"Duke of Brunswick's Black Horde today?" Topic

The attached YouTube link shows what look like a band dressed at the 1809 Danube campaign's Brunswickers, wearing Litevka's or Lithuanian coats – sort of frock coats. Anyone know where this is and who they are?

GdeP

YouTube link

Here they are again with flags unfurreled. Followed by people in Greek costume. Solomos band?

YouTube link

GdeP

That's interesting – I wonder what they represent. Obviously not the Brunswickers – white plumes and no deaths head cap badges.

DBDD

I think Solomos Band is a youtube channel for bands – as to the mysterious black coats, not sure but I think both videos are from Greece

In 2013, they had different uniforms, quicker marches, but the same flags:

YouTube link

You can ask them what the inspiration for their uniforms is:

link

I'm going with Greek. Dionysios Solomos was a Greek poet, GdP's link shows them in Greece--at least Greek flags everywhere--searches keep going Greek on me, and at least one of those unfurled flags had an image of the Christ--much more common in Orthodox lands.

Uniforms certainly have a 19th Century and possibly Germanic feel to them. Imported with (or through) the Greek royal family, perhaps?

You can se the true Brunswick corps, inlcuding their well-known and famous brass band with kettle drums, the standard, and the 500 invisible hussars, here (save your time and jump to 1:24:30):

YouTube link

I watch lots of military bands all the time,so am enjoying these links

Oliver I watched Der Schwarze Husar about a week ago

Bye the way, the bands in my two comments DO have the metal plate with skull and cross bones on the front of the shako. The white plumes might have been used by the Duke's band?

GdeP

Whoever they were, the combination of the uniforms and Tannhauser sent shivers up my spine.

The uniform worn by the band is the onr of the Ἱερὸς Λόχος, formed in 1821:

link

Here a surviving coat:

link

The cords on the breast may not have been worn by all men:

Perhaps only by officers: