The History of the Uniforms of the Prussian Cuirassiers 1808 - 1914 - with Drawings by the Author

Before the confrontation of the old Prussian army with the young French Empire in 1806, the cavalry numbered 13 cuirassier, 14 dragoon, and 9 hussar regiments (including 1 Towarczys regiment = lance riders) as well as an independent battalion of Towarczys.

Only a few of the time-honored regiments survived the campaign with its catastrophic outcome.

After the peace of 1807, from their remnants 4 cuirassier, 6 dragoon and 6 hussar regiments, as well as one uhlan regiment were formed[1].

[1] Pietsch, Paul, Die Formierungs- und Uniformierungs-Geschichte des preußischen Heeres 1808-1914, Band 2. Kavallerie, Artillerie, Train und deren Landwehr, Generalität, Generalstab u. A., Hamburg 1966, p. 1.

In 1815 the Prussian army included 1 guard and 4 line cuirassier regiments.

By 1821 there were 2 guard and 8 line cuirassier regiments. The army of the North German Confederation also included 10 Prussian cuirassier regiments.

This strength did not change up to 1914. At that time there were, besides the Regiment of the Gardes du Corps (Potsdam) and the Guard Cuirassier Regiment (Berlin), 8 line cuirassier regiments.

Originally the cuirassier regiments consisted of 4 squadrons, from 1867 of 5 squadrons. The squadrons of the Regiment of the Gardes du Corps were each divided into 2 companies. These 5 squadrons constituted the permanent establishment. On mobilization a replacement squadron was to be formed from the least war-effective soldiers, which also trained the replacements.

The collet of the Prussian cuirassiers is described by Mila (Geschichte der Bekleidung und Ausrüstung der Königlich Preußischen Armee 1808 - 1878, Berlin 1878, reprint Krefeld, p. 156 ff.) as follows:

"Before the introduction of the koller, collets of white kirsey were worn in place thereof (pursuant to AKO of 7 September and 23 October 1808), their form being detailed in § 570. - A. Enlisted men: Swedish-style sleeve cuffs, cavalry skirt trim of a uniform color; buttons white in some regiments, yellow in others. The shoulder straps were originally to be the same color as the collar; this was soon altered so that they had a white base color with a facing of the collar color. The regimental badges were initially, according to AKO of 7 September 1808, as follows:

Silesian Cuirassier Regiment: black (yellow buttons)

East Prussian Cuirassier Regiment: light blue (white buttons)

Brandenburg Cuirassier Regiment: ponceau-red (yellow buttons)

Gardes du Corps: ponceau-red (white buttons).

The Brandenburg regiment soon received - in order to distinguish its officers from the cavalry army officers in white waistcoats - cornflower-blue badges by AKO of 2 May 1810, which however (without special order) were worn by the men from 1817 and by the officers from 1822 in dark blue. The Gardes du Corps regiment wore on each side of the collar and on each cuff two white (originally silver) braids. - The Magdeburg Cuirassier Regiment established in 1815, then No. 4, received yellow badges and white buttons at its foundation. - In 1819, on the accession of four new regiments, the badges, according to AKO of 27 May 1819, were as follows:

Gardes du Corps - ponceau-red (white buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 1 - black (yellow buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 2 - carmine-red (white buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 3 - light blue (white buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 4 - orange (white buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 5 - light red (yellow buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 6 - Russian blue (yellow buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 7 - yellow (white buttons)

Cuirassier Regiment No. 8 - green (yellow buttons).

The Guard Cuirassier Regiment received cornflower-blue badges and white buttons at its establishment in 1821, and on each collar side and on each cuff two white braids. The 1st and 8th regiments had a white facing on the collar. Regiment No. 6 received in 1826 on the shoulder straps the yellow crowned name cipher of its chief. - B. Corporals: cf. §§ 601, 601. - C. One-year volunteers: cf. § 595. - D. Chaplains: cf. § 599. - E. Non-commissioned officers: cf. §§ 604, 605, 617. - F. Trumpeters: cf. § 641. - G. Officers: collets of white cloth of the same form as for the ranks and with the same badges, with silver braids for the two guard regiments; no shoulder straps; on the shoulders shoulder boards or epaulets as described in § 677; in 1812 officers received epaulets instead of shoulder straps, namely for ordinary service of white cloth, for the Gardes du Corps additionally parade epaulets with silver fields and with silver chain trim as rank insignia; in 1814 the silver epaulets were abolished, officers retained only those of white cloth with braid trim as rank insignia; in 1829 the Gardes du Corps officers again received silver epaulet fields. In Regiment No. 1 the black cloth badges of the officers were converted into black velvet ones by AKO of 13 November 1840. - In 1843 the collets were abolished and white koller were introduced instead.".

In 1842 the koller replaced the previous frock coat. At first the skirt was still cut in a bell shape.

The koller was made of white kirsey and had hooks and eyes at the front instead of buttons.

The rounded collar was white, the sleeve cuff was Swedish-style and otherwise kept in the badge color.

On the collar and running down the front there was a braid in the respective badge color; this was also on the sleeve cuffs.

For officers the koller could also be made of cloth.

The Cuirassier Regiment Count Wrangel (East Prussian) No. 3 furthermore had on the koller a special old-Prussian - light blue patterned - braid.

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The old Prussian cuirassiers had still worn the hat.

In 1809 the Prussian cuirassiers received helmets of Russian form. These were horsehair-style helmets, whose main part consisted of black leather. The front and rear peaks were rounded, the front peak having a brass rim.

On the leather crest a black horsehair comb was attached; this was red for the trumpeters.

At the front the horsehair helmet was adorned with a brass plate showing the eagle of the line. The guard formations had here the guard star. The helmet ornamentation was gilded for officers.

The headgear was held by scale chains. Under the left scale chain sat the black-and-white wool cockade. For officers this was of silk and black-silver.

The cuirassiers wore (since 1843) as a rule helmets of bright polished iron with brass fittings and curved scale chains.

However, the Regiment of the Gardes du Corps, the Guard Cuirassier Regiment and Cuirassier Regiment No. 6 wore helmets and scale chains of tombak and a mount of nickel silver.

The helmet of the aforementioned units nevertheless followed the general development of the cuirassier helmet.

From 1853 the front peak of the helmet was riveted on the inside.

With the model introduced on 07.10.1862 the helmet became lighter.

In this context the previously protruding screws were also dispensed with and replaced by slotted screws.

In 1867 a new - lower and again lighter - helmet model was introduced.

In 1889 a new helmet was introduced whose front peak was bent only once. Now the rear ridge over the back of the head was also omitted, though not for officers.

The scale chains were now held by a brass knob and not, as before, by rosettes.

Regarding helmet ornamentation there were peculiarities in some line regiments, for example in the Leib Cuirassier Regiment Great Elector (Silesian) No. 1.

This regiment wore helmets of white iron with yellow scale chains and a helmet ornament of brass. Initially the heraldic eagle was borne. Later (1902) the unit received the Frederician eagle with the motto band: PRO GLORIA ET PATRIA.

The Cuirassier Regiment Queen (Pomeranian) No. 2 wore from 1861 the special helmet bandeau (depicted further below), which was intended to commemorate the Battle of Hohenfriedberg. The Battle of Hohenfriedberg or the Battle of Striegau took place on 4 June 1745 during the Second Silesian War.

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In addition to the white koller (made of kirsey), the cuirassiers also had a dark blue tunic with Swedish-style sleeve cuffs.

A braid in the badge color was worn on the collar and on the sleeve cuffs of the tunic.

On the tunic of the Leib Cuirassier Regiment a white facing ran around the collar and the sleeve cuffs and down the front, and this was also on the pocket welts.

The tunic is described by Mila (Geschichte der Bekleidung und Ausrüstung der Königlich Preußischen Armee 1808 - 1878, Berlin 1878, reprint Krefeld, p. 161 ff.) as follows:

"Dark blue cloth tunics for garrison service,..., introduced by A.K.O. of 19 September 1848.-

Enlisted men: dark blue collars which, also for the two guard regiments, are rounded under the chin and on each side have a flap in the color of the collar tabs on the white koller, in Regiment No. 6 however with ponceau-red flaps; Swedish cuffs in the color of the collar tabs of the tunic, each with two buttons; white shoulder straps with a facing in the color of the collar tabs of the tunic, in Regiment No. 6 and since October 1866 also in Regiment No. 1 with a crowned yellow name cipher as on the shoulder straps of the koller; round collar and cuffs a braid as on the koller, in Regiment No. 6 with ponceau-red trim stripes; a colored facing down the front of the coat and on the pocket welts; in Regiment No. 1 and 8 white, in No. 6 and the Guard Cuirassier Regiment ponceau-red, in the other regiments the color of the collar tabs; in the two guard regiments one white braid on each collar tab, two on each cuff; eight white or yellow buttons down the front of the coat.

These coats were entirely discontinued for the ranks of the line cuirassier regiments from 12.06.1851; according to the clothing regulations of 1868 they were however again granted to the regiments as non-establishment issue.

Non-commissioned officers received blue tunics according to AKO of 30.08.1844 - like the officers.

These were permitted as non-establishment by A.K.O. of 12.06.1851.

The NCO braid is applied in the same manner as on the white koller along the braid course on collar and cuffs".

Supplementary note after Pietsch (Die Formierungs- und Uniformierungs-Geschichte des preußischen Heeres 1808 - 1914, Band 2, Kavallerie ..., Hamburg 1966, p. 57): From 1903 the shoulder boards in Regiment No. 6 received blue facings.

The tunic also belonged to the officers' uniform.

The clothing regulation for officers and medical officers of the Royal Prussian Army (Berlin 1896, p. 50 ff.) provides the following basic specifications for this uniform piece:

A. Construction.

Skirt coat with a row of buttons on the right breast. Base material: dark blue (green or cornflower blue), cloth or doeskin, duffel, eskimo. Trim in the badge color, generally of cloth.

a) Standing collar: if embroidered square, otherwise rounded; in the first case closable by three, in the latter by two or three hooks and eyes; facing in the base or badge color.

b) Sleeve cuffs: Brandenburg style (omitted for the cuirassiers).

Swedish style. Opened outward in continuation of the sleeve seam and forming together with the sleeve an overflap closable by a black button and buttonhole. Partial facing (according to the badge) of a differently colored cloth along the upper edge.

c) Facings, almost always of cloth: down the front as an edging of the breast and front skirt on both parts (beginning at the collar seam) as well as on the skirt pocket welts; their color generally matching collar and cuffs.

d) Skirts cut round, split at the back and provided with triangular, scrolled pocket welts.

e) For fastening the epaulettes or shoulder pieces, the shoulder buttons (screw etc. buttons permitted) fixed with the eye 2.5 cm from the collar seam serve;

6 cm from this the epaulette holders made of silver braid twice the length, threaded through with black silk; their cloth holder of the color of the epaulette lining,

0.4 cm from the sleeve seam: a cloth eyelet for the tongue of the shoulder pieces of the color of the tunic.

Buttons: convex; gilded or silvered;

eight in front, the top one 2 cm from the collar seam, the lowest with its eye on the waist seam, the other six evenly distributed between the two, correspondingly eight buttonholes on the left breast, 2 cm from the outer coat (facing) edge in front;

for Brandenburg cuffs (omitted for the cuirassiers);

for Swedish cuffs two each: 2 cm from the upper edge and 7 cm apart (measured from centre to centre of the button).

g) Skirt lining black; sleeve lining light.

Deviations.

...

Cuirassiers.

a) The all-round colored collar and the cuffs in the form and with the braid trim as on the koller, ..., for Cuirassiers 1 of velvet; facings (of cloth) for Guard Cuirassiers ponceau-red, Cuirassiers 1 and 8 white,

b) flat buttons;

c) skirt lining: Gardes du Corps and Guard Cuirassiers ponceau-red, line cuirassiers white;

d) about 13 cm below the waist seam of the left front skirt: a horizontal slit - 6.5 cm wide - for passing through the saber, with an overflap".

The officer corps of the Regiment of the Gardes du Corps and of the Guard Cuirassiers also had a gala tunic of ponceau-red cloth.

This had a square collar and Swedish sleeve cuffs with embroidery and facing.

All facings and skirt (cloth) lining for the Gardes du Corps were dark blue, for the Guard Cuirassiers white.

The buttons were flat.

The cuirass not only gave the cuirassiers their name, it also distinguished them as members of the heavy cavalry and was a last vestige of knighthood.

The cuirasses of the ranks, consisting of breast- and backplates, were made of iron and lined with gray canvas.

In the lining of the front part there was a pocket for the field cap.

Both parts were connected by lower straps. These were each attached to the back part.

Additionally, both pieces were held together above by metal shoulder straps covered with scales and laid over the shoulders.

Since 1888 the cuirass no longer belonged to the field equipment, but was only worn for parades or ceremonial duties.

Officers wore lighter models.

While most line regiments wore cuirasses of bright polished iron with brass scales, the Regiment of the Gardes du Corps, the Guard Cuirassier Regiment and Cuirassier Regiment No. 6 wore special models with plates of tombak or brass. These cuirasses were so covered with plates that the iron remained free as a rim.

A distinctive feature of the Leib Cuirassier Regiment Great Elector (Silesian) No. 1 (Breslau) was a breastplate which was screwed onto the front of the cuirass or worn on a neck chain and displayed an eagle, motto band (NON SOLI CEDIT), crown, trophies and an oak leaf band inscribed “1674 WII 1896”.

On the saddlecloth and the straps the special Frederician eagle with the motto band “PRO GLORIA ET PATRIA” was worn.

Traditionally the Silesian high nobility served in this regiment.

The Regiment of the Gardes du Corps (Potsdam) had black cuirasses for special occasions.

They were blackened iron plates, the first set being a gift from the Russian Tsar.

The edges of the cuirasses were bound with red wool cord; for officers this was made of silk.

From 1897 the scale chains were of tombak; previously these were also black-lacquered iron.

For the officers the scale chains were gilded.

In 1897 the regiment received particularly elegantly shaped new black cuirasses as an imperial gift (Wilhelm II).

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The pallasch in French form had a straight blade and the hilt consisted of a main knuckle bow with three side bars of brass (cf. W. Gohlke, Die blanken Waffen und Schutzwaffen, ihre Entwicklung von der Zeit der Landsknechte bis zur Gegenwart, reprint Krefeld 1972, p. 95).

Mila (Geschichte der Bekleidung und Ausrüstung der Königlich Preußischen Armee 1808 - 1878, Berlin 1878, reprint Krefeld, p. 168 ff.) describes it as follows:

"Pallasches with straight iron blade and iron scabbard. Earlier the pallasch hilt (since 1786) was decorated with an eagle. At the end of March 1814 pallasches with undecorated brass hilts were introduced: since 16 June 1817 Regiments No. 1, 3, 6 and 7 and the Regiment Gardes du Corps wear French pallasches with three bars, the other, later established regiments however Russian pallasches with two bars on the basket-hilt.

Off duty the officers wear instead of the pallasch a straight saber in the same manner as the infantry officers; the same is worn by the officers of the two guard regiments also at great court balls with the red uniform.

The pallasch is worn by the ranks on a white leather cavalry belt buckled over the coat, the waist belt of which is fitted at the front with a square brass buckle.

Officers originally had a white-lacquered pallasch hanger which was buckled under the coat; in 1843 it was replaced by a hanger which on the outside, in harmony with the color of the coat buttons, is trimmed with a gold or silver braid, but inside shows the color of the collar tab on the white koller, and which is likewise to be buckled over the koller by officers of the two guard regiments according to the notification of the War Ministry of 21 February 1844 when they are in koller and on foot without cartridge box and sash".

On the hilt of the pallasch the fist strap was attached for the ranks and NCOs (as long as they did not wear the portepee) and the portepee for the officers.

For undress (and off-duty) the cuirassier officers wore the thrusting sword. This had a gilded hilt and corresponding fittings on the initially brown (until 1816) and then black leather scabbard.

Such a thrusting sword was carried by the Regiment Gardes du Corps since 1808 and by the Guard Cuirassier Regiment since 1821. The officers of the line regiments received it only with A.K.O. of 31.01.1862. This is however disputed; it is likely that the line regiments already carried the thrusting sword earlier.

Lances were issued to the entire cavalry in 1888-1889; previously these had only been carried by the uhlans (and the militia cavalry).

In October 1888 the cuirassiers already received the lances.

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