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Prussian Uniforms in the Biedermeier Period (1815-1850).

After original or earlier reproductions of lithographs from the 19th century. Accompanying preliminary remarks, image captions and descriptions follow.

The Prussian State in 1815.

The Congress of Vienna (September 18, 1814 to June 9, 1815) marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and attempted a reorganization of Europe.

Prussia was among the victors and of course benefited territorially from the redistribution and allocation of various areas in the west and east, although the fate of Poland in particular became a point of contention between Austria, Russia and Prussia. A large part of the Kingdom of Saxony also, incidentally, fell to Prussia.

A "Decree on the improved organization of the provincial authorities" of April 30, 1815 then divided Prussia into ten provinces. Only East Prussia, West Prussia and Posen did not belong to the territory of the German Confederation. After the fusion of the two Rhenish provinces already carried out in 1822, nine provinces remained. After 1866 further provinces were added.

The total area of the Prussian state now comprised 279,992 sq km. Of this, 185,496 sq km belonged to the German Confederation. "The German Confederation was a confederation of states to which in 1815 the ‘sovereign princes and free cities of Germany’ agreed, including the Emperor of Austria and the kings of Prussia, Denmark (with regard to Holstein) and the Netherlands (with regard to Luxembourg)" (Wikipedia). Prussia now counted 12,994,000 inhabitants.

The Prussian Military.

According to Paul von Schmidt (Der Werdegang des Preussischen Heeres, reprint Krefeld 1975, pp. 242 ff.), the Prussian army after the completion of the reorganization in 1817 comprised about 130,000 men, namely

Infantry: 2 Guard, 2 Grenadier and 34 line regiments of 3 battalions; 1 Guard Jäger, 1 Guard Schützen, 2 Jäger and 2 Schützen battalions.

Cavalry: 1 regiment Garde du Corps, 4 cuirassier regiments, 1 Guard and 8 line dragoon regiments, 1 Guard and 8 line hussar regiments, 1 Guard and 8 line uhlan regiments.

Artillery: 1 Guard and 8 line artillery brigades.

Pioneers: 1 Guard and 8 line pioneer detachments.

Conscription System and Internal Conditions.

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Infantry.

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Cavalry.

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Technical Troops.

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Landwehr and Landsturm.

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Strength of the Prussian Troops in the Year 1859.

According to Paul von Schmidt (Der Werdegang des Preussischen Heeres, reprint Krefeld 1975, pp. 259 ff.), the army in 1859 had the following strength:

Infantry: 2 Guard, 2 Grenadier regiments, 1 Guard Reserve Infantry Regiment of 2 battalions, 32 line regiments of 3, 8 reserve regiments of 2 battalions, 8 combined reserve battalions, 1 instructional infantry battalion, 1 training detachment (non-commissioned officers' school), 1 Guard non-commissioned officer company; furthermore 1 Guard Jäger, 1 Guard Schützen and 8 line Jäger battalions.

Cavalry: 1 regiment Gardes-du-Corps, 1 Guard Cuirassier regiment, 8 line cuirassier regiments, 1 Guard and 4 line dragoon regiments, 1 Guard and 12 line hussar regiments, 2 Guard and 8 line uhlan regiments, 1 instructional squadron.

Artillery: 1 Guard, 8 line regiments, 1 combined fortress artillery detachment, 1 fireworks/mortar detachment and the senior artificer school, finally 1 artillery examination commission.

Pioneers: 1 Guard, 8 line detachments, 2 reserve pioneer companies.

For the disabled there were 2 invalids' homes, the Guard and 8 provincial invalids' companies.

The Landwehr comprised in its two levies: Infantry — 4 Guard Landwehr and 33 Landwehr regiments, 8 Landwehr cavalry regiments of the reserve regiments.

Cavalry: 2 Guard Landwehr cavalry regiments, 8 heavy Landwehr cavalry regiments, 4 Landwehr dragoon, 12 Landwehr hussar, 8 Landwehr uhlan regiments and 8 squadrons of the 8 reserve regiments.

Fusiliers of the 2nd Guard Regiment on Foot. Original lithograph from: H. A. Eckert-Monten, The German Federal Army, 1838.
Fusiliers of the 2nd Guard Regiment on Foot. Original lithograph from: H. A. Eckert-Monten, The German Federal Army, 1838.
Russian singers of the 1st Guard Regiment on Foot in the Alexandrowka colony in Potsdam. Around 1831. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 300.
Russian singers of the 1st Guard Regiment on Foot in the Alexandrowka colony in Potsdam. Around 1831. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 300.
Grenadier regiments around 1830. Original plate from Richard Knötel's Uniformology. Vol. XVI. No. 10.
Grenadier regiments around 1830. Original plate from Richard Knötel's Uniformology. Vol. XVI. No. 10.
Prussian Infantry. Original lithograph from: H. A. Eckert-Monten, The German Federal Army, 1838.
Prussian Infantry. Original lithograph from: H. A. Eckert-Monten, The German Federal Army, 1838.
Fusilier of the 3rd Line Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Fusilier of the 3rd Line Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 2nd Schützen Detachment. Right: 22nd Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 2nd Schützen Detachment. Right: 22nd Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Infantrymen from the 9th, 3rd, 1st and 34th regiments. Original lithograph from: H. A. Eckert-Monten, The German Federal Army, 1838.
Infantrymen from the 9th, 3rd, 1st and 34th regiments. Original lithograph from: H. A. Eckert-Monten, The German Federal Army, 1838.
From left to right: non-commissioned officer, musketeer and officer of the 34th Line Infantry Regiment around 1816. Taken from the page of the corresponding original regimental history.
From left to right: non-commissioned officer, musketeer and officer of the 34th Line Infantry Regiment around 1816. Taken from the page of the corresponding original regimental history.
Left: 6th Pioneer Detachment. Right: 38th Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 6th Pioneer Detachment. Right: 38th Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 40th Infantry Regiment. Right: 4th Schützen Detachment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 40th Infantry Regiment. Right: 4th Schützen Detachment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 4th Pioneer Detachment. Right: 36th Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Left: 4th Pioneer Detachment. Right: 36th Infantry Regiment. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
Members of the instructional squadron around 1831. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 298.
Members of the instructional squadron around 1831. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 298.
Staff officer of the Regiment Garde du Corps in parade uniform around 1828. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 294.
Staff officer of the Regiment Garde du Corps in parade uniform around 1828. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 294.
Guard Foot Artillery. From left to right: 1809 - 1816 - 1830. After a drawing by Krickel. Taken from the corresponding regimental history.
Guard Foot Artillery. From left to right: 1809 - 1816 - 1830. After a drawing by Krickel. Taken from the corresponding regimental history.
Non-commissioned officer and dragoon from the 1st and 3rd Dragoon Regiment around 1845. Original plate from Richard Knötel's Uniformology. Vol. X. No. 10.
Non-commissioned officer and dragoon from the 1st and 3rd Dragoon Regiment around 1845. Original plate from Richard Knötel's Uniformology. Vol. X. No. 10.
Prussian hussars around 1845. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 295.
Prussian hussars around 1845. Taken from: Martin Lezius, The Soldier's Honor Dress. Berlin 1836, p. 295.
Officer in parade uniform of the 9th Hussar Regiment around 1843. Original plate from Richard Knötel's Uniformology. Vol. XII. No. 59.
Officer in parade uniform of the 9th Hussar Regiment around 1843. Original plate from Richard Knötel's Uniformology. Vol. XII. No. 59.
From left to right: invalid, cadet, auditor, naval captain. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).
From left to right: invalid, cadet, auditor, naval captain. Original lithograph by Sachse & Co (Berlin).

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Infantry Regiment No. 21 was formed in 1713 from various regiments returning from Dutch service, namely surplus personnel from five regiments. The canton (replacement district) lay in the Principality of Halberstadt, namely — in part — the counties of Wernigerode, Ilsenburg and Hohenstein and the towns Quedlinburg, Gröningen, Wegeleben, Halberstadt, Wernigerode, Derenburg, Bleicherode, Schsa, Ellrich and Beneckenstein.