of France, but everything has its time: after the defeat of the Grand Army in the snow-covered expanses of Russia in 1812 Napoleon's star began to wane.

On 07.11.1813 Russian troops occupied the city of Münster in the course of the Wars of Liberation; with that the French intermezzo was over.