"Napoleonishke Kriege in Norddeutschland..." Topic

… RUSSISCH-DEUTSCHE LEGION

"For the campaign against Russia in 1812, the German-speaking areas under French influence, such as Prussia and the states of the Confederation of the Rhine, also had to provide large contingents of troops. When the Napoleonic army invaded Russia, the former Prussian minister von Stein, who lived in exile in Russia, proposed the founding of a German legion that would first take part in the Russian defense against the French invasion and later in the fight for independence in Germany. The idea of a Russo-German Legion had been considered before, but it was only now that an opportunity was seen to implement it. It was thought that among the German-speaking contingents of troops assembled by Napoleon in his Grand Army, there must have been a few thousand soldiers willing to switch sides. The legion was founded by Duke Peter Friedrich Ludwig von Oldenburg, who was expelled by Napoleon in 1810 and fled to Russia. He was supported in this by the Minister von Stein already mentioned, as well as Ernst Moritz Arndt, the private secretary of Baron vom Stein, who was in the Russian service, and Lieutenant Colonel Carl von Clausewitz…"
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Armand

I suspect they were less well nourished than these gentlemen and a bit younger too.

But good for them to turn out like this. Must have cost a fortune to acquire this rig. We do give re-enactors a hard time, but 18-25 year olds cannot afford (or be bothered, or have more sense, or want to have some lingering hope to appeal to the opposite sex) to participate.

(smile)

Armand

A great way to bolster one's 1815 Prussian Army, use Russian figures for two of your Infantry regiments…

Thanks!

Armand