1st Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment

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1st Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment

Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment in 1813

Active| 1717–1919
Country| Kingdom of Prussia
Type| Dragoons

Military unit

1st Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment (Lithuanian: 1-as lietuvių dragūnų pulkas; German: Dragoner-Regiment „Prinz Albrecht von Preußen" (Litthauisches) Nr. 1) was a Prussian Lithuanian dragoon regiment of the Royal Prussian Army.[1] The regiment was formed in 1717 and disbanded in 1919. This regiment was one of the eldest in the whole Prussian army.

The regiment was recruited almost exclusively from volunteers from its immediate homeland, i.e. Lithuania Minor, and was well reputed in the army at all times for having the best horses and riders.[2] In the memoirs of the inhabitants of Lithuania Minor it is written that they were proud of serving in this regiment.[3]

## 18th century

[edit]

On 19 April 1717, King Frederick William I of Prussia ordered major general Heinrich Jordan von Wuthenau [de] to form a regiment from 780 Saxon cavalrymen and dragoons, which Augustus II the Strong gifted the Prussian King. Already in May, von Wuthenau divided the regiment into eight companies.[2] The uniform consisted of a white coat with light blue embroidering, because of which the regiment was called the "Porcelain regiment". In December, the regiment was ordered to march to Insterburg (Lithuanian: Įsrūtis), Tilsit (Lithuanian: Tilžė), Ragnit (Lithuanian: Ragainė), Goldap (Lithuanian: Geldapė), Stallupönen (Lithuanian: Stalupėnai) and Pillkallen (Lithuanian: Pilkalnis). In 1718, the whole regiment was assembled in its entirety to a single place for military exercise in Insterburg and by the August of that year, the regiment already had ten companies. In 1725, it was established that every company would have 110 dragoons, and each company was renamed to squadrons.

When general von Wuthenau died in 1727, the regiment was divided in two regiments, which were that of von Cosel [de] and von Dockum. The regiment von Cosel maintained the same uniform and was assigned all of the same garrisons except Tilsit. The dragoon regiment von Dockum remained in Tilsit with its five squadrons and received white coats with red embroidering. After a year, the regiment received silver timpani. The dragoon regiment von Dockum was later called the 7th Dragoon regiment.

In the period between 1734 and 1746, the regiment was often relocated to various places such as Berlin, Magdeburg, Potsdam or Tilsit. Finally, in 1746, Tilsit was established as the regiment's permanent garrison.

### First Silesian War (1740–1742)

[edit]

During the First Silesian War, the regiment fought in the Battle of Chotusitz with the Imperial and Royal von Birkenfeld Cuirassier regiment. The dragoon regiment's Leibstandarte was lost when the enemies grenadiers seized it from the seriously wounded junker von Roop. The regiment lost four officers and 152 soldiers, with six officers and 71 soldiers being wounded. In addition, three officers and 280 soldiers were taken prisoners of war.

### Second Silesian War (1744–1745)

[edit]

During the Second Silesian War, adjutant lieutenant von Blankenburg lost the timpani and flag in the skirmish near Niederzehren. However, in the battle of Kesselsdorf, the dragoon regiment attacked the Saxon Karabiniers-garde and mounted grenadiers. The Lithuanian dragoon regiment defeated the Saxon Foot Guard and also the Saxon infantry regiment Niesemeuschel. The victorious regiment took away the flags of both of these regiments. In addition, the regiment seized the flag and silver timpani of the Saxon Karabiniers-garde.

## 19th century

[edit]

### Napoleonic wars

[edit]

After the Treaties of Tilsit and the cabinet's order of 14 September 1808, regiments were no longer named after their commanders. During the Prussian Army's reorganization, the regiment was initially called the East Prussian Dragoon Regiment (Ostpreußisches Dragoner-Regiment), and after the cabinet's order of 14 September 1808, the regiment was called the 3rd Dragoon Regiment. The Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment was at first established in Tilžė and Įsrūtis.

Two of the regiment's squadrons were made part of the 1st Mobile Dragoon Regiment, which was part of Yorck's Prussian Auxiliary Corps. This corps fought on Napoleon's side in the French invasion of Russia in 1812. Later, the regiment fought in Germany and France in 1813 and 1814. The Lithuanian Dragoons repeatedly distinguished themselves in Yorck's Corps, especially at Möckern.[4] In the Battle of Leipzig, the regiment captured a French Imperial Eagle.[5]

### After the Napoleonic wars

[edit]

Circa 1815–1816, the regiment's soldiers were dispersed into other parts of the Prussian Kingdom, i.e. Berlin, Demmin or Tilžė. In 1819, the regiment was renumbered from being the 3rd in the dragoon regiments' sequence to being the 1st.[6] During 1860–1866, the regiment garrisoned different parts of East Prussia such as Įsrūtis or Ragainė.

Finally, from 1879, the regiment was located only in Tilžė.

## 20th century

[edit]

### World War I

[edit]

Even until the end of the First World War, the signs outside the soldiers' barracks were in Lithuanian and German languages.[7]

## Uniforms

[edit]

During World War I, the uniforms of the regiment's soldiers had red piping.[8]

## Commanders

[edit]

The regimental commanders were the following:[9]

No. | Portrait  | Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office

|
|
|
|
|

| von Krosigk, Anton LudolphOberst
Anton Ludolph von Krosigk
(1667–1737)| 19 April 1717| 31 March 1721| 3 years, 346 days

| von Friesenhausen, Franz ChristophOberst
Franz Christoph von Friesenhausen| 31 March 1721| 15 June 1727| 6 years, 76 days

| von Rappe, WilhelmOberstleutnant
Wilhelm von Rappe| 15 June 1727| 3 May 1737| 9 years, 322 days

| von Stosch, FriedrichOberst
Friedrich von Stosch [de]
(1689–1752)| 3 May 1737| 1 November 1744| <7 years, 5 months

| von Waldburg, Friedrich Ludwig I. TruchseßOberstleutnant
Friedrich Ludwig I. Truchseß von Waldburg [de]
(1711–1777)| 1 November 1744| 19 January 1746| <1 year, 2 months

| von Ahlimb, Joachim WilhelmOberstleutnant
Joachim Wilhelm von Ahlimb [de]
(1701–1763)| 19 January 1746| 17 April 1754| <8 years, 2 months

| von Spaen, Johann Heinrich FriedrichMajor
Johann Heinrich Friedrich von Spaen [de]
(1705–1762)| 17 April 1754| 18 February 1759| <4 years, 10 months

| von Pogrell, Carl SigismundMajor
Carl Sigismund von Pogrell| 1759| ? (c.1760)| <10 months

| von Loßberg, Heinrich ErnstMajor
Heinrich Ernst von Loßberg| ? (c.1760)| until September 1760| <8 months
10|

| von Massow, Joachim AntonOberst
Joachim Anton von Massow| 23 September 1760[10]| 29 November 1762| <2 years
11|

| von Eberstein, KarlMajor
Karl von Eberstein| 29 November 1762[11]| 27 October 1778| <15 years, 10 months
12|

| von Frankenberg und Proschlitz, SylviusMajor, then Oberstleutnant, later Oberst and then Generalmajor
Sylvius von Frankenberg und Proschlitz [de]
(1732–1795)| 6 November 1778| 26 September 1790| <11 years, 10 months
13|

| von Bieberstein-Pilchowsky, Joseph Albrecht ChristophOberst
Joseph Albrecht Christoph von Bieberstein-Pilchowsky [de]
(1730–1815)| 26 September 1790| 27 November 1793| <3 years, 2 months
14|

| von Quoos, FranzMajor, then Oberstleutnant, then Oberst
Franz von Quoos| 27 November 1793[12]| 25 September 1798| <4 years, 9 months
15|

| von Baczko, Joseph Theodor SigismundOberstleutnant, then Oberst
Joseph Theodor Sigismund von Baczko [de]
(1751–1840)| 25 September 1798| 18 November 1806| <8 years, 1 month
16|

| von Maltzahn, Helmuth DietrichOberst
Helmuth Dietrich von Maltzahn [de]
(1761–1826)| 18 November 1806| 1 February 1813| <6 years, 2 months
17|

| von Platen, Gottlieb Wilhelm ChristianOberst
Gottlieb Wilhelm Christian von Platen [de]
(1765–1819)| 1 February 1813| 30 June 1813| <4 months
18|

| von Below, TheodorOberstleutnant then Oberst
Theodor von Below [de]
(1765–1839)| 30 June 1813| 5 January 1816| <2 years, 6 months
19|

| von Gaertringen, Rudolph HillerOberst
Rudolph Hiller von Gaertringen [de]
(1771–1831)| 5 January 1816| 15 November 1827| <11 years, 10 months
20|

| von Tietzen und Hennig, WilhelmOberstleutnant
Wilhelm von Tietzen und Hennig [de]
(1787–1869)| 30 March 1828| 30 March 1836| <8 years
21|

| von Broesigke, KarlMajor
Karl von Broesigke [de]
(1790–1852)| 30 March 1836| 29 March 1839| <2 years, 11 months
22|

| Gregorovius, HeinrichHeinrich Gregorovius| 30 March 1839| 23 March 1841| <1 year, 11 months
23|

| von Auerswald, Hans Adolf ErdmannHans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald
(1792–1848)| 23 March 1841| | <6 years
24|

| von Dunker, KarlMajor
Karl von Dunker| 27 March 1847| 8 March 1848| <11 months
25|

| von Trotta genannt Treyden, OttoMajor then Oberstleutnant, then Oberst
Otto von Trotta genannt Treyden [de]| 9 March 1848| 7 August 1854| <6 years, 4 months
26|

| Kehler, EduardMajor then Oberstleutnant
Eduard Kehler| 5 October 1854| 13 March 1857| <3 years, 2 months
27|

| von Kalckreuth, RichardMajor then Oberstleutnant then Oberst
Richard von Kalckreuth [de]
(1808–1879)| 14 May 1857| 15 September 1862| <5 years, 4 months
28|

| von Bernhardi, OttoMajor then Oberstleutnant then Oberst
Otto von Bernhardi [de]
(1818–1897)| 16 September 1862| 21 March 1868| <5 years, 6 months
29|

| Oberstleutnant then Oberst
Ferdinand von Massow [de]
(1830–1878)| 22 March 1868| 1 December 1871| <3 years, 8 months
30|

| von Egloffstein, AugustOberstleutnant then Oberst
August von Egloffstein| 17 December 1871| 15 October 1873| <1 year, 9 months
31|

| von Holtzendorff, OttoOberstleutnant then Oberst
Otto von Holtzendorff| 16 October 1873| 4 August 1875| <1 year, 9 months
32|

| Manché, RichardMajor then Oberstleutnant then Oberst
Richard Manché| 5 August 1875| 4 July 1883| <7 years, 10 months
33|

| von Kemnitz, AlbertOberstleutnant then Oberst
Albert von Kemnitz| 5 July 1883| 16 January 1888| <4 years, 6 months
34|

| von Meyer, HansOberstleutnant then Oberst
Hans von Meyer| 17 January 1888| 27 July 1892| <4 years, 6 months
35|

| Kühls, GustavOberstleutnant then Oberst
Gustav Kühls| 28 July 1892| 13 May 1894| <5 years, 4 months
36|

| von Gersdorff, HansMajor  then Oberstleutnant then Oberst
Hans von Gersdorff (General) [de]
(1847–1929)| 14 May 1894| 17 August 1898| <5 years, 4 months
37|

| von Ruppert, KunoOberstleutnant then Oberst
Kuno von Ruppert| 18 August 1898| 21 April 1901| <2 years, 8 months
38|

| von Platen, JuliusOberstleutnant then Oberst
Julius von Platen [de]
(1853–1922)| 22 April 1901| 9 September 1908| <7 years, 4 months
39|

| von Glasenapp, WedigOberstleutnant then Oberst
Wedig von Glasenapp| 10 September 1908| 3 April 1913| <4 years, 6 months
40|

| von Eicke und Pollwitz, GeorgOberstleutnant
Georg von Eicke und Pollwitz| 4 April 1913| 11 December 1913| <8 months
41|

| von Kanitz, KarlOberstleutnant then Oberst
Karl von Kanitz| 12 December 1913| 21 March 1918| <4 years, 3 months
42|

| Osterroht, HermannOberstleutnant
Hermann Osterroht| 22 March 1918| June 1919| <1 year, 2 months

## Legacy

[edit]

A statue commemorating the regiment's fallen soldiers was built after World War I.[7] Within the Reichswehr, the regiment's traditions were passed on by the 1st Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment, part of the 1st Cavalry Division.[13]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Imperial German cavalry regiments

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Matulevičius 2020.
2. ^ a b Goetzke 2003.
3. ^ Rėklaitis 1968.
4. ^ von Ramin 1967, p. 64.
5. ^ von Haber 1877, p. 101.
6. ^ Berckenhagen & Wagner 1982, p. 240.
7. ^ a b Jakužaitis 1952.
8. ^ Bull 2000, p. 51.
9. ^ Günter Wegmann (Hrsg.), Günter Wegner: Formationsgeschichte und Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Streitkräfte 1815–1990. Teil 1: Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815–1939. Band 3: Die Stellenbesetzung der aktiven Regimenter, Bataillone und Abteilungen von der Stiftung bzw. Aufstellung bis zum 26. August 1939. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1993, ISBN 3-7648-2413-1, S. 44–46.
10. ^ Sammlung ungedruckter Nachrichten. Band 3, S. 19.
11. ^ Louis Ferdinand Eberstein: Geschichte der Freiherren von Eberstein. Band 1, S. 1185.
12. ^ Gothaisches genealogisches Taschenbuch der adeligen Häuser. Gotha 1904, S. 689.
13. ^ Richter 1968, p. 77.

## Sources

[edit]

* Bull, Stephen (2000). Newark, Tim (ed.). World War One: German Army. Brassey's History of Uniforms. ISBN 1574882783.

### Lithuanian

[edit]

* Rėklaitis, P. (November 1968). "Mažosios Lietuvos Dragūnų Pulkas". Karys (in Lithuanian). 9: 307–311.307-311&rft.date=1968-11&rft.aulast=Rėklaitis&rft.aufirst=P.&rft_id=http://partizanai.org/karys-1968m-9-10/5846-mazosios-lietuvos-dragunu-pulkas&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1st+Lithuanian+Dragoon+Regiment" class="Z3988">
* Jakužaitis, Hermanas, ed. (1952). "Prūsų Lietuvių Pulkai ir Batalionai". Keleivis (in Lithuanian). 1–2: 7, 14.
* Matulevičius, Algirdas (2020). "dragūnai". Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 29 October 2020.

### German

[edit]

* Goetzke, Harry (2003). "Das Dragoner-Regiment Prinz Albrecht von Preußen (Litthauisches) Nr. 1 in Tilsit". Tilsiter Rundbrief (in German). 33. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014.
* "Die neuen preußischen Regimenter 1808 – 1918 ; Dragoner" (in German). Archived from the original on 6 July 2005.
* von Ramin, Hans Henning (1967). "Aus der Geschichte ostpreußischer Reiterregimenter (II), abschließender Teil: 1808 bis 1914". Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch (in German). 15. München-Lochhausen: Schild Verlag.
* Richter, Klaus-Christian (1968). "Die Blauen Dragener sie reiten...: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Dragoner". Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch (in German). 16. München-Lochhausen: Schild Verlag.
* Berckenhagen, Ekhart; Wagner, Gretel (1982). Der bunte Rock in Preußen (in German). ISBN 3886090299.
* Sieg, Alexander (1883). Geschichte des Dragoner-Regiments Prinz Albrecht von Preußen (Litthauisches) Nr. 1. 1867 bis 1881 (in German). Berlin: E.S. Mittler & Sohn - via Google Books.
* von Abel, Paul (1905). Stammliste der Königlich preußischen Armee (in German). Berlin: E.S. Mittler & Sohn. pp. 221–223.221-223&rft.pub=E.S.+Mittler+&+Sohn&rft.date=1905&rft.aulast=von+Abel&rft.aufirst=Paul&rft_id=https://archive.org/details/stammlistederkn00abelgoog/page/n232/mode/2up&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1st+Lithuanian+Dragoon+Regiment" class="Z3988">`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
* von Haber, R. (1877). Die Cavallerie des Deutschen Reiches: Derselben Entstehung, Entwickelung und Geschichte nebst Rang-, Quartier-, Anciennitäts-Liste und Uniformirung (in German). Vol. 2\. Helwing'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Th. Mierzinsky). pp. 101–103.101-103&rft.pub=Helwing'sche+Verlagsbuchhandlung+(Th.+Mierzinsky)&rft.date=1877&rft.aulast=von+Haber&rft.aufirst=R.&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=1oIRAAAAYAAJ&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1st+Lithuanian+Dragoon+Regiment" class="Z3988">
* Alt, Georg (1870). Das königlich preußische stehende Heer: Kurzgefasste Geschichtge seiner sämmtlichen Truppenkörper. Nebst den Regiments-Geschichten derjenigen Norddeutschen Bundes-Contingente, welche durch Conventionen der preussischen Armee angereiht sind, sowie der Geschichte der höheren Militair-Bildungsanstalten (in German). Vol. 2: Geschichte der Königl. Preußischen Kürassiere und Dragoner seit 1619 resp. 1631–1870. Berlin: S. Schropp (L. Beringuier & A. Berg). pp. 201–213.201-213&rft.pub=S.+Schropp+(L.+Beringuier+&+A.+Berg)&rft.date=1870&rft.aulast=Alt&rft.aufirst=Georg&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=n0LNyEkxTnAC&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1st+Lithuanian+Dragoon+Regiment" class="Z3988">

*[No.]: Number