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Vestes Bellica Military history archive

Vestes Bellica

Uniforms and Equipment of the Old Army - Cavalry - Uhlan Regiments - the Bavarian Uhlans

Bavarian Uhlans in parade uniform. Contemporary photo card. Around 1910.
Bavarian Uhlans in parade uniform. Contemporary photo card. Around 1910.

Bavaria provided two Uhlan regiments in the Old Army, which had their own numbering and were garrisoned in Bamberg (No. 1) and Ansbach (No. 2).

They were:

  1. Uhlan Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm II, King of Prussia (Bamberg) - Founding date: 21.12.1863.

  2. Uhlan Regiment King (Ansbach) - Founding date: 21.12.1863.

The regiments were formed from former squadrons of various Chevaulegers regiments.

Officer of the Bavarian Uhlans in field-gray uniform. Original larger photo. c. 1915.
Officer of the Bavarian Uhlans in field-gray uniform. Original larger photo. c. 1915.

They spent World War I together, first on the Western Front (Battle of the Marne, Flanders), then from April 1915 in the East. In February 1919 they returned to their home garrisons.

Bavarian Uhlans in parade uniform. Contemporary photo card. Around 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in parade uniform. Contemporary photo card. Around 1914.

The Bavarian Uhlans wore steel-green caps, ulankas and trousers.

Crimson red were

the trim stripe on the cap,

as well as the collar,

the pointed sleeve cuffs and

the parade braid on the ulanka and

the trim stripe on the trousers.

The parade braid of the headgear (tschapka) was also crimson red.

Uhlan from the 1st Uhlan Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm II, King of Prussia (Bamberg). Contemporary photo card.
Uhlan from the 1st Uhlan Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm II, King of Prussia (Bamberg). Contemporary photo card.

As headgear they wore the black-leather tschapka with a crimson-red cover (M 1873; previously there was the M 1864).

The cover (kouvert) was sewn on permanently, so unlike the parade braid it could not be removed.

The front visor was edged in silver for officers. The attached rear visor as well.

For the enlisted men only the front visor was edged with a metal strip.

The scale chains were nickel-silver or silver-plated and were held by lion clasps.

The chin cords were silver with blue interweaving for officers. For the enlisted men they were white.

The chin cords were secured to the tschapka — at the right corner of the top — by a silver or nickel-silver lion-head hook.

At the front was the royal name cipher with crown.

The parade plume consisted of white horsehair and had a blue-and-white metal cockade. Therefore, when the parade plume was worn the actual field emblem was not worn.

Bavarian Uhlan. The chin cords are clearly visible. Original medium-sized photo.
Bavarian Uhlan. The chin cords are clearly visible. Original medium-sized photo.

In 1886 the Prussian tschapka model shown here was introduced. These now displayed the well-known lion coat of arms at the front.

Uhlan in parade uniform from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment König (Ansbach). Original KAB.
Uhlan in parade uniform from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment König (Ansbach). Original KAB.

The two regiments differed primarily in the color of their buttons: No. 1 white and No. 2 yellow.

Bavarian Uhlan. Original cdv.
Bavarian Uhlan. Original cdv.

The braids, as well as the fittings, ornamentation and scale chains of the tschapka and the half-moons on the epaulettes, were likewise executed in the respective button color.

Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.
Bavarian Uhlans in front of barracks. Original photo card. Before 1914.

According to Haber (Die Cavallerie des Deutschen Reiches. Derselben Entstehung, Entwicklung und Geschichte, ..., 1877, reprint Krefeld 1977, p. 333 ff.), the Bavarian Uhlan regiments carried no standards.

Bavarian Uhlans in cigarette cards.

Officer from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment. From the series: Der Bunte Rock. Image no. 224.
Officer from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment. From the series: Der Bunte Rock. Image no. 224.
Rittmeister from the 1st Bavarian Uhlan Regiment. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, Series 62.
Rittmeister from the 1st Bavarian Uhlan Regiment. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, Series 62.
Officer from the 1st Bavarian Uhlan Regiment 1866. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, image no. 119.
Officer from the 1st Bavarian Uhlan Regiment 1866. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, image no. 119.
Uhlan from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment 1870. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, image no. 120.
Uhlan from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment 1870. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, image no. 120.
Uhlan from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment 1880. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, image no. 370.
Uhlan from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment 1880. From the series: German Uniforms. The Era of German Unification 1864 - 1914, image no. 370.
Non-commissioned officer in parade dress from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment König. From the series: Uniforms of the Old Army, image 295.
Non-commissioned officer in parade dress from the 2nd Bavarian Uhlan Regiment König. From the series: Uniforms of the Old Army, image 295.