The Palace Guard Company

The (Prussian) Palace Guard Company was founded on March 30, 1829 in Berlin, Potsdam and Charlottenburg from preferentially half-disabled non-commissioned officers.

In the period from 1829 to 1861 it bore the designation: Guard Non-Commissioned Officers' Company.

From 1861 (A.K.O. of 08.10.1861) it was renamed to the above-mentioned designation.

In 1866 the former Electoral Hessian Swiss Life Guard was incorporated.

On October 1, 1919 the unit was disbanded.

The last peacetime garrisons were: Berlin, Charlottenburg, Potsdam and Kassel.

The first commander of the formation was Wilhelm Hermann Heinrich v. Thümen.

The last commander was the General Captain of the Palace and Life Guard Friedrich v. Scholl.

The establishment strength of the unit according to Friedag in 1913 was:

1 captain and 7 sergeants as well as 62 deputy sergeants.

The Hessian Guard Non-Commissioned Officers' Company numbered: 1 sergeant, 1 deputy sergeant and 45 sergeants and non-commissioned officers.

The initially worn triangular hats were replaced by infantry helmets.

These had square visors, the spike rested on a cloverleaf and a nickel-silver guard eagle served as ornament; the scale chains were also nickel-silver.

Plumes were not worn.

The dark blue overcoat worn for ordinary duty corresponded to the pattern for officers and had two rows of six white buttons each.

The uncut collar was red with silver braid trim.

The (white) shoulder straps were worn as on the coatee or parade coat.

The sleeve cuff had a ponceau-red facing.

Characteristic for this court troop was the long blue coat with 14 white braids across the chest and skirt.

At both edges there were silver buttons with silver tassels.

The collar of the coat was red with silver braid, the cuffs were also red with braid and silver lace.

The white shoulder straps bore a name cipher.

For the parade uniform (gala guard uniform) grenadier caps were worn as a special feature. These corresponded to the pattern of the parade caps of the 1st Guard Regiment on Foot.

The front plates were white-metal, as were the scale chains with grenades. The black-and-white national cockade was formed slightly differently than in the 1st Guard Regiment on Foot..

Also worn were old Prussian sabres with knuckle guard and langet as with the troops of the then 1st Guard Infantry Brigade.

On March 20, 1849 it was determined that the ranks of the formation were allowed to wear the officers' portepee if they had completed a total of 25 years of service without reproach.

B. Friedag, Guide through Army and Navy. 11th year. 1913, reprint Krefeld 1974.

Alexander v. Lynker, The Prussian Army 1807 - 1867 and its genealogical sources, Berlin 1939, p. 22.

Mila, History of the Clothing and Equipment of the Royal Prussian Army in the Years 1808 to 1878, Berlin 1878 (reprint Krefeld 1970, p. 85 ff.