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Porcelain Porcelain
VOL. 2, No. 55 Stein Collectors International September 2005
PR SIT
CAVALRY REGIMENTAL STEINS
The Quarterly Beer Stein Magazine
WANTED ARTICLES FOR FUTURE ISSUES OF PROSIT
WE WILL HELP WITH ANY STEIN WRITING PROJECT
CAVALRY REGIMENTAL
BEER STEINS
By: Ron Heiligenstein
Before the Great War (1914 - 1918) the
cavalry of the Imperial German and Royal
Bavarian Armies* could be divided into
two categories, specifically the heavy cav-
alry and the light cavalry. This article is
the first of a two part series that will dis-
cuss the types of cavalry regiments within
those categories and describe some regi-
mental beer steins that were named to
those regiments.
The terms heavy and light cavalry refer to
the size of the horses, size of the men
and the weapons they carried. The heavy
cavalry was primarily used for frontal
attacks on enemy lines. The light cavalry
with smaller, faster horses was created
for rapid movement on the enemy's flanks
and behind the lines to gather strategic
information, disrupt communications,
plunder and create general havoc.
The heavy cavalry consisted of one
Regiment of Garde du Corps, nine
Cuirassier Regiments, two Saxon Heavy
Cavalry Regiments and two Bavarian
Heavy Cavalry Regiments. The light cav-
alry included twenty-one Hussar
Regiments, twenty-six Ulan Regiments
(twenty-four Imperial German and two
Bavarian), thirteen Mounted Rifle
Regiments and eight Bavarian Light
Cavalry Regiments. The twenty-eight
Dragoon Regiments are classified as light
cavalry in this two part series, although
before the Eighteenth Century they often
fought as heavy cavalry. One regiment's
unit designation was unique among the
cavalry regiments. That was the Mounted
Grenadier Regiment Baron von
Derfflinger (Neumärk) No. 3, which was
actually a Dragoon Regiment even
though its designation does not specifical-
ly state that fact (figure 1).
When reading the history of the various
branches of the cavalry the author cau-
tions to not simply assume that Imperial
Germany and Bavaria were engaged in
one war after another during the
Nineteenth Century. Yes, they did take
considerable pride in their highly visible
military, and yes they were involved one
way or another in the important European
conflicts of that century, but certainly to
no greater extent than other European
powers. As a matter of fact when regi-
mental beer steins were most popular
(1890 - 1914), Imperial Germany and
Bavaria had been at peace in Europe for
over forty years. Some stein collectors
have called those years the "Golden Age
of Beer Steins." For sure, the twenty-five
years leading up to the Great War were
the "Golden Age of Regimental Beer
Steins."
PART ONE - THE HEAVY CAVALRY
Regiment of the Garde du Corps
The most elite unit of the heavy cavalry
was the Regiment of the Garde du Corps.
Being recruited into the Garde du Corps
was tantamount to being accepted into
the most exclusive branch of the entire
military establishment. Not only was a
recruit required to have superior physical
and mental capabilities, in most cases he
also had to be well connected. His father,
or at least a close relative, might have
been a respected military officer, an
important professional person, or some-
one in a high political position. Further,
members of the various branches of the
minor royalty were also well represented
in the Garde du Corps.
The Garde du Corps was raised 23rd
June 1740, at which time the French
speaking King Friedrich II (The Great) of
Prussia appointed himself honorary
Colonel-in-Chief. In that year the regi-
ment had just one squadron, which was
garrisoned in Potsdam. Over time, how-
ever, the regiment's size and standing
grew, even during the army's extensive
reorganization that began toward the end
of the Napoleonic Wars.
The regiment's bodyguard squadron (Leib
Eskadron) was periodically called upon
to provide ceremonial duties at the Royal
Palace in Berl in, a very high honor
indeed. Although their duty and parade
uniforms were quite similar to those of the
Cuirassier Regiments, their gala dress
uniforms for court functions were most
distinctive, to say the least. For their fre-
quent parades, off-white riding breeches,
black jackboots, black steel cuirasses
(chest armor) and the shiny metal "lobster
tail" parade helmets were the order of the
day. Their parade helmets featured a
"guard star" frontal plate and a large three
dimension spread-winged silver eagle
with a gold royal crown mounted on the
top. The "guard star" is a heraldic star
with a black eagle on a yellow back-
ground in the center that represented the
Order of the Black Eagle, a royal order
established by Friedrich I in 1701.
The Garde du Corps participated hero-
ically in numerous campaigns against
France during the Napoleonic Wars in
1813, 1814 and 1815, against Austria in
1866 during the Seven Weeks War, and
once again against France in 1870 and
1871 during the Franco-Prussian War.
figure 1
figure 2
Page 1840
September 2005
infrequently seen on regimental steins.
This half liter stein has a deep false bot-
tom, a "fish handle" and medallions sur-
rounded by oak leaves in relief around the
base. The large finial is a guardist in
parade dress on a leaping horse. The
Prussian eagle thumblift sits on a ball with
a stanhope containing a small photo of
the terraced gardens at Sans Souci, the
palace of Friedrich II (The Great) in
Potsdam. The eagle thumblift holds in its
beak an unusual, relatively large brass
pendant in the shape of a flag with four
quadrants containing enameled Imperial
German, Turkish and Austrian flags,
along with a flag displaying a Maltese
cross. The scene on the face and the
scenes on the sides are identical to those
on Artur Pfefferkorn's stein (figure 2).
The regimental beer stein in figure 4 was
originally owned by Willy Hilscher and is
also named to the Regiment of the Garde
du Corps. Hilscher, l ike Reservist
Wassmann, was garrisoned at Potsdam
from 1912 to 1915, but he was with the
4th Squadron, not the Bodyguard
Squadron as was Wassmann, which
This regimental stein, originally owned by
Artur Pfefferkorn (figure 2), is named to
the Bodyguard Squadron of the Regiment
of the Garde du Corps. Pfefferkorn was
garrisoned with his squadron at Potsdam
from 1906 to 1909. This stein has several
unusual features including a lithophane of
the Garde du Corps barracks in Potsdam,
a stanhope under the Prussian eagle
thumblift containing a tiny photo of the
National Gallery in Berlin and a guard star
with an enameled black eagle center
hanging from the eagle's beak. On the
face of this stein is a picture of a guardist
in parade dress on a large black horse in
front of the Royal Palace in Berlin over
Prussian, Imperial German and regimen-
tal flags and a black cuirass. The large
side scenes include a typical farewell
scene and a Garde du Corps Squadron
practicing a cavalry charge.
This unusually tall (14.5 inches) regimen-
tal beer stein (figure 3), originally owned
by Reservist Wassman, reveals that he
was also garrisoned with the Bodyguard
Squadron of the Regiment of the Garde
du Corps in Potsdam, but from 1912 to
1915. The date 1915 was one year after
the start of the Great War, something
accounts for the different appearance of
the steins. This tall porcelain stein has a
large finial of a guardist in parade dress
on a leaping horse and a Prussian eagle
thumblift that is holding in its beak a
guard star with an enameled black eagle
in the center. On the stein's face is a
large scene of a guardist on a horse
above a white Garde du Corps shoulder
strap, placed between an oval on the left
containing a picture of Prince Leopold of
Prussia and on the right, an oval with
Emperor Wilhelm II, King of Prussia.
There are four small "late type" field train-
ing scenes on the sides and six double
rows of gold beading adjacent to the
upper and lower frieze bands.
Cuirassier Regiments
The origin of the Cuirassiers dates back
to the late Fifteenth Century. In 1484, the
Emperor Maximilian of Austria had a
small unit of cavalry called Kyrissers that
wore full body armor. During the Thirty
Years War (1618 - 1648) Cuirassiers
wore three quarter body armor, but during
the Seven Years War (1756 - 1763) the
Cuirassiers of Friedrich II (The Great) opt-
ing for greater mobility, rode into battle
wearing just an iron cuirass over their uni-
forms.
The Guard Cuirassier Regiment was
bracketed with the Regiment of the Garde
du Corps in the 1st Brigade of the Guard
Corps' Cavalry Division. The regiment's
duty uniforms, parade uniforms and hel-
mets, as mentioned above, were similar
to those of the Garde du Corp. The
rather familiar "lobster tail" spiked helmet
(Pickelhaube) of polished steel, intro-
duced in 1842, was worn during training
exercises and in time of war by all the
Cuirassier Regiments (figure 5).
figure 3
figure 4
figure 5
Page 1841
September 2005
The Guard Regiment was raised as a
Guard Ulan Regiment on 21st February
1815, then on 8th March 1821 was desig-
nated the Guard Cuirassier Regiment,
until being decommissioned in April 1919
after the end of the Great War. The regi-
ment fought against France in 1815 at the
conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars,
against Austria in 1866 during the Seven
Weeks War and against France in 1870
and 1871 during the Franco-Prussian
War. The other Cuirassier Regiments
also saw considerable action in those
wars.
The regimental stein owned by Heinrich
Köchling (figure 6) is named to the 2nd
Squadron of the Guard Cuirassier
Regiment. Köchling was garrisoned in
Berlin from 1903 to 1906. His stein has
the mark of the firm Merkelbach & Wick of
Grenzhausen under the base. The finial
is a small leaping horse and rider and the
thumblift is a spread-winged, crowned
eagle holding a gold colored guard star in
its beak. The eagle is sitting on a ball
with a stanhope containing a portrait of
Emperor Wilhelm II and his family. The
stein's body is completely surrounded by
three large "fill-in" type scenes. The front
scene is a mounted Guard Cuirassier in
parade dress wearing a gold cuirass and
parade helmet, with the Brandenburg
Gate and the dome of an unidentifiable
church in the far background. The left
side scene shows three Guard
Cuirassiers in parade dress, bidding
farewell to a pretty bar maid who is hand-
ing them steins of foaming beer. The
scene on the right is mounted Guard
Cuirassiers on their horses leaping over a
low fence. There is gold beading around
the typical Merkelbach & Wick style frieze
bands.
The unusually tall (14.5 inches) regimen-
tal stein originally owned by Lance
Corporal (Gefreiter) Hermann Kleist was
also made by Merkelbach & Wick (figure
7). Kleist began his military service with
the Cuirassier Regiment Queen
(Pomeranian) No. 2 at Pasewalk, but in
1913 he was greatly honored to be trans-
ferred to the Bodyguard, Her Majesty the
Empress (of Imperial Germany) unit serv-
ing as Palace Guards in Potsdam. There
were twelve men in this unit, by tradition
each coming from the 2nd Pomeranian
Cuirassiers. The finial is a large mounted
Cuirassier in parade dress and the thum-
blift is a Prussian spread-winged eagle
with a guard star dangling from its beak.
Under the eagle is a ball with a stanhope
containing a tiny photo of the terraced
gardens at Sans Souci. The scenes on
the face and sides are identical to the
stein originally owned by Reservist
Wassmann (figure 3), except the horse on
the face of Kleist's stein is a bay. This
regimental stein has several other unusu-
al features, including a shield on the base
with the gold embossed initials "HK" for
Kleist and two shoulder straps on either
side of the "fish handle." The left shoul-
der strap symbolizes the 2nd Pomeranian
Cuirassiers to which Kleist originally
belonged; the right shoulder strap with a
crowned "L" (Leibgarde) signifying Kleist's
service as a body guard for the Empress
of Germany.
Lance Corporal (Gefreiter) Bander's rela-
tively short (9.5 inches) "tree branch han-
dle" regimental beer stein is named to the
Cuirassier Regiment von Driesen
(Westphalian) No. 4 (figure 8). Bander
was garrisoned with his regiment at
Münster from 1896 until 1899. Emperor
figure 6figure 7
figure 8
Page 1842
September 2005
The regimental stein originally owned by
Guardist (Gardist) Franz is named to the
Royal Saxon Guard Cavalry Regiment
(1st Heavy Regiment) (figure 9). Franz
was garrisoned at Dresden from 1906 to
1909. The finial on his stein is a relatively
large mounted guardist in parade dress.
The Saxon Guard Cavalry parade helmet
was unique. The gold (tombak) "lobster
tail" helmet had a silver frontal plate that
was a Saxon shield surrounded by a sun-
burst. On top of the helmet rested a
large, silver crouching lion. The thumblift
on Franz's stein is the flat Saxon shield,
very typical on Saxon regimental steins.
The front scene shows a Saxon Guardist
on a leaping horse, wearing his light blue
parade tunic and crouching lion parade
helmet. In the background you can see a
bridge over the Elbe River and Dresden's
Semper Opera House. Below this is an
oval with a Saxon Guard Cavalry officer
wearing a spiked helmet between assort-
ed state flags. On the sides are four small
"late type" training and farewell scenes.
Wilhelm II bestowed the von Driesen title
on the regiment on 27th January 1889.
Von Driesen had earned a place in history
by leading a successful cavalry attack on
the rear of the Austrian Army at the deci-
sive Battle of Leuthen in 1757 during the
Seven Years War. The small finial is a
leaping horse and rider and the thumblift
is a bust of Emperor Wilhelm II resplen-
dent in his parade cuirass and helmet.
On the face of Bander's stein is a colorful
picture of Wilhelm II seen, strangely
enough, in the uniform of a hussar officer.
Below is a shield with an Imperial German
Eagle (Reich's Adler) representing the
Hohenzollern Dynasty, between the flags
of Imperial Germany and Prussia. On the
right side is a bivouac scene and on the
left a cavalry charge with a cuirassier
seen tumbling from his horse. Scenes on
regimental steins that show any training
casualties are most unusual.
Saxon Heavy Cavalry Regiments
The Royal Saxon Guard Cavalry
Regiment (1st Heavy Regiment) was
raised as the Regiment on Horse on 31st
October 1680. From 1695 until 1822, the
regiment was named the Saxon
Cuirassier Regiment. Then from 1822
until being decommissioned in 1919, the
regiment was called the Guard Cavalry
Regiment (1st Heavy Regiment). The
Royal Saxon Carbine Regiment (2nd
Heavy Regiment) was raised much later
on 1st November 1849 as the 3rd
Cavalry Regiment. On 23rd April 1876,
this unit 's off icial designation was
changed to Carbine Regiment (2nd
Heavy Regiment).
Both Saxon Heavy Cavalry Regiments
have an interesting history, having fought
with Prussia and against Prussia at vari-
ous times during the Nineteenth Century.
The Guard Regiment fought with France
against the combined armies of Prussia,
Russia, Austria and England at the Battle
of the Nations near Leipzig in 1813. Then
in 1849, the Guard Regiment briefly
fought on the side of Prussia against
Denmark. Interestingly, seventeen years
later in 1866 the Guard Regiment fought
with Austria in a campaign against
Prussia during the Seven Weeks War,
ending in defeat at the Battle of
Königgrätz. Finally, in 1870 and 1871,
the Guard Regiment was involved in the
defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian
War. The Carbine Regiment also fought
with Austria against Prussia during the
Seven Weeks War at the Battle of
Königgrätz and in 1870 and 1871, partici-
pated in the victory over France in the
Franco-Prussian War.
The tall (13.5 inches) regimental beer
stein that was originally owned by
Carbiner (Karabinier) Scharf was named
to the Royal Saxon Carbine Regiment
(2nd Heavy Regiment) (figure 10). Scharf
was garrisoned with his regiment in Borna
from 1910 to 1913. The stein's finial is a
large mounted Saxon Carbiner holding a
lance with a green and white cloth pen-
non, the colors of Saxony. There is a
stanhope in the horse's head, but unfortu-
nately the photo has been washed out.
The thumblift is a pierced Saxon shield.
The front scene is a Saxon Carbiner in
parade dress on a large leaping horse.
White horsehair plumes replaced spikes
when helmets were modified for parades.
Below is an oval containing a picture of
King Friedrich August of Saxony, between
an oval on the left with the regiment's
epaulette and an oval on the right con-
taining a Saxon shield. On the sides are
four small "late type" training and farewell
scenes.
figure 9
figure 10
Page 1843
September 2005
Bavarian Heavy Cavalry Regiments
The Royal Bavarian 1st Heavy Cavalry
Regiment Prince Karl of Bavaria was
raised on 16th July 1814 as the Royal
Bavarian Regiment of the Garde du
Corps. From 20th November 1825 until
29th November 1878 it was called a
Cuirassier Regiment, then after 1878 it
was designated the Royal Bavarian 1st
Heavy Cavalry Regiment. The title Prince
Karl of Bavaria was added to the unit des-
ignation to honor General of the Cavalry
Prince Karl who had been named hon-
orary Colonel-in-Chief (Inhaber) of the
Regiment in 1825.
The Royal Bavarian 2nd Heavy Cavalry
Regiment Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria was raised 24th September 1815
as the 2nd Cuirassier Regiment. The reg-
iment kept the 2nd Cuirassier designation
until 1st April 1879 when it was changed
to the 2nd Heavy Cavalry Regiment. The
tit le Archduke Franz Ferdinand was
added to the regiment's name in 1899 to
honor the heir apparent to the throne of
Austria. Franz Ferdinand and his wife
were assassinated, however, in Sarajevo
on 28th June 1914, touching off a series
of international crises that ultimately led to
the outbreak of the Great War on 1st
August 1914.
Both regiments, allied with Prussian units,
saw action against France in 1815 at the
conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars. In
1866 they fought unsuccessfully in a limit-
ed campaign with Austria against Prussia
during the Seven Weeks War. Then just
four years later in 1870 and 1871, those
regiments allied with the Prussian Army
almost from the beginning, helped defeat
France in the Franco-Prussian War.
The regimental stein in figure 11, original-
ly owned by Lance Corporal (Gefreiter)
Steingraber, is named to the Royal
Bavarian 1st Heavy Cavalry Regiment
Prince Karl of Bavaria. Steingraber was
originally garrisoned in Munich in 1912,
but remained in the army until 1919 with
no indication as to where he served.
Once the Great War began and new tech-
nologies, including the machine gun, were
introduced, it became quite evident that
the cavalry would be ineffective in its prin-
cipal missions. As a result, most cavalry
regiments were disbanded and the men
were transferred to the infantry or artillery.
In Steingraber's case, his stein tells us
that he became a machine gunner in the
infantry, even though the appearance of
his regimental stein clearly indicates his
"roots" were in the cavalry. The finial on
this stein is a leaping horse with the rider
holding his sword in an upright position
and the thumblift is a crowned Bavarian
rampant lion holding a shield. The front
scene is also a leaping horse and rider
over a parade helmet and saddle. On the
left is a large farewell scene and on the
right a cavalry charge. The upper and
lower frieze bands have colorful oak
leaves and gold acorns in high relief.
The regimental beer stein originally
owned by Cavalryman (Reiter)
Liedemann (figure 12) is named to the
Royal Bavarian 2nd Heavy Cavalry
Regiment Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria. Liedemann was garrisoned at
Landshut from 1912 to the war year 1915,
and similar to Steingraber's situation, it's
unlikely that he ever served in the cavalry
once the war started. The screw off finial
on this stein is a large leaping horse and
a rider wearing a plumed parade helmet.
Under the finial is a multifaceted green
glass insert. The thumblift is a Bavarian
rampant lion holding a shield. On the
front of the stein is a cavalryman in
parade dress on a large leaping horse
with a Zeppelin and an observation bal-
loon in the background. Below are ovals
with pictures of Emperor Wilhelm II and
King Ludwig III of Bavaria. There is
extensive gold beading around the upper
and lower frieze bands.
The second of this two part series will
appear in the next issue of Prosit. That
part will discuss light cavalry regiments
and regimental steins named to those
regiments.
* Footnote:
From time to time, this author has been
asked "why do you say Imperial German
and Royal Bavarian or sometimes just
Bavarian Armies? Why don't you simply
say German Army?" Here's why: In 1871
at the end of the Franco-Prussian War
those kingdoms, grand duchies, duchies
and principalities that had not been incor-
porated into Prussia earlier, became part
of the Second Empire in what is common-
ly called The German Unification. And
with those "states" came their military
forces, with the sole exception being
Bavaria. In the process of convincing
Bavaria to join a unif ied Germany,
Prussia agreed to let Bavaria retain con-
trol of its army during peace time, which
means there were two separate armies
from 1871 to 1914 - which is why we say
Imperial German Army and Royal
Bavarian Army instead of just saying
German Army.
figure 11 figure 12Page 1844
September 2005
References:
(The) Cavalry, James Lawford,
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Cuirassiers and Heavy Cavalry, D.S.V.
Fosten, London, UK
Formationsgeschichte und tellenbeset-
zung, Günter Wegner, Osnabrück, D
Hussars and Mounted Rifles, .H.Hagger,
New Malden, UK
Lancers and Dragoons, R.J. Marrion,
London, UK
Regimental Beer Steins, 1890-1914, R.
Ron Heiligenstein, Milwaukee, WI, USA
Regimental Steins, Major John L. Harrell,
Ret., Frederick, MD, USA
Ruhmeshalle Unserer Alten Armee, Dr.
Martin Lezius, Leipzig, D
(The) Soldier Kings: The House of
Hohenzollern, Walter Henry Nelson,
London, UK
Page 1845
September 2005
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