Help support TMP


"Bärenmützen" Topic


6 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Please remember that some of our members are children, and act appropriately.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Back to the 19th Century Discussion Message Board

Back to the Napoleonic Discussion Message Board


Areas of Interest

Napoleonic
19th Century

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Top-Rated Ruleset

De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA)


Rating: gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star gold star 


Featured Showcase Article

Blue Moon's Romanian Civilians, Part Five

The last four villagers from Blue Moon's Romanian set, as painted by PhilGreg Painters.


763 hits since 31 Oct 2023
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?


TMP logo

Membership

Please sign in to your membership account, or, if you are not yet a member, please sign up for your free membership account.
hi EEE ya Supporting Member of TMP31 Oct 2023 7:45 a.m. PST

Hello everyone,

Did the Bärenmützen or Bearskin of the Austro-Hungarian grenadiers evolve during the wars of the Revolution and the Empire?

Was this Bärenmützen or Bearskin identical for the "German" and "Hungarian" grenadiers?

Decebalus31 Oct 2023 10:03 a.m. PST

No, the bearskins were used before.

Yes, the bearskins were the same for german and for hungarian regiments.

(BTW the state was called Austrian Empire since 1806. Austrian-Hungary was created 1867, so much later.)

Eumelus Supporting Member of TMP31 Oct 2023 10:41 a.m. PST

According to David Hollins' "Warrior" series book on the Austrian infantry, it was in 1801 that the front peak was added to the grenadier bearskins. Also at some point in the wars didn't the color of the rear bag change from regimental facing to yellow (with white lace) for all regiments, regardless of facings?

Glengarry531 Oct 2023 5:05 p.m. PST

Another curious detail, also according to Hollins, the fur of the grenadier cap was traditionally brushed "up" (similar to a fright wig from an old silent movie) but in the latter part of the Napoleonic wars, around 1811 or 1813, the fur was brushed "down" to acquire a more conventional bearskin appearance. As far as I know no miniature manufacturers have picked up on this.

Glengarry531 Oct 2023 6:22 p.m. PST

Oh, I discovered the Perrys do make "1811 bearskin" Austrian grenadiers!

hi EEE ya Supporting Member of TMP01 Nov 2023 3:45 a.m. PST

@Decebalus

Yes I knew that bearskins were used before among the grenadiers of this empire.

@Eumelus

Among many other books I am also waiting for "Warrior" by David Hollins on the Austrian infantry, in the meantime I am going to TMP where we find great information like the one you wrote "it was in 1801 that the front visor was added to the grenadiers' bear skins" or this one, "hasn't the color of the rear bag changed from the regimental covering to yellow (with white lace) for all regiments, regardless of the coverings", are you talking about the Bärenmützen bag?

@Glengarry5

Another curious detail, but great for a purist like me, but with my little 25mm MiniFigs it's not likely to be very visible!

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.