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The Cavalry Saddel 1889
In this article we take a look at the 1889 cavalry saddle, starting by explaining what traditional saddles are and looking at the predecessor models. We will then look at the advantages and disadvantages and how the 1889 army saddle came about. The improvements that the saddle brought with it are discussed, and it is also placed in relation to the previous saddles. The army saddle is described in more detail in the article. The trestle saddle – part of the traditional saddle family Before the saddle was introduced in 1889, two saddle models were available to the Prussian cavalry from 1808 to 1889. The first was the…
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The Field Cap 1907
As the title suggests, this article is about a small but very iconic piece of uniform worn by soldiers in the imperial army: the field cap, or rather the “Krätzchen” as this headgear was nicknamed. Firstly, the history and development of the field cap is explained. The article then goes on to look at the special features of the field cap, in particular those of the cavalry and the hussars. There is also a video on this, which also deals with cockades in addition to the field cap, but there is a separate article on this page. The field caps 1800-1850 The shape of these field caps had been…
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The Cavalry Sword (KD) 89
In this article, we take a closer look at the cavalry sword 89 (KD 89). We will first take a look at the edged weapons used by the hussars and the rest of the cavalry during the 19th century. We will then take a closer look at the KD 89, starting with its different appearances in the various countries and its brief development. We then look at how it was used by the cavalry in training before the First World War, as well as taking a brief look at the discussion of the KD 89 or bayonet or sidearm, before finally discussing the use of this weapon during the war.…
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Cockades in the german imperial army 1914-1919
In this article we take a look at cockades as they were worn on field caps, pickelhauben and other headgear within the German Imperial Army. On the one hand, there were differences in the shapes and colours. Apart from the imperial cockade, the colours indicated the origin of the respective parts of the country, such as Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and also smaller duchies. The following is primarily an overview of the colours of the cockades, as the cockades were worn on many types of headgear, such as the field cap, the pickelhaube, the Tschako and others. So in the first part, we will take a general look at the development…
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Edleff Köppen: Higher Command – An autobiographical novel
This text is about Edlef Köppen and his novel “Heeresbericht”, which has been almost forgotten today. We will first discuss the book itself, its history and the context in which it was written. We will then turn our attention to the author himself and his biography in order to trace the author’s own path. As he also worked in radio later in his life, this will of course also be discussed. This adds further depth to the context in which the book was written. Finally, we put the book back into the context of the 1930s before moving on to the conclusion. But if you like to, you can watch…
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My progress in Lancefencing in 2022
In this article, we will discuss my approach together with my progress in lancing. After some time of preparation, research and also improving my riding skills, my riding instructor and I were able to slowly and systematically work our way up to lance fencing. I will explain the different phases here in the article as well as the respective sources I referred to. There are also videos of the individual phases. This makes the progress and the approach to the training clearer. Before riding, however, I first had to sew the right breeches and make a practice lance. These were improved and applied from time to time. For the later…
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The recapturing of Riga 1917 – A propagandistic film?
In this article, we take a look at the film “Riga genommen“, an official military film of the “Bild- und Film-Amt”. It can be found on the European film portal, a digital association of several European museums and archives. This film was shot at the end of 1917, after Riga was once again taken by the German Imperial Army. We look at the film to see how large and/or important the documentary and propaganda parts are. The propaganda part is particularly interesting at this point, as the medium of the moving image or film was only just emerging at this time. This means that a generally valid form of propaganda…
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Shirts in the imperial german Army 1910-1919
This blog post will focus on shirts as they were used during the First World War. Of course, the civilian shirts will also be presented. To do this, we will first look at the historical background, focussing on the sources. We will then look at how the shirts were made and distributed to the soldiers. The difference between officers’ and enlisted men’s shirts plays a major role here, as does the function of the gifts of love. Finally, we’ll take a look at the details and differences between civilian and military shirts before concluding. Origin of the shirts In principle, equipment was provided by the army, including underwear…