Prussian army

Elector of Brandenburg Friedrich Wilhelm I is considered to be the creator of the Prussian army. He decided to move away from the system of recruiting the army from Landsknechts and, after becoming elector (1640), he entered into a truce with Sweden and in 1644 proceeded to create a regular army on the basis of military service. The newly formed army was first tested on the battlefield during the Northern War .

She participated in the battle of Warsaw , where she made a good impression on the observers with both her fighting efficiency and humane attitude to the locals, which compares favorably with the allied Swedish army. Victories in this war allowed Friedrich-Wilhelm to conclude with the Poland the Wielawski-Bydgoszcz Treaty , according to which Poland ceded Brandenburg the Prussian Duchy . The military power of the army promoted Brandenburg-Prussia among the five largest European powers of that time.

In 1660, when the army was demobilized, it was decided to preserve the field forces in the number of 4 thousand people in excess of the garrison units, which marked the beginning of the standing army ^[1] .

Frederick William I , king of Prussia in 1713–40, left a memory of himself in history as the “soldier king”. He inherited from his father an army of less than 30,000 people. Frederick William I increased the number of infantry from 38 to 50 battalions, and cavalry - from 53 to 60 squadrons. At the same time, the personnel of the battalions was increased - from 500 to 600 people and squadrons - from 150 to 200. Thus, two years later, the army grew to 45,000, including 12,000 cavalry and 3,000 artillerymen. The mobile field artillery was created, for the first time it was divided into batteries. Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau, an approximate king, introduced an iron ramrod and step in step, and developed an artillery charter.

But in Prussia there were not enough recruits of the proper age, and then Friedrich Wilhelm began to recruit recruits outside of Prussia. Over 1000 recruiting agents were sent to various German states. By 1720, the Prussian army already had 55,000 people, by 1730 it numbered 60,000, of which 20,000 were foreigners.

Having exhausted all means of recruitment, Frederick William introduced military service. At first, conscription was carried out in the most disordered forms. The 1708 Instruction prescribed that people who were insignificant in social status should be seized without publicity, while observing that they corresponded to the requirements of military service. In 1733, the Canton of Regulations was published under Frederick William. The country was divided into regions for which regiments were assigned, and the region, in turn, into cantons by the number of companies. All fit-for-service men were potential military personnel, they replenished units weakened by losses in the event that it was not possible to recruit a sufficient number of volunteers. In practice, only about 18% of the male population fell under the standards of the Prussian army. A large number of potential soldiers made it possible to select and relieve some groups of the population from service: no person with a fortune of at least 10 thousand thalers , employees in the landowner economy, sons of clergy, the most important categories of artisans, workers of all industrial enterprises, were not to be drafted. whom the state was interested in, finally, one of the sons of a peasant who has his own yard and leads an independent economy. It was established that if the peasant has several sons, then the yard and the economy pass to the son with the smallest growth so that the tall sons do not evade military service. The Prussian army was fully staffed for only three months: in April, May and June. The rest of the time, the battalions partially disbanded. Since that time, the Prussian army numbered 75,000, and by the time of the death of Friedrich Wilhelm in 1740, 83,000 and became the fourth largest in Europe ( France - 160,000, Russia - 110,000, Austria - 100,000) ^{[2] [1] [3]} .

Under Friedrich Wilhelm, a blue infantry uniform and a yellow combat flag with a black eagle and the inscription Non Soli Sedit (It is not inferior to the sun) were established in the Prussian army ^[4]

Frederick II tripled the size of the army, bringing it to 190 thousand people ^[5] . In 1768, the Prussian army included 90 thousand foreigners and 70 thousand Prussians; in other periods, the percentage of foreigners was even greater. During the war, the number of foreigners increased significantly as a result of the enlistment of prisoners of war. Frederick II increased the share of cavalry in his army to 25%. The number of hussars was increased from 9 to 80 squadrons; Frederick paid much attention to their training. From the cavalry, he demanded to always keep the initiative of attack and the first to attack the enemy. All pistol shooting was canceled during the attack. According to the Prussian charter of 1743, all rebuilding of the cavalry, with the goal of deploying a front, as well as an attack, had to be carried out at a gallop ^[1] .

The defeat in the war against Napoleon in 1806-07 was an important milestone in the history of the army, after which the radical modernization of the Prussian army under the leadership of Gerhard von Scharnhorst began , completely changing its appearance. In this regard, historians use the terms "old Prussian army" (1644-1807) and "new Prussian army" (1807-1919). All the old infantry regiments were combined into 12 grenadier regiments and 1 guards regiment.

In 1813, another 20 infantry, 5 fusilier , 2 guards grenadier, 1 guards infantry, 1 guards fusilier, 1 guards cuirassier and 2 guards Uhlan regiments were added to 12 grenadier regiments.

The entire Prussian army was divided into 3 army corps :

• 1st Army Corps (Prussia): 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th East Prussian Regiments), 33rd (East Prussian Fusiliers regiment)
• 2nd Army Corps (Pomerania): 2nd, 9th, 14th, 21st Infantry Regiments (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Pomeranian Regiments), 34th ( Pomeranian Fusiliers Regiment)
• 3rd Army Corps (Brandenburg): 8th, 12th, 20th, 24th Infantry Regiments (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Brandenburg Regiments), 35th ( Brandenburg Fusiliers Regiment)

The Reformed Prussian Army took part in the War of Independence against Napoleon in 1813-1815 and played a decisive role in the liberation of the German states from French rule.

In 1815, after Posen, Northwest Saxony, Westphalia and Rhineland joined Prussia, five more army corps, 5 artillery and 5 fusiliere regiments were formed:

• 4th Army Corps (Saxony): 26th and 27th (1st and 2nd Magdeburg Regiments), 31st and 32nd (1st and 2nd Thuringian Regiments) and 36th (Magdeburg Fusiliers Regiment) infantry regiments
• 5th Army Corps (Posen): 6th (1st West Prussian), 18th (1st Posen), 19th (2nd Posen) and 37th (West Prussian Fusilier Regiment) infantry regiments
• 6th Army Corps (Silesia): 10th, 11th (1st and 2nd Silesian), 22nd and 23rd (1st and 2nd Upper Silesian) infantry regiments, 38th (Silesian Fusilier Regiment)
• 7th Army Corps (Westphalia): 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Westphalian)
• 8th Army Corps (Rhineland): 25th, 28th, 29th and 30th (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Rhine), 39th (Lower Rhine Fusiliers Regiment )

In the period from the Congress of Vienna to the unification wars, the Prussian army was a reliable tool of the monarchy and played a significant role in the suppression of the 1848 Revolution .

In 1860, the number of infantry regiments in each of the army corps, except for the 5th, was increased from 4 to 8, the number of guards infantry and guards grenadier regiments was also doubled.

In 1866, after the accession of Hannover, Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse and Nassau to Prussia, three more army corps were formed:

• 9th Army Corps (Schleswig-Holstein): 86th (Schleswig-Holstein Fusilier Regiment), 84th (Schleswig), 85th (Holstein), 89th (Mecklenburg), 90th (Mecklenburg Fusilier) , 75th, 76th (1st and 2nd Hanseatic) infantry regiments
• 11th Army Corps (Hesse-Nassau): 80th (Elector of Hessian Fusiliers Regiment), 81st, 82nd, 83rd (1st, 2nd and 3rd Electoral Hessian), 87- 1st, 88th (1st and 2nd Nassaus)
• 10th Army Corps (Hannover): 73rd (Hanover Fusiliers Regiment), 74th, 77th, 79th (1st, 2nd and 3rd Hanover), 78th (East Frisian) infantry regiments

In the German Empire, the Prussian army formed the core of the German army . The Constitution of 1871 provided for the inclusion of Prussian army units in the composition of the German army. Therefore, in the First World War, the Prussian army lost legal autonomy. The Versailles Treaty provided for the reduction of the armed forces of Germany to 100 thousand people. The armies of Prussia, Bavaria , Saxony and Württemberg were disbanded.

In 1709, a regulation was introduced in Prussia to unify the form. Thus, the dark blue caftan (jacket) became the main one for all the military (ordinary, non-commissioned officers, officers) as a whole. The suit was distinguished only by the quality of the fabrics and the cut of the fold . First, the boots (leggings) were white, with 1756 black, with shoes (low shoes, shoes). The boots were mostly worn by headquarters officers and generals. Lapel sleeves, caftan lining, collars and cuffs were the color of the regiment. It was also possible to find out which regiment the soldier belonged to by the shape of cuffs, the instrumental color of buttons, embroidery and patches, as well as neck-bandages. For the most part, the hat was a cocked hat, while the grenadiers had a grenadier hat.

The officers could be distinguished by a harness, a scarf and a bandage (tie). The officers also had special embroidery on the suit. Since 1742, only noble generals had the right to wear the fringing of a hat from an ostrich feather. Non-commissioned officers could be recognized by their thin braid and stripes on the sleeves of their sleeves, as well as weapons. Since 1741, they could wear a sword belt in the guard.

The huntsmen wore a dark green suit with a dark green vest ( camisole ), culottes with black boots, from 1760 - trousers and boots.

The Prussian army consisted of 32 infantry (12 of which were grenadier), 8 fusilier, 8 cuirassier, 8 ulan, 4 dragoon, 12 hussar and 8 artillery regiments. All of them were combined in 8 corps (2 divisions in each). In 1860, the number of infantry and dragoon regiments was doubled, the number of Lancers was increased by 4, brigade division was introduced (2 infantry and 1 cavalry brigade per division).

Guard Corps (Berlin)

• 1st Guards Division (Potsdam)
  • 1st Guards Infantry Regiment (Berlin)
  • 2nd Guards Infantry Regiment (Potsdam)
  • 1st Landwehr Guards Infantry Regiment
  • 2nd Landwehr Guards Infantry Regiment

• 2nd Guards Division (Berlin)
  • 1st Guards Grenadier Regiment "Emperor Alexander" (Berlin)
  • 2nd Guards Grenadier Regiment "Emperor Franz" (Berlin)
  • 1st Guards Grenadier Regiment Landver
  • 2nd Guards Grenadier Regiment Landver

• Cavalry Division (Berlin)
  • Guard Cuirassier Regiment (Berlin)
  • Guards Lancer Regiment (Potsdam)
  • Life Guards Hussar Regiment (Potsdam)
  • Guards Dragoon Regiment (Potsdam)
  • 1st Landwehr Cavalry Regiment
  • 2nd Landver Cavalry Regiment

• Fusiliers Guards Regiment (Berlin)
• Guards Artillery Regiment (Berlin)

1st Army Corps (Konigsberg)

• 1st Division
  • 1st Grenadier Regiment "Kronprinz" (1st East Prussian Grenadier Regiment) (Königsberg)
  • 3rd Grenadier Regiment "King Friedrich Wilhelm I" (2nd East Prussian Grenadier Regiment) (Koenigsberg)
  • 1st Landver Grenadier Regiment (1st East Prussian Grenadier Regiment Landver)
  • 3rd Grenadier Regiment of Landver (2nd East Prussian Grenadier Regiment of Landver)
  • 3rd cuirassier regiment "Count Wrangel" (Koenigsberg)
  • 1st Dragoon Regiment "Prince Albrecht of Prussia" (Tilsit)
  • 3rd Landwehr Regiment
  • 1st Dragoon Landwehr Regiment

• 2nd Division
  • 4th Grenadier Regiment "King Frederick the Great" (4th East Prussian Grenadier Regiment) (Rastenburg, East Prussia)
  • 5th Grenadier Regiment "King Frederick I" (5th East Prussian Grenadier Regiment) (Danzig)
  • 4th Grenadier Landwehr Regiment (4th East Prussian Grenadier Regiment Landwehr)
  • 5th Landwehr Grenadier Regiment (5th East Prussian Grenadier Landwehr Regiment)
  • 8th Lancer Regiment "Count zu Don" (Gumbinnen)
  • 1st Hussar Regiment (Danzig)
  • 8th Lancer Landwehr Regiment
  • 1st Hussar Landwehr Regiment

• 33rd Fusiliers Regiment "Count Roon" (Gumbinnen, East Prussia)
• 1st Artillery Regiment "Prince August of Prussia" (Gumbinnen)

2nd Army Corps (Stettin)

• 3rd division
  • 2nd Grenadier Regiment "King Friedrich Wilhelm IV" (1st Pomeranian Grenadier Regiment) (Stettin)
  • 9th Grenadier Regiment "Count Gneisenau" (2nd Pomeranian Grenadier Regiment) (Stargard, Pomerania)
  • 2nd Grenadier Regiment of Landver (1st Pomeranian Grenadier Regiment of Landver)
  • 9th Landwehr Grenadier Regiment (2nd Pomeranian Landwehr Grenadier Regiment)
  • 2nd cuirassier regiment "Queen" (Pazewalk)
  • 3rd Dragoon Regiment "Baron von Derflinger" (Bromberg)
  • 2nd Landwehr Regiment
  • 3rd Dragoon Landwehr Regiment

• 4th Division
  • 14th Infantry Regiment "Count Schwerin" (3rd Pomeranian Infantry Regiment) (Bromberg, Posen)
  • 21st Von Borke Infantry Regiment (4th Pomeranian Infantry Regiment) (Thorn, West Prussia)
  • 14th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (3rd Pomeranian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 21st Landwehr Infantry Regiment (4th Pomeranian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 4th Lancers Von Schmidt Regiment (Thorn)
  • 5th Hussar Regiment "Prince Blucher von Wallstatt" (Stolp)
  • 4th Lancer Landwehr Regiment
  • 5th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 34th Fusilier Regiment Queen Victoria of Sweden (Stettin)
• 2nd artillery regiment

3rd Army Corps (Berlin)

• 5th division
  • 8th Life Grenadier Regiment "King Friedrich Wilhelm III" (1st Brandenburg Grenadier Regiment) (Frankfurt an der Oder)
  • 12th Grenadier Regiment “Prince Karl of Prussia” (2nd Brandenburg Grenadier Regiment) (Frankfurt an der Oder)
  • The 8th Grenadier Regiment of Landwehr (The 1st Brandenburg Grenadier Regiment of Landwehr)
  • 12th Landwehr Grenadier Regiment (2nd Brandenburg Landwehr Grenadier Regiment)
  • 3rd Lancers "Emperor Alexander II of Russia" (Fürstenwalde)
  • 2nd Dragoon Regiment (Schwedt)
  • 3rd Lancer Landwehr Regiment
  • 2nd Dragoon Landwehr Regiment

• 6th division
  • 20th Infantry Regiment “Count Tauenzien von Wittenberg” (3rd Brandenburg Infantry Regiment) (Wittenberg, Brandenburg)
  • 24th Infantry Regiment "Grand Duke Frederick Franz II Mecklenburg-Schwerinsky" (4th Brandenburg Infantry Regiment) (Neuruppin, Brandenburg)
  • Landwehr 20th Infantry Regiment (Landwehr 3rd Brandenburg Infantry Regiment)
  • Landwehr 24th Infantry Regiment (Landwehr 4th Brandenburg Infantry Regiment)
  • 6th cuirassier regiment "Emperor Nicholas I of Russia" (Brandenburg an der Havel)
  • 3rd Hussar Regiment "Von Citen" (Rathenov)
  • 6th Landwehr Raitier Regiment
  • 3rd Hussar Regiment of Landver

• 35th Fusilier Regiment “Prince Henry of Prussia” (Brandenburg an der Havel)
• 3rd Artillery Regiment General-Feldetschmeister (Brandenburg an der Havel)

4th Army Corps (Magdeburg)

• 7th division
  • 26th Infantry Regiment “Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau” (1st Magdeburg Infantry Regiment) (Magdeburg)
  • 27th Infantry Regiment “Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia” (2nd Magdeburg Infantry Regiment) (Halberstadt)
  • 26th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (1st Magdeburg Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 27th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (2nd Magdeburg Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 7th cuirassier regiment "Von Seidlitz" (Halberstadt)
  • 10th Hussar Regiment (Stendhal)
  • 7th Landwehr Raitier Regiment
  • 10th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 8th division
  • 31st Infantry Regiment "Count Bose" (1st Thuringian Infantry Regiment) (Altona)
  • 32nd Infantry Regiment (2nd Thuringian Infantry Regiment) (Meiningen)
  • 31st Landwehr Infantry Regiment (1st Thuringian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 32nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment (2nd Thuringian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 6th Lancers Regiment (Hanau)
  • 12th Hussar Regiment (Torgau)
  • 6th Lancer Landwehr Regiment
  • 12th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 36th Fusilier Regiment "Field Marshal Graf Blumenthal" (Halle)
• 4th Artillery Regiment “Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria” (Magdeburg)

5th Army Corps (Posen)

• 9th division
  • 6th Grenadier Regiment "Count Kleist von Nollendorf" (1st West Prussian Grenadier Regiment) (Posen)
  • 7th Grenadier Regiment "King William I" (2nd West Prussian Grenadier Regiment) (Lignitz)
  • The 6th Grenadier Regiment of Landwehr (The 1st West Prussian Grenadier Regiment of Landwehr)
  • The 7th Grenadier Regiment of the Landver (The 2nd West Prussian Grenadier Regiment of the Landver)
  • 5th cuirassier regiment "Duke Friedrich-Eugen of Württemberg" (Riesenburg)
  • 4th Dragoon Regiment Von Bredov (Luben)
  • 5th Landweir Regiment
  • 4th Dragoon Landwehr Regiment

• 10th division
  • The 18th Von Grohlmann Infantry Regiment (1st Posen Infantry Regiment) (Osterode, East Prussia)
  • 19th Von Kurbir Infantry Regiment (2nd Posen Infantry Regiment) (Gorlits)
  • 18th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (1st Pose Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 19th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (2nd Pose Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 1st Uhlan Regiment "Emperor Alexander III of Russia" (Milich)
  • 2nd Hussar Regiment "Queen Victoria of Prussia" (Danzig)
  • 1st Lancers of Landwehr
  • 2nd Hussar Landwehr Regiment

• 37th Fusiliers Regiment Von Shteimets (Krotoshin, Posen)
• 5th Von Podbilski Artillery Regiment

6th Army Corps (Breslau)

• 11th division
  • 10th Grenadier Regiment "King Frederick William II" (1st Silesian Infantry Regiment) (Schweidnitz)
  • 11th Grenadier Regiment "King Frederick III" (2nd Silesian Infantry Regiment) (Breslau)
  • Landwehr 10th Grenadier Regiment (Landwehr 1st Silesian Infantry Regiment)
  • 11th Grenadier Landwehr Regiment (2nd Silesian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 1st cuirassier regiment "The Great Elector" (Breslau)
  • 4th Hussar Regiment "Von Schiel" (Olau)
  • Landwehr 1st Reitre Regiment
  • 4th Hussar Landwehr Regiment

• 12th division
  • 22nd Kite Infantry Regiment (1st Upper Silesian Infantry Regiment) (Gleivitz)
  • 23rd Von Winterfeldt Infantry Regiment (2nd Upper Silesian Infantry Regiment) (Neisse)
  • 22nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment (1st Upper Silesian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 23rd Landwehr Infantry Regiment (2nd Upper Silesian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 2nd Lancer Regiment "Von Katzler" (Gleivitz)
  • 6th Hussar Regiment (Leobscutz)
  • 2nd Lancer Landwehr Regiment
  • 6th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 38th Fusilier Regiment "Field Marshal Count Moltke" (Glatz)
• 6th Von Poiker Artillery Regiment (Breslau)

7th Army Corps (Munster)

• 13th division
  • Hervat von Bittenfeld 13th Infantry Regiment (1st Westphalian Infantry Regiment) (Munster)
  • 15th Infantry Regiment “Prince Frederick of the Netherlands” (2nd Westphalian Infantry Regiment) (Minden)
  • 13th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (1st Westphalian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 15th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (2nd Westphalian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 4th cuirassier regiment "Von Driesen" (Munster)
  • 8th Hussar Regiment "Emperor Nicholas II of Russia" (Padeborn)
  • 4th Landwehr Raitier Regiment
  • 8th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 14th division
  • 16th Baron von Spar Infantry Regiment (3rd Westphalian Infantry Regiment) (Cologne)
  • 17th Infantry Regiment Graf Barfuss (4th Westphalian Infantry Regiment) (Mörchingen)
  • 16th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (3rd Westphalian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 17th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (4th Westphalian Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 5th Lancer Regiment (Dusseldorf)
  • 11th Hussar Regiment (Krefeld)
  • 5th Lancer Landwehr Regiment
  • 11th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 39th (Nizhnereinsky) Fusiliers Regiment (Dusseldorf)
• 7th Artillery Regiment (Wesel)

8th Army Corps (Koblenz, Rhine Province)

• 15th division
  • 25th Von Lutz Infantry Regiment (1st Rhine Infantry Regiment) (Aachen)
  • 28th Von Göben Infantry Regiment (2nd Rhine Infantry Regiment) (Koblenz)
  • Landwehr 25th Infantry Regiment (Landwehr 1st Rhine Infantry Regiment)
  • Landwehr 28th Infantry Regiment (Landwehr 2nd Rhine Infantry Regiment)
  • 8th cuirassier regiment (Deutz)
  • 7th Hussar Regiment (Bonn)
  • Landwehr 8th Regiment
  • 7th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 16th division
  • 29th Von Horn Infantry Regiment (3rd Rhine Infantry Regiment) (Trier)
  • 30th Infantry Regiment “Count Werder” (4th Rhine Infantry Regiment) (Saarlouis)
  • Landwehr 29th Infantry Regiment (Landwehr 3rd Rhine Infantry Regiment)
  • 30th Landwehr Infantry Regiment (4th Rhine Landwehr Infantry Regiment)
  • 7th Lancers Regiment (Saarbrücken)
  • 9th Hussar Regiment (Strasbourg)
  • 7th Lancers Landwehr Regiment
  • 9th Landwehr Hussar Regiment

• 40th Fusiliers Infantry Regiment “Prince Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern” (Rastatt)
• 8th Artillery Regiment Von Goltsendorf

The system of ranks and insignia of Prussia was inherited, with minor modifications, in the army of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the Wehrmacht. In the NNA GDR, the appearance of the insignia was preserved, but the rank system was adapted according to Soviet standards; in the Bundeswehr, on the contrary, the traditional rank system is preserved, but the insignia are simplified.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Prussian system of ranks and insignia was completely borrowed in a number of Latin American countries (Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador), and in a number it partially influenced the appearance. To date, the "Prussian" look have the insignia of Ecuador and Chile, as well as the full dress of the Armed Forces of Venezuela.

Generals (shoulder straps with a twisted yellow-white tow):

• Field Marshal ( Generalfeldmarschall )
• Colonel General ( Generaloberst )
• Troop general
• Lieutenant General ( Generalleutnant )
• Major General

Senior officers (shoulder straps with a twisted white tow):

• Colonel ( Oberst )
• Lt. Col. ( Oberstleutnant )
• Major ( Major ) or Oberst- Wahmister ( Oberstwachtmeister ) or Fireworks ( Feuerwerksmeister ) in artillery

Officers (shoulder straps with white silver braid with two colored gaps):

• Captain ( Hauptmann or Capitaine ) or Staff Captain ( Stabskapitän ), Cavalry Rotmister ( Rittmeister ), fireworks captain ( Feuerwerks-Hauptmann )
• Senior Lieutenant ( Oberleutnant ) or Prime Minister ( Premier-Lieutenant ), Feuerwerks-Premierlieutenant ( Feuerwerks-Premierlieutenant ) or artillery fireworks-Lieutenant ( Feuerwerksoberlieutenant )
• Lieutenant ( Leutnant ) or Second Lieutenant ( Seconde-Lieutenant ), fireworks-seconds-lieutenant ( Feuerwerkslieutenant ) in artillery
• Feldwebelleutnant
• Warrant Officer ( Fähnrich ), Cornet ( Kornett ) in the cavalry, bayonet-junker ( Stückjunker ) in artillery
• Mediocre Officer ( Offiziersstellvertreter )

Feldfebeli and non-commissioned officers (shoulder straps and gates with white braid around the edge):

• Feldwebel, Wachtmeister in cavalry and artillery, or Oberfeuerwerker in artillery
• Vice-sergeant-major ( Vizefeldwebel ), vice- vahmistr ( Vizewachtmeister ) in cavalry and artillery
• Sergeant ( Sergeant ), fireworks ( Feuerwerker ) in artillery
• Corporal ( Corporal ), non-commissioned officer ( Unteroffizier ) in the cavalry

Soldiers (stripes on the sleeve):

• Senior Corporal ( Obergefreiter )
• Corporal ( Gefreiter ) or scorer ( Bombardier ) in artillery
• The Musketeer ( Musketier ), the Fusilier ( Füsilier ), the Grenadier ( Grenadier ), the Reythar ( Reiter ) in the cavalry, the gunner ( Kanonier ) in the artillery

The linear battle tactics that prevailed in the armies of Western Europe in the 17th – 18th centuries required soldiers who had perfect command of weapons and combat strides, who were able to maintain discipline and combat readiness during the most “acute” moments of the battle. Accordingly, the training of a soldier was supposed to instill in him the ability to voluntarily obey the orders of his commander. The famous German pedantry led to the transformation of this aspect of the training of the soldier into the most important. Another circumstance also contributed to this: a significant part of the future soldiers of the Prussian army were abducted by brigades of “recruiters”. No moral attention was paid to the recruited moral qualities. Since 1780, courts began to sentence rebels and persons convicted of anti-government agitation to military service. To control such soldiers "stick" discipline was simply necessary.

The discipline of the Prussian army was based on two components. The first is drill and drill training, brought to virtuosity. The charter regulated every little thing, up to the number of steps per minute performed in the ranks, and the number of shots per minute carried out at the command of an officer. The second is a “stick” discipline, so called because, according to the charter, each non-commissioned officer was equipped with a stick, which he was charged with using for the slightest reason. A soldier could be beaten with a stick to death, and the only thing that limited the captain's ardor was the prospect of looking for a new soldier instead of a slaughtered or mutilated old one, since each company had to constantly maintain its completeness. Since 1713, punishment was introduced with gauntlets - long flexible rods. Moreover, the entire company, armed with gauntlets , was lined up in the "street" through which the convict was driven several times. Often the punishment ended with the death of the convict.

Theoretically, service in the army was life-long up to unsuitable quality for service. In practice, most soldiers served 10-15 years.

Since 1714, the system of leave was introduced in the army: after 18 months of service, soldiers who came from the area that completed the company (about 1/3 of the total army) received 10 months of annual leave, were released from guard duty and were removed from pay and ration. These so-called “Freymachters” were under the jurisdiction of the military department, which protected them from the arbitrariness of the landowners. The external attributes of belonging to the Prussian army were also preserved. In particular, they were required to wear uniforms throughout their vacation.

During the reign of King Frederick the Great, the Prussian army was considered the best in Europe, hundreds of foreign observers came to its teachings and maneuvers annually. The ardent admirers of the King of Prussia were the Russian emperors Peter III and Paul I.

For the Prussian leadership, well-trained and experienced combat soldiers were of great value. Therefore, it was decided to leave them in their mouths. However, only a small portion of the soldiers could be a model for young recruits. Most were seasoned, and were left with the company only for social reasons.

Veterans who could not fulfill the position received benefits in the form of 1 thaler from the box office of a disabled person. After the second Silesian War, Frederick II ordered the construction of disabled homes for the soldiers who had served in Berlin, Stop and Karl Harbor. November 15 opened a home for the disabled in Berlin. In total, this institution was designed for 631 people, of which 136 officers and 126 women for control and maintenance. These houses provided shelter, supplies and food, clothing, and medical care to wounded non-commissioned officers, commanders, and officers for free. All houses of people with disabilities bore a military imprint - people with disabilities were required to wear uniforms (in full) everywhere along with the guard.

Unsuitable officers for military service received the position of governor or commandant position in the fortresses, if necessary. If there were no seats, the king paid the generals 1,000 or 2,000 thalers from the treasury, hundreds of staff officers, much less to captains and lieutenants. However, there were no rules for this. Each supply was sheer grace.

To facilitate the existence of numerous widows with their many children, Frederick II allowed active officers to take patronage over them, or arranged sons, at an appropriate age, mainly in the army. Frederick William I took care of numerous military orphans and even founded in 1724 an army home for orphans. At first, this house was intended only for orphans of his guard “tall guys”. Later, the children of other soldiers found an apartment there. The occupied area of ​​the house grew, so it was supposed to expand already in 1742 and be replaced in 1771. In 1758, the house received 2,000 orphans.

• German imperial army

• Hans Bleckwenn . Unter dem Preußen-Adler. Das brandenburgisch-preußische Heer 1640-1807. Bertelsmann , 1978; ISBN 3-570-00522-4 .
• Otto Büsch, W. Neugebauer . Moderne Preußische Geschichte 1648-1947. Band 2, 4.Teil. Militärsystem und Gesellschaftsordnung. Verlag de Gruyter 1981, S. 749-871, ISBN 3-11-008324-8 .
• Martin Guddat . Handbuch zur preußischen Militärgeschichte 1701-1786. Verlag Mittler , Hamburg 2001, ISBN 3-8132-0732-3 .
• Frank Bauer. Fehrbellin 1675 Brandenburg-Preußens Aufbruch zur Großmacht. Kurt Vowinckel Verlag , Potsdam 1998, ISBN 3-921655-86-2 .
• Karl-Volker Neugebauer . Grundzüge der deutschen Militärgeschichte. Band 1: Historischer Überblick. 1. Auflage, Rombach Verlag , Freiburg 1993.
• Gordon A. Craig . Die preußisch-deutsche Armee 1640-1945. Staat im Staate. Droste Verlag , Düsseldorf 1960.
• Emilio Willems . Der preußisch-deutsche Militarismus. Ein Kulturkomplex im sozialen Wandel. Verlag Wissenschaft und Politik, Köln 1984, ISBN 3-8046-8630-3 .
• Hans-Joachim Neumann . Friedrich-Wilhelm der Große Kurfürst. Der Sieger von Fehrbellin, edition q Verlag, Berlin 1995, ISBN 3-86124-293-1 .

•   Media files related to the Prussian Army at Wikimedia Commons
• Germany in the XVIII — XIX centuries // Military-historical project “Third Reich”. Forum