Zieten Hussars
Encyclopedia
The Zieten Hussars,Also known as the Ziethen Hussars (both spellings are used in sources on military history) , last designation: "Hussars Regiment 'von Zieten' (Brandenburg) No. 3" (Husaren-Regiment von Zieten (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3), was a hussar
regiment
of the Prussian Army
and later the Imperial German Army
,"This is a colorful set of Imperial German Kettle Drummers just before the beginning of World War One by Schirmer." founded in 1730 and named after its first Colonel, Hans Joachim von Zieten
.
Frederick the Great created it as the 2nd Hussar Regiment (H2), and in 1743 it adopted the distinctive tiger-skin pelisse
for their parade uniforms, with company officers wearing fur caps with heron
feathers and field officers using an eagle
s's wing. During the 1806 campaign of the War of the Fourth Coalition
, the regiment was known as von Rudorff Hussar regiment, soon renamed Life Hussar Regiment von Rudorff (No.2) .
The regiment capitulated at Ratekau
following the defeat of 1806 and was disbanded. In 1807 it formed a squadron in its former depot as Freikorps Marwitz and amalgamated with Blücher's
Corps to create the 1st Brandenburg Hussar Regiment on 7 September 1808 (Husaren Regiment Nr.3). The regiment's 2nd squadron served during the Russian Campaign
of 1812 on the French side, and the regiment served throughout the 1813-1814 campaigns on the Coalition side, also participating in the 1815 campaign.
In 1860, before the unification of Germany, the regiment became a part of the Federal Army
. But it took until 1861 to officially recognize the regimental tradition of the old Prussian 2nd Hussar Regiment. Shortly before the outbreak of World War I
it formed part of the 6th Cavalry-Brigade in the 6th Division (Brandenburg Division) known as Husaren-Regiment von Zieten (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3 ("Hussars Regiment "von Zieten" (Brandenburgian) No. 3") and was stationed
in Rathenow
; on mobilisation, the cavalry brigades were re-organised into independent divisions; the regiment remained as divisional cavalry, split between the 5th Division
and the 6th Division
.
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
and later the Imperial German Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
,"This is a colorful set of Imperial German Kettle Drummers just before the beginning of World War One by Schirmer." founded in 1730 and named after its first Colonel, Hans Joachim von Zieten
Hans Joachim von Zieten
Hans Joachim von Zieten , also known as Zieten aus dem Busch, was a cavalry general in the Prussian Army...
.
Frederick the Great created it as the 2nd Hussar Regiment (H2), and in 1743 it adopted the distinctive tiger-skin pelisse
Pelisse
A pelisse was originally a short fur lined or fur trimmed jacket that was usually worn hanging loose over the left shoulder of hussar light cavalry soldiers, ostensibly to prevent sword cuts. It was fastened there using a lanyard...
for their parade uniforms, with company officers wearing fur caps with heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
feathers and field officers using an eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s's wing. During the 1806 campaign of the War of the Fourth Coalition
War of the Fourth Coalition
The Fourth Coalition against Napoleon's French Empire was defeated in a war spanning 1806–1807. Coalition partners included Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the United Kingdom....
, the regiment was known as von Rudorff Hussar regiment, soon renamed Life Hussar Regiment von Rudorff (No.2) .
The regiment capitulated at Ratekau
Ratekau
Ratekau is a municipality in the district of Ostholstein, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 10 km northeast of Lübeck.It is the place where Blücher surrendered after the Battle of Lübeck in 1806....
following the defeat of 1806 and was disbanded. In 1807 it formed a squadron in its former depot as Freikorps Marwitz and amalgamated with Blücher's
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
Corps to create the 1st Brandenburg Hussar Regiment on 7 September 1808 (Husaren Regiment Nr.3). The regiment's 2nd squadron served during the Russian Campaign
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
of 1812 on the French side, and the regiment served throughout the 1813-1814 campaigns on the Coalition side, also participating in the 1815 campaign.
In 1860, before the unification of Germany, the regiment became a part of the Federal Army
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
. But it took until 1861 to officially recognize the regimental tradition of the old Prussian 2nd Hussar Regiment. Shortly before the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it formed part of the 6th Cavalry-Brigade in the 6th Division (Brandenburg Division) known as Husaren-Regiment von Zieten (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3 ("Hussars Regiment "von Zieten" (Brandenburgian) No. 3") and was stationed
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
in Rathenow
Rathenow
Rathenow is a town in the district of Havelland in Brandenburg, Germany, with a population of 26,433 .-Overview:The Protestant church of St. Marien Andreas, originally a basilica, and transformed to the Gothic style in 1517-1589, and the Roman Catholic Church of St...
; on mobilisation, the cavalry brigades were re-organised into independent divisions; the regiment remained as divisional cavalry, split between the 5th Division
5th Division (German Empire)
The 5th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Crossen in 1816 as a brigade, moved to Frankfurt an der Oder in 1817, and became the 5th Division on September 5, 1818. The headquarters moved to Berlin in 1840 and back to Frankfurt in 1845. The division was subordinated...
and the 6th Division
6th Division (German Empire)
The 6th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Düsseldorf in 1816 as a brigade and became the 6th Division on September 5, 1818. The headquarters moved to Torgau in 1820 and then to Brandenburg in 1850. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the III Army Corps...
.
Further reading
- Hofschröer, Peter, Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars, 1807-1815, Osprey Publishing , London, 1986