Wehrmacht and SS cavalry

1. WEHRMACHT CAVALRY

After Germany's defeat in World War 1, the terms of the Treaty of Versailles limited the size of the German army to 100,000 men. Translated into military terminology, this meant that the Reichswehr could only have 10 divisions, 7 of which were infantry and 3 cavalry. These 3 cavalry divisions included 18 regiments of the 4th - 5th squadron (the squadron consisted of 170 soldiers and 200 horses).

German cavalrymen on the eve of World War 2

After Hitler came to power, the Nazis, who did not care about the Treaty of Versailles, began restructuring the armed forces, turning the weak Reichswehr into the mighty Wehrmacht. However, at the same time, the number of infantry and technical units was increased, while the cavalry units, which were considered an archaic branch of the military after World War I, were reorganized into infantry, artillery, motorcycle and tank units. Thus, by 1938, only 2 cavalry regiments remained in the Wehrmacht, and even those were formed from Austrians who became Wehrmacht fighters after the Anschluss, which annexed Austria to Germany. However, the general trend of the Wehrmacht towards increased mechanization of units did not bypass these cavalry regiments. They included squadrons of cyclists (!), mechanized anti-tank, sapper and armored reconnaissance platoons mounted on machine-gun armored vehicles and three-axle off-road vehicles. The firepower of cavalry regiments was significantly increased due to howitzer and anti-tank batteries included in their composition (from 4 to 6 howitzers + 3 anti-tank guns). In addition, since German industry could not cope with the task of rapid mechanization of the army, and non-mechanized units needed mobile reconnaissance units, each infantry division had a mounted reconnaissance squadron.
Due to the experience of the 1st World War, in which cavalry had to dismount and climb into trenches, Wehrmacht cavalry was trained in both mounted and foot combat. This was the right approach to training, which later fully justified itself in the war.

German cavalrymen on the streets of a German city

Both German cavalry regiments were consolidated into the 1st Cavalry Brigade, which took an active part in the attack on Poland. And then, to the surprise of the “progressively minded” commanders, the “archaic units” showed high combat ability. In the Polish off-road conditions, cavalry regiments turned out to be much more mobile than even tank and motorized units, not to mention ordinary infantry. Making rapid roundabout marches along country dirt roads and forest paths (and secretly, without the roar of engines and clouds of dust that betrayed the direction of movement of the mechanized units), the German cavalrymen successfully crushed the enemy with sudden attacks on the flank and rear. Even clashes with the skillful and brave Polish cavalry ended in a German victory, which was determined by the high firepower of the German cavalry, armed to the teeth with artillery and rapid-firing machine guns.

The 1st Cavalry Brigade of the Wehrmacht enters Paris

The successes of the German cavalry brigade showed the high command that the military was in a hurry to give up on this type of troops, and the number of cavalry regiments was hastily doubled, since there were enough former cavalrymen in the troops who were ready to return to familiar business. All 4 cavalry regiments were consolidated into the 1st Cavalry Division, which again proved excellent in the capture of Holland, crossed by rivers and canals - it was not necessary for the cavalry to build bridges, they swam over obstacles where neither tanks nor artillery. But the most fully mobile capabilities of cavalry in off-road conditions and very rough terrain manifested themselves after the invasion of the USSR, a country where we all know there are two main troubles... And if at first, in the summer of 1941, German tank units rushed forward with such speed, that the horses could not keep up with them, then with the beginning of the autumn thaw, it was the cavalry that remained the only type of ground troops that could get through the sticky mud, in which the vaunted German tanks were buried up to their hatches. Moreover, the 1st Cavalry Division of the Wehrmacht operated in Polesie, a swampy area at the junction of Western Ukraine and Belarus, where there were no roads at all and where mechanized units were not able to advance at all. Therefore, it is the Wehrmacht cavalry division that is largely responsible for the defeat of the Red Army units located in this area. Moreover, it would be a mistake to assume that the German cavalry rushed at the Soviet troops on horseback with sabers in their hands. These units basically acted as “riding infantry”: quickly traveling off-road to the intended attack area, the cavalrymen dismounted and fought a regular infantry battle.

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This is what the Wehrmacht cavalry looked like during the war on the Eastern Front

However, despite the high combat performance, the successes of the cavalry were not appreciated by the command. Quite suddenly, for unknown reasons, in November 1941 this unique division was transferred to France, where it was reorganized into a tank division. From that moment on, only individual mounted reconnaissance squadrons of infantry divisions (of which there were at least 85 in the Wehrmacht in the Wehrmacht) fought on horseback in the USSR, and the German cavalry had, as they say in Odessa, “up to their tonsils” of work.
However, it was already the winter of 1941-42. showed the Wehrmacht command that the liquidation of the cavalry division was a big mistake. Terrible Russian frosts began to methodically immobilize German troops, disabling European equipment that was not adapted to such conditions. Not only tanks, but also cars, tractors, and tractors were frozen into the ice. Spring did not bring relief either, turning snow-covered fields into seas of mud. The loss of transport led to an increase in the importance of the horse, which already in 1942 became the main driving force of German military power in Russia, and the command seriously thought about restoring cavalry units. And under these conditions, the Germans made an unexpected move: they began to form cavalry units from ... Cossacks and Kalmyks, who were primarily tasked with protecting the Wehrmacht’s extremely extended communications and fighting the partisans that were very annoying to the Germans. Volunteers for these units were recruited from local residents of the occupied areas, as well as from among emigrants who once fled from Soviet power. Just as in Soviet Russia after the revolution and civil war the government pursued a policy of eradicating the Cossacks, on the Don, Kuban and Terek there were many who wanted to fight against the Stalinist regime. During 1942, in these areas, not counting the many individual cavalry squadrons, 6 cavalry Cossack regiments were created - in fact, the Germans received an entire Russian cavalry corps into their army! True, Hitler did not trust the “Slavic Untermensch”, and therefore the Cossacks were mainly used in battles against partisans, although in 1943, when the Red Army approached the Cossack areas, the Wehrmacht Cossacks, defending their villages, took part in battles against regular Soviet units . In addition to the Cossack units, the Wehrmacht also included 25 Kalmyk squadrons - this is almost another cavalry brigade!

Russian Cossacks in service in the Wehrmacht

At the same time, in the spring of 1942, the Wehrmacht High Command began to revive German cavalry units on the Eastern Front. On the basis of the battle-worn divisional mounted reconnaissance squadrons, 3 mounted regiments were formed, which in 1944 were brought together into a new mounted division, consisting of two brigades. In the same year, these brigades were combined with the Hungarian Cavalry Division into the 1st Cavalry Corps of the Wehrmacht. In December 1944, this corps was transferred to Hungary, where it tried to relieve the German-Hungarian troops surrounded in Budapest. The corps suffered heavy losses in the battles, but was never able to complete the task. The combat path of the 1st Wehrmacht Cavalry Corps ended on May 10, 1945, when the cavalrymen laid down their arms and surrendered to British troops.

2. SS CAVALRY


Cavalrymen of the cavalry regiment CC "Death's Head" in the attack

In the SS troops, the first cavalry units were created in September 1939, impressed by the successes of the Wehrmacht cavalry brigade. These were four cavalry squadrons formed as part of the SS division “Totenkopf” to perform security service in the off-road conditions of Poland. This cavalry battalion was commanded by SS Standartenführer (Colonel) Hermann Fegelein. In April 1940, this unit was transformed into a regiment - the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment "Totenkopf"; now it had 8 squadrons, artillery and technical units. Within a year, the regiment had grown so much that it was divided into 2 regiments, which made up the 1st SS Cavalry Brigade (the nosy Fegelein, of course, remained the commander).
During the invasion of the USSR, the SS cavalry brigade fought as part of Army Group Center, and it had to fight on two fronts - both against the partisans and against the regular units of the Red Army. Due to high losses, the brigade was reduced to the size of a battalion by the spring of 1942 (only 700 people remained in the ranks), but at the same time earned a high reputation among the troops. Soon the remnants of the brigade were taken to Poland for rest and reorganization. On their basis, a new SS cavalry division of three regiments was formed, after which the SS cavalry returned to the Eastern Front. The division fought at the Dnieper and Pripyat; in 1943, the 4th regiment was added to it, and the strength of the division was 15,000 people. In 1944, SS cavalrymen fought on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, and were then transferred to Croatia to fight Yugoslav partisans. In March 1944, the division became “named” - it was given the name “Florian Geyer” in honor of the legendary hero of the peasant war of the 16th century. At the end of 1944, the SS Cavalry Division was sent to Hungary to defend Budapest; here she was surrounded and was virtually completely destroyed - only 170 SS cavalrymen escaped from the encirclement!

Cavalryman of the SS cavalry regiment and head of the SS cavalry, SS Brigadeführer Hermann Fegelein

In the same 1944, another cavalry division appeared as part of the SS troops - “Maria Theresa”. It was formed on the basis of the Florian Geyer division from Hungarian Volksdeutsch (Hungarians of German origin) and consisted of 3 regiments. However, this division did not exist for long: at the end of 1944, it, together with the Florian Geyer, was abandoned near Budapest, where the Maria Theresa was killed in its entirety.
To replace these lost divisions, the SS troops formed a new cavalry division, Lützow, in February 1945. However, they could not bring it to full strength: they managed to form only 2 regiments, so this “division” in reality was only a brigade. In the last days of the 3rd Reich, the Lützow division in Austria tried to keep Vienna from falling, and on May 5th it capitulated to the Americans.

Don Cossack of the Wehrmacht and German cavalry officer

Uniform of the Bavarian Cavalry
to the beginning of the First World War
(Bayerischen Kavallerie)

Long preface.
The German Empire emerged as a federation of independent German states in 1871. The Kingdom of Prussia became the formative center of the new empire. The King of Prussia simultaneously became German Emperor. At the same time, the main states included in the empire, in addition to Prussia, were the kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony and Württemberg. In addition to them, the empire included six great duchies, five duchies, seven principalities (furchestvo) and three free cities (Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck).

Each of the German states that were part of the empire had its own ruler (king, grand duke, duke, fürst, burgomaster) and enjoyed a certain degree of sovereignty. Of course, sovereignty was not complete and most of the rights belonged to the emperor (Kaiser). The degree of independence depended on the size of the state and its importance in the empire. And also on what rights this or that state was able to negotiate for itself when signing the union treaty. The principalities and free cities enjoyed the least rights, and the kingdoms the greatest.

Among the kingdoms, Prussia and Bavaria enjoyed the greatest rights. The latter in 1871 negotiated for itself the right to be considered not a part of the empire at all, but an allied kingdom. In the military field, the Bavarian army also enjoyed a certain independence. In particular, the Bavarian army was distinguished by its uniform, and its regiments, divisions and corps did not have imperial numbering.

For example, if the Saxon corps was called XII.(I.Königlich Sachsisches) Armeekorps, i.e. 12th (1st Royal Saxon) Army Corps, which meant that as an all-German unit it was the 12th Army Corps, and as a Saxon it was the 1st Corps; then the Bavarian corps was called, for example, I. Bayerisches Armeekorps, i.e. 1st Bavarian Army Corps.
Also, say, if the regiment of the Grand Duchy of Hesse was called Life Dragoon Regiment (2nd Grand Duchy of Hesse) No. 24, i.e. According to the general imperial numbering, the number of this regiment is 24; then in the Bavarian Army the regiment was called, for example, the 2nd Royal Lancer Regiment. Those. it does not have a national number.

The first mention of Bavaria as an independent state (duchy) dates back to 555 AD. In its development, Bavaria went through many stages during which it either became larger or smaller, then became part of stronger states, or regained independence.

Perhaps for the first time in Bavaria, an army appeared during the reign of the Elector of the Palatinate Maximilian I in 1623. He created a 20,000-strong mercenary army of landsknechts with infantry, cavalry and artillery. At this time, Bavaria was part of the Electorate of the Palatinate. However, it was a very expensive mercenary army, and it was disbanded in 1648 after the end of the Thirty Years' War.

The second army in Bavaria was created by Elector Maximilian II Emmanuel in 1682. It consisted of 7 infantry and 4 cavalry regiments. And again it was a mercenary army.

From the author. In general, Europe in past centuries was characterized by staffing its army with mercenaries. Subjects in the state were not too dependent on the authorities, and this, in turn, did not allow soldiers to be forcibly recruited into the army, except for a short time. It was easier to collect taxes and use them to support a mercenary army. Yes, and cheaper. Collected taxes, hired an army, started a war, finished fighting - disbanded the mercenaries... No worries about maintaining the army in peacetime, or training it. But this was good in an era of low level of military art, primitive weapons and simple tactics. In conditions when large armies were not required to wage war. Everything depended on the degree of wealth of the ruler.

We list only the cavalry regiments of 1682 without touching on the infantry and artillery:
*Cavalry Regiment of Karl Marquis de Haraucourt (in later times it would become the 1st Chevauleg.-Rgt.),
*Cavalry regiment of Johann Bärtls von Wendern (disbanded in 1685),
*Cavalry Regiment of Louis Marquis Beauvau de Croan ((in later times it would become the 2nd Chevauleg.-Rgt.)
*Cavalry regiment of Christoph Schütz von Schützenhofen (disbanded in 1757).

From the author. Judging by the names of the commanders, only the last of them is German. The rest are clearly French. Actually, these are not just commanders, but regiment owners. It was they, using their own funds and receiving part of the funds from the elector, who themselves recruited mercenaries anywhere, armed them and trained them. A kind of military business, a private military company.
This is where the tradition in Germany began of naming regiments after their commanders, that is, owners. When in Russia Emperor Paul began to often thoughtlessly (“as is customary in civilized states”) adopt the German experience, he also ordered that the regiments be named after the names of their commanders. And this in Russian reality, when regiment commanders were appointed and therefore often changed, brought nothing but inconvenience and confusion.
What I mean is that not everything that is suitable in Europe is suitable for Russia. We cannot thoughtlessly introduce something without taking into account other historical, political and mental conditions.

Chevolezhers - translated from French this is light cavalry. As well as hussars and lancers. Different names and different uniforms are just a reflection of national traditions. But the essence and tactics of application are the same. It’s surprising how, along with the hussars and lancers, the Chevolezhers never appeared in the Russian Army. Probably only because it is difficult to pronounce this word. But one could call them simply and in Russian (which is what they sometimes tried to do) light horse regiments. But why, sir, it’s impossible. All of Europe has hussars and lancers, and we will call them by their homespun - light horsemen. The enlightened world will not understand us. They will laugh.

At the beginning of the 17th century, Bavaria, in the War of the Spanish Succession, betrayed the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, of which it was then a part, and sided with France. After the defeat and occupation of Bavaria by the imperial troops, its army was disbanded, and the country itself lost the right to be an electorate (grand duchy). It was restored to its rights only in 1714 following the Peace of Baden.

In the last quarter of the 19th century, the Bavarian Wittelsbacher dynasty came to an end and Bavaria fell to the Elector of the Palatinate, Karl Theodor. The Army of Bavaria merged with the Army of the Palatinate and thereby increased by nine infantry and cavalry regiments.

At the end of the 18th century, the period of the Napoleonic wars began. Having captured Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte abolished the Holy Roman Empire, which included the Electorate of Bavaria. After the defeat of the anti-Napoleonic Third Coalition at the Battle of Austerlitz under the terms of the Peace of Presburg in 1805, Bavaria received a number of new territories.
The then ruler and dictator of Europe, the French Emperor Napoleon, transforms Bavaria from an electorate (grand duchy) into a kingdom. Elector of Bavaria Maximilian on January 1, 1806 takes the title of King of Bavaria Maximilian IV Joseph.

Thus since 1806 Bavaria has been a kingdom.

In 1812, a 30,000-strong Bavarian army took part in Napoleon's campaign against Russia. During the war, the army was almost completely destroyed. However, the king of Bavaria in 1813 recruited a new army and again took part in the war on the side of France.

Note that in 1813, the Bavarian army was recruited based on the principle of compulsory military service for the king's subjects. This principle would continue until the end of the Bavarian Army in 1918.

In the famous Battle of the Nations near Leipzig, seeing that by October 19, 1813 the French were losing, following the Saxon, Württemberg armies and parts of Baden, the Bavarian army (having previously concluded a secret agreement with the allies) betrays Napoleon and goes over to the side of the coalition.

From the author. That's it. The main thing is to change the owner in time. The usual age-old policy of small European states. We serve whoever is stronger at the moment. The most important thing is your own benefit. There are simply no concepts of honor and loyalty in the politics of small countries because there is no possibility of independent existence.
Something this is very reminiscent of today’s politics in Georgia, Moldova, and the Baltic mini-states. Don't miscalculate, gentlemen. America is overseas, Europe doesn’t need you, but Russia always will be a neighbor. Arguing with her is not the smartest thing to do, although it is tempting in the hope of getting baksheesh from the United States and the European Union. Or do you think that if something happens, you will again fly under the wing of Russia? Change your rulers and it's all over?
Unfortunately, they have reasons to believe so. Russia is too kind and trusting. But in vain.

Picture on the left: Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bavaria arr. 1846

After the end of the Napoleonic wars, the results of which were summed up by the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Bavaria, maintaining the status of a kingdom, became part of the resulting German Confederation, which consisted of the Austrian Empire, the kingdoms of Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, Hanover and Württemberg, as well as several duchies and cities.

Bavaria at this moment has an army consisting of 16 infantry and 12 cavalry regiments.

The German Confederation proved fragile due to the rivalry between Prussia and Austria for supremacy, and disintegrated after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Bavaria, which took part in the war on the side of Austria, concludes a peace treaty with Prussia.

In 1871, a new German state emerged, known as the German Empire or Second Reich, which would last until defeat in the First World War in 1918.

From the author. Actually, the correct word is not “German Empire”, but “German State” (Deutsches Reich) since the German word Reich is not translated as “empire”, but as “state”. There are two variants for the concept of empire in German - Imperium and Kaiserreich. However, the head of the Second Reich becomes King Wilhelm I of Prussia, who receives the title Kaiser, i.e. "emperor". Obviously for this reason, in our historiography it is customary to call Germany of that time an empire.

In connection with the rapid political and state transformations of the beginning of the second half of the 19th century, already in 1868 the Bavarian army was reorganized.

It should be noted that at the conclusion of the union treaty of 1871, Bavaria negotiated a number of conditions for itself that made it to some extent independent of the power of the Kaiser. In particular, in the field of army construction.
Thus, the Royal Bavarian Army is not part of the all-German army and is subordinate exclusively to the King of Bavaria. And only for the duration of the war does it come under the authority of the Kaiser.

Picture on the right: Historical and current flag of Bavaria.

The Bavarian army will take an active part in the First World War and will be disbanded on March 6, 1919 by the decision of the victorious powers even before the conclusion of the Versailles Peace Treaty.

From the author. In the history of Bavaria, this was not the first dissolution of its army, but the last. From that time on, Bavaria's army was already will never have, although with the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949, Bavaria will again negotiate for itself a number of special rights.

End of Preface

So, by 1913 and at the beginning of the First World War in 1914, the Bavarian Army consisted of three army corps:
*I. Bavarian Army Corps (I. Bayerisches Armeekorps):
-1st division (1. Division),
-2nd division (2. Division),

*II Bavarian Army Corps (II. Bayerisches Armeekorps):
-3rd Division (3. Division),
-4th division (4. Division),

*III Bavarian Army Corps (III. Bayerisches Armeekorps):
-5th Division (3. Division),
-6th Division (4. Division)-

Plus a number of individual units and institutions.

From the author. In the Bavarian army, as in the all-German army, divisions were not divided into infantry and cavalry (with the exception of the Prussian Guards Cavalry Division), as was customary in Russia. All cavalry regiments were distributed among divisions. IN Each division, in addition to two infantry brigades and a field artillery brigade, had a cavalry brigade of two regiments each.
Only after the start of the war in the Bavarian Army were several cavalry brigades removed from the divisions, from which the Bavarian Cavalry Division (no number) was formed.

This reflected the difference in views on war between Russian and German military science. In Russia, cavalry was considered something like modern tank divisions, and it was assumed that cavalry divisions would be introduced into a breakthrough and rapidly develop an offensive, depriving the enemy of the opportunity to restore the defense. In Germany, even then, cavalry was considered an auxiliary instrument at the tactical level and it was planned to assign one cavalry regiment to each infantry brigade in battle.

In general, both of them were wrong. The new means of destruction that developed at the beginning of the century (machine guns, artillery shrapnel shells, reconnaissance aircraft) led to the fact that the war ended in a positional deadlock and there was no place for cavalry on the battlefield. She has already sung her swan song.
In the Wehrmacht, revived in 1935, there was only one cavalry division, and even then the Germans themselves did not understand why it was needed. And during the war, it was reorganized into a tank.
In the USSR, the experience of the Civil War led to the fact that cavalry was maintained even during the Patriotic War and was eliminated only in 1955. The need and usefulness of cavalry in the Patriotic War is a subject of debate among historians.

So, the Bavarian cavalry in 1913. This is not the full composition of the division, but only the cavalry units that are part of the division:

* 1st Division (1. Division):
	*1st Cavalry Brigade (1. Kavalerie Brigade):
		*1st Heavy Reiter Regiment of Prince Charles of Bavaria (1.Schweres Reiter-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern)
		*2nd Heavy Reiter Regiment of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (2.Schweres Reiter-Regiment Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Ö sterreich)
* 2nd Division (2. Division):
	*2nd Cavalry Brigade (2.Kavalerie Brigade)
		*4th Chevoler Regiment of the King (4.Chevaulegers-Regiment Kö nig)
		*8th Chevolezher Regiment (8.Chevaulegers-Regiment)
* 3rd Division (3. Division):
	*3rd Cavalry Brigade (3.Kavalerie Brigade)
		*3rd Chevalier Regiment of Duke Karl Theodor (3.Chevaulegers-Regiment Herzog Karl Theodor)
		*5th Chevoler Regiment of Archduke Friedrich of Austria (5.Chevaulegers-Regiment Erzherzog Friedrich von Ö sterreich)
* 4th Division (4. Division):
	*4th Cavalry Brigade (4.Kavalerie Brigade)
		*1st Lancer Regiment of Emperor Wilhelm II King of Prussia) (1.Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm II. Kö nig von Preussen)
		*2nd Lancers of the King (2.Ulanen-Regiment Kö nig)
* 5th Division (5. Division):
	*5th Cavalry Brigade (5.Kavalerie Brigade)
		*1st Chevolezher Regiment of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia (1.Chevaulegers-Regiment Kaiser Nikolaus II von Russland)
		*6th Chevoler Regiment of Prince Albrecht of Prussia (6.Chevaulegers-Regiment Prinz A lbreht von Preuß en)
* 6th Division (.Division):
	*6th Cavalry Brigade (6.Kavalerie Brigade)
		*2nd Chevoler Regiment of Taxis (2.Chevaulegers-Regiment Taxsis)
		*7th Chevalier Regiment of Prince Alphonse (7.Chevaulegers-Regiment Prinz Alfons)

In total, the Bavarian cavalry consists of 12 cavalry regiments. Of these, two were heavy Reitar, two Uhlan and eight Chevolezher regiments.

From the author. There is no need to look for the difference between all these types of regiments. They all have the same composition, the same weapons and tactics of use. These are just traditional names. Only the uniform is slightly different. However, traditional names of regiments play an important educational and psychological role, which also cannot be discounted

This was not appreciated or understood in Russia by Minister of War P.S. Vannovsky, who did a lot of positive things in matters of transforming the army and bringing it into line with the changed military-political conditions, tactics and weapons. In 1882, he abolished the division of cavalry into light (ulans, hussars) and heavy (cuirassiers, dragoons), and transformed all cavalry regiments into dragoons, unifying their uniforms. From a purely military point of view, this transformation was necessary and expedient. But he turned the entire officer corps against himself, especially the cavalry officers. Only in 1908, Emperor Nicholas II corrected this mistake, returning the regiments to their previous names and partially their uniforms. While leaving the staff and armament of the regiments unchanged.

Two cuirassier regiments that existed before 1879 were renamed into heavy Reiter regiments after leather gloves with a pike on top were introduced as headdresses for them instead of metal cuirassier helmets and leather gloves with gauntlets were abolished. Breastplates, as a completely useless item, were abolished back in 1871. Their uniforms were blue with red cuffs of the Swedish type, formal trousers were black with brown leather leis, and everyday uniform colors were with red stripes. On his head is a black leather helmet with a pike.

It is curious that the cuffs of infantry type reiters, i.e. without a toe, usually characteristic of cavalry uniforms and not only in Germany.

The cuff is a detail of the sleeve, which is a flap outwards of its lower part. For officers, cuffs did not play a utilitarian role. However, like the cavalry soldiers, since both of them had gloves. But in winter, infantry soldiers turned their cuffs down, thereby lengthening their sleeves and protecting their hands from the cold.

In the USSR, cuffs were abandoned back in the thirties, since even then Stalin ordered that the Red Army soldiers be supplied with winter mittens, considering protecting the hands from the cold with long sleeves an unsatisfactory way. But in the Wehrmacht, cuffs gradually disappeared from uniforms during the war. And this was done only in the interests of saving fabric. The task of providing soldiers with gloves and other warm clothes was entrusted to the public organization “Winter Aid of the German People” (Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes - WHW), i.e. at the expense of the population.

These are the interesting facts that are discovered when you start looking for information not in propaganda publications, but in official documents. According to them, it turns out that the “bloody and ruthless Kremlin dictator” was still interested in the health and comfort of the soldiers. But for Hitler, the living conditions of the soldiers at the front were not very good.
Democratic states? In the fall of 1944, by November, the US Army had already lost 12 thousand soldiers from colds of the legs (rheumatism, trench foot, etc.) due to the fact that the soldiers were not provided with winter shoes.

The lancers had a Polish uniform, completely green, with double carmine red stripes on the trousers. On the head is a characteristic Uhlan headdress.

Chevolezhers had green Uhlan-type uniforms with a patched colored lapel in full dress uniform. On his head is a leather helmet with a pike like the Reitars. The shelves differed among themselves in the color of the instrument cloth and instrument metal.

A characteristic feature of the Bavarian cavalry uniform was the absence of any monograms, numbers, or designations on the epaulettes of officers and shoulder straps of lower ranks and officers. There is only a button at the collar and the officers have four-pointed stars denoting rank.

The picture on the left gives a general idea of ​​the Bavarian cavalry uniform and equipment. Shown here is an Oberleutnant of the 1st Heavy Reiter Regiment in his service uniform. The uniform is blue, trousers are black. The instrument cloth is crimson red, the instrument metal is silver. On the shoulders there are shoulder straps with insignia of ranks. Broadsword on the waist a sword belt worn under the uniform. There is a casual waist belt on the waist and a sling over the shoulder. On his head is a leather helmet in the everyday version. A revolver in a holster, which is part of a horse's equipment.

For all branches of cavalry in 1889-1900, steel tubular lances were introduced for the lower ranks. At the end of the pike, the soldiers had a flag of national Bavarian colors, non-commissioned officers had white flags with the Bavarian emblem.

It can be assumed that the vice-sergeants and sergeants did not have lances, just like the officers.

Hats.

The official headdress of the reitar and shevolezhers was black leather helmet with a pike on top(Ledershelm mit Sp itze) colloquially called Pitzekhaube. The helmet was worn in the ranks, in battle, while on guard duty, during drills and during any other official events. In parade formation instead of a pike, a plume of white horsehair was inserted into the pommel.
An emblem depicting the state coat of arms of Bavaria was attached to the frontal part of the helmet. The color of the metal fittings of the helmet depended on the regiment and was:
1st Reitar Regiment - silver,
2nd Reitar Regiment - gold,
1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th Chevolezher regiments - gold,
2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th Chevolezher regiments - silver.

For the lower ranks, the color of silver was achieved by tinning with tin, and the color of gold by leaving the fittings brass or copper. Officers could silver or gold the fittings accordingly.

From the author. Here everything depended on the wealth of the officer. He was required to have a certain amount of money per month for expenses (the so-called “financial qualification” established by the military department). At the same time, the salary was significantly below this qualification. The difference was covered either by mandatory assistance from parents or by income from the estate. At the same time, the officer did not have the right to engage in commercial activities in one way or another. Even through managers. And also borrow money from individuals or banks. Meanwhile, silvering, and even more so gilding the metal of a helmet cost a lot of money, and wearing a helmet with soldier-like fittings was somehow inappropriate.
Just like that, in Germany, young men from the lower and middle strata of society were excluded from access to officer ranks simply and without any complications. Without any legally established class restrictions, the absence of which in democratic European countries is always so admired by our liberal historians. And if we add to this the fact that the future German officer studied exclusively at the expense of his parents...
And in tsarist Russia, the cadets were fully supported by the treasury. And by the beginning of the century there were also no class restrictions. And the officer lived off his salary. There were no financial qualifications for them. True, in the guard, expenses for uniforms and other needs usually exceeded salaries. But this was already unofficial, although in reality it limited access to the guard for poor officers. But again, the restrictions are unofficial.

Like this. It’s worth digging a little deeper and reading the primary sources, and the donkey’s ears of lies from Russian, but Russophobic liberal writers and publicists are just asking to come out. Worthy students of Herzen and Ogarev.

Official headdress Uhlan regiments had characteristic ulank hats(Tschapkarabatte), which in everyday life were called shorter -Tschapka.

In general, it was also a black leather helmet of a slightly shorter height, which instead of a pike had a pommel, borrowed from Polish headdresses. In the ceremonial ranks, a white (for officers, vice-sergeants and sergeants, white and blue) plume of horsehair was inserted behind the cockade. The instrument cloth in both regiments is red, the instrument metal of the 1st Lancer Regiment is gold, and that of the 2nd Regiment is silver. An emblem identical to the emblem of the Reitar and Shevolezher headdresses was attached to the frontal part of the cap.

For everyday life, in all cases when wearing an official headdress was not required (in the barracks, during classes outside the formation, etc.), all military personnel wore soft cloth field caps (Feldmütze).

Officers and all non-commissioned officers of all cavalry regiments had caps with a black visor made of patent leather. The soldiers had caps without a visor. However, when going out into the city or on leave, soldiers were allowed to wear caps with a visor, purchased at their own expense.

The crown of the cap is the same color as the uniform, i.e. the reitar has a blue one, the ulans and shevolezhers have a green one.
The edging along the top of the crown is the color of instrument cloth, as is the band:
*In all Reitar and Uhlan regiments - red,
*1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Chevoler regiments - red,
*3rd and 6th Chevoler regiments - pink,
*The 7th and 8th Chevoler regiments are white.

A metal all-German cockade (with a red center) is attached to the crown of all shelves, and a Bavarian national cockade (with a blue center) is attached to the band.

No other headdresses were provided for in the Bavarian army.

From the author. And in these kind of headdresses, light uniforms and thin overcoats they were going to conquer Russia? The Germans, accustomed to the mild European climate, could not understand that our summers were short and our winters cold and long, and that such clothing was not suitable for the conditions of Russia. It is therefore not surprising that the lamentations of the German memoirists of the Second World War about the fact that everything in Russia was against them, especially the climate.

Uniforms.

The Reitars wore single-breasted uniforms (Waffenrock) of cornflower blue with crimson-red collars and the same cuffs of the Swedish type and crimson-red piping along the side. The cut of officer's and soldier's uniforms did not differ from each other. Buttons and braid of non-commissioned officers in the 1st regiment are silver, and in the 2nd regiment they are golden (the color of the instrument metal of the regiment).

In the photo on the right: the uniforms of a lieutenant of the 1st Heavy Reiter Regiment and a soldier of the 2nd Heavy Reiter Regiment.

Explanation of rank insignia.

Soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Bavarian cavalry (with the exception of the Lancers) wore pentagonal shoulder straps in the color of the regimental cloth with a button at the collar. There were no numbers, monograms, or insignia on the shoulder straps.

Signs indicating the rank of gefreiter were uniform buttons sewn on both sides of the collar.

The non-commissioned officer had a braid the color of the instrument metal of the regiment, running along the upper and front edge of the collar and a braid, running along the upper edge of the cuff.

The sergeant, in addition to the non-commissioned officer's braid, had buttons on his collar like a gefreiter's.

The vice-sergeant wore sergeant's insignia, which was complemented by an officer-style broadsword on an officer-style sword belt.

The sergeant wore the same insignia as the vice-sergeant, but the braid on the cuffs of the sleeves was not in one, but in two rows.

Officers had two types of insignia. They wore epaulets on their dress uniform, and shoulder straps on all other types of clothing.

The epaulettes have a field, spine and lining in the color of the shelf's instrument cloth. Braid, button and neck are metal colored.

Chief officers have epaulettes without fringe, while staff officers have fringes the color of instrument metal.

The ranks of officers differ in the number of four-pointed stars on the field of the epaulette.
-Lieutenant and Major - without asterisks,
-Oberleutnant and Oberstleutnant - 1 star,
-Rittmeister and Oberst - 2 stars.

From the author. It is worth noting that in the Bavarian cavalry, epaulettes are not the exclusive prerogative of officers.
In the Uhlan regiments, the lower ranks have no shoulder straps at all, and in all uniforms they wear epaulettes similar to the epaulettes of chief officers. So it is possible to distinguish a Uhlan lieutenant from an ordinary Uhlan only by the presence of an officer’s sword belt and an officer-style broadsword.

If shoulder straps for soldiers and non-commissioned officers only play the role of an indicator of belonging to heavy Reiter regiments, then for officers they play the role of a determinant of ranks. Officers wear epaulettes only on dress uniforms, and shoulder straps in all other cases.

The chief officers' shoulder straps consist of two rows of double soutache cord made of gray silk with blue and white stitching, laid on a backing the color of instrument cloth.

For headquarters officers, the shoulder straps are woven from the same soutache cord on the same backing in the color of instrument cloth.

In the picture on the left: photographs and diagrams of officer shoulder straps of the Bavarian Reiter regiments.

Ranks are determined by the number of four-pointed stars, just like on epaulettes, only the stars are located not across the shoulder strap, but along them.

From the author. An interesting feature of the Bavarian cavalry shoulder straps and epaulettes is that there are no numbers, monograms, or emblems. Only officers are entitled to stars. This contrasts sharply with the shoulder straps of other German states, and even with the shoulder straps of the Bavarian infantry, in which the infantry in the 1st and 3rd corps had the monograms of the regiment owners on their shoulder straps and epaulettes. But in the 2nd Corps and the infantry there were no monograms on shoulder straps and epaulettes.

It is worth clarifying the difference between the concepts of “Chef” and “owner of the regiment” (Inhaber). The Germans generally have a complex and confusing system of naming command and control personnel. If in our country the term “chief” meant a certain representative of the highest military aristocracy or monarch who takes care of the regiment, supervises it, adds money for regimental needs, etc., then in the German army this term refers to a military leader whose position it is difficult to apply the concept “ commander". Let's say, "chief of staff."
But the term “regiment owner” (Inhaber) in the German army is synonymous with the Russian concept of chief. This name is traditional, dating back to those distant times when a wealthy person recruited a regiment at his own expense, dressed it, armed it, and then offered the regiment’s services to one or another king.

End of explanation.

The uniform of the officers was belted with a braided officer's belt, the uniform of the lower ranks with a white leather belt. In front dress and in any combat uniform, a belt (matching in appearance with a waist belt) was worn over the left shoulder, on which a lyadunka was attached.

Explanation.
Lyadunka (in German) Katrusche) a small box worn on a shoulder strap. Before the adoption of cavalry service, revolvers played, in addition to a decorative role, a utilitarian role. Ready-made powder charges with bullets for pistols were stored in it; later, with the introduction of capsule pistols, caps (caps) were also stored in it.

End of explanation.

From the author. Before the adoption of rifled repeating carbines, firearms in the cavalry were considered secondary (in addition to bladed weapons - sabers, broadswords, swords, pikes). There were only a few guns per squadron. Moreover, each cavalryman was armed with a pair of flintlock pistols (later a revolver). It was believed that cavalrymen in battle used mainly edged weapons and rarely shot, from time to time. Therefore, instead of cartridge bags, the cavalry limited themselves to small boxes (lyadunki).
In the end, the frog became simply a decorative element of the cavalry uniform.

In addition to the uniform (Waffenrock), for wearing off duty and out of formation, officers had a frock coat (Überrock), which was worn with a cap. The color of the frock coat was the same as the uniform, the collar, edgings, edgings of cut cloth, buttons were the color of cut metal. That is, the Reitar officers had a blue frock coat, the Uhlan and Shevolezher officers had green ones.

Table of uniforms of heavy Reitar regiments:

Uniforms of the Uhlan regiments The cut differed from the Reitar ones and were called “Ulanka”. In addition, the uniform of the Uhlan regiments was not blue, but dark green.
The cutlery cloth is carmine red in both shelves. The instrument metal in the 1st Lancer Regiment is gold, in the 2nd Lancer Regiment it is silver.

The trousers are dark green with carmine red stripes.

In the photo on the right: Bavarian Lancer Rittmeister in full dress uniform (reconstruction).

Uhlan uniform, double-breasted, lapel type. Cavalry cuffs of the Polish type (with a toe and one button)
In full dress uniform, a red lapel is attached to the uniform, and a horsehair plume is attached to the ulanka hat. The lower ranks have a white sultan, while the officers, vice-sergeants and sergeants have a white and blue one.

With other types of uniforms, the uniform is without a lapel, and the ulanka hat is without a plume.

The broadsword is worn on a belt belt, which is worn over the uniform.

A kitish-vitish (a specially woven cord) is attached to the ulanka hat, which loops around the collar, passes from the collar to the chest, and the second end, which has tassels, is passed under the epaulette.

From the author. It is believed that kitish-vitish is intended so as not to lose the ulanka hat if it falls off the head. In reality, this is rather a decorative element of the uniform inherent to the lancers (and not only the Bavarians).

Officers wear epaulettes on their ulank uniform only in full dress uniform and on a frock coat (outside of duty), and lower ranks wear them on all types of uniforms. Only officers on their service uniform (uniform and frock coat) have shoulder straps.

The insignia of the lower ranks in the Uhlan regiments is similar to the insignia in the Reitar regiments. Officer insignia of ranks are similar to insignia in the Reiter regiments.

In the photo on the left: a gefreiter's ulanka (a button is visible on the collar). This is a service form. The red lapel is not fastened. There is a carmine red edging along the side.

The epaulettes of officers and lower ranks do not differ from each other in appearance, except that for officers the braid goes around the spine and along the upper edge, and for lower ranks only on the sides (as in the photo on the right)..

From the author. From secondary sources it follows that the lower ranks had brass galloons and necks in the 1st regiment and tin-plated ones in the 2nd regiment. Accordingly, the officers had gold (silver) braid, and the neck was gold (silver).

Caps in the Uhlan regiments were worn according to the same rules as in the Reitar regiments. The crown is dark green, the edging and band are carmine red. Officers and all non-commissioned officers had caps with a black visor made of patent leather. The soldiers had caps without a visor. However, when going out into the city or on leave, soldiers were allowed to wear caps with a visor, purchased at their own expense.

In addition to the uniform (Ulanka) for wearing both on and off duty, officers had a frock coat (Überrock), which was worn with a cap. The color of the coat is dark green, the collar, piping, piping are carmine red, and the buttons are the color of tool metal. In the service version, the frock coat was worn with shoulder straps, and outside of service with epaulettes.

Table of uniforms of Uhlan regiments.

Let us remind you that in the 1st Uhlan Regiment the instrument metal is gold, in the 2nd it is silver.

Uniforms of the Shevolezher regiments They were similar to the Uhlans, differing from them only in the cuffs of the Swedish type (as in the Reitar regiments). As in the Uhlan regiments, the Chevolezher uniforms and trousers were dark green. The headdresses (helmets) of the shevolezhers were similar to those of the Reitar.

It should be noted that each Chevoler regiment had a different color of instrument cloth and color of instrument metal.

1st Regiment: dark red cloth, gold metal.
2nd regiment: dark red cloth, silver metal.
3rd Regiment: pink cloth, gold metal.
4th Regiment: scarlet cloth, silver metal.
5th Regiment: scarlet cloth, metal and gold.
6th Regiment: pink cloth, silver metal.
7th Regiment: white cloth, gold metal.
8th Regiment: white cloth, metal - silver.

From the author. It is worth noting that the quality of fabric paint at the beginning of the 20th century in Germany was not too different from that in Russia. In an effort to preserve the decent appearance of the uniforms for as long as possible, they were painted in a very dark green color, which was difficult to distinguish from black. Over time, the uniform faded in the sun, becoming more and more green.

By the way, from the same opera, as they say, the often found, especially in the 19th century, white color of uniforms and trousers. Today's uniformists are often surprised at the "impracticality" of the creators of uniforms of that time, not taking into account the simple fact that it is just undyed fabric, from which any dirt comes off quite easily when washed, and drying in the sun bleaches it.
But natural dyes (roots, bark, flowers of plants) were quite expensive and very unstable to sunlight and rainwater.

In full dress uniform, a cloth-colored lapel is fastened to the chest. and a plume made of white horsehair is attached to the helmet. Officers also wear epaulettes. In other cases, the helmet is without a plume, the uniform is without a colored lapel, and all ranks wear shoulder straps.

Table of uniforms of the Chevolezher regiments.

In all cases, it must be remembered that a helmet with a plume is worn in full dress uniform, a helmet without a plume in service uniform in service. In all other cases, a cap is worn. Soldiers have a cap without a visor, non-commissioned officers and officers have a cap with a visor. The colored lapel on the uniform is worn only in full dress uniform, and the lapel is worn in full dress and service uniforms. The waist belt and lapel belt for lower ranks are made of white leather, for officers it is made of leather covered with galloon.

In barracks conditions, including during classes, the lower ranks of the cavalry usually wore jackets and trousers made of unbleached teak and caps.

In the photo on the left (reconstruction): the uniform, helmet and cap of an ordinary soldier (chevolezher) of the 5th shevolezher regiment.

Please note that on the front of the helmet there is the emblem of the Bavarian army ( Bayern Helmzierat) Instrument-colored metal shelf, pike-shaped pommel (everyday version of a helmet). Cap without a visor. On the crown there is a common German cockade, and on the band there is a Bavarian cockade.

From the author. Note that if the lower ranks have the color of gold on metal mold elements was achieved due to the fact that They were made of brass, and the color of silver was due to tinning, but for officers this was considered (unofficially) unacceptable. They had to gild or silver metal parts. And it was expensive.
At the same time, the officer was strictly forbidden to borrow money from both private individuals and bank loans. However, if we proceed from the fact that company commanders ordered fabrics for uniforms of lower ranks and their sewing from businessmen, then the latter, in order to receive orders from them...

Unfortunately, I could not find and describe clothes for the cold season (overcoats). It is only known that in Bavarian overcoats were the color of camel hair, on the collars (of the same color) of the lower ranks there were buttonholes in the shape of a parallelogram in the color of the instrument cloth, on the shoulders there were shoulder straps similar to the uniform ones. Officers' overcoat collars are blue for reitars, and green for lancers and shevolezhers. There are no buttonholes on the collars of officers' greatcoats.

In the photo on the right: the overcoat of the chief officer of the Reitar regiment. The ribbon of the award - "Iron Cross" - is threaded into the buttonhole.

However, the above describes the uniforms of the Bavarian cavalry, which they wore in peacetime and fought until the introduction of field uniforms M07/10 , which was conducted based on the lessons of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-05. The Bavarians introduced field uniforms slowly and this process dragged on almost until the start of the war. For example, in the first months of the war, cavalrymen wore the same helmet as a headdress, only covered with a gray linen cover.
The color of the field uniforms became gray (feldgrau) instead of blue and green. At the same time, all colored edgings and stripes were preserved. Later, during the war, changes and simplifications of the form will occur. But this is no longer the topic of this article.

November 2016

Sources and literature

1. H.F.W.Schulz.Bayer.-Säsch.- und Württemberg. Kav.-Reg. 1913/1914. Weltbild Verlag GmbH. Augsburg. 1992
2. H.Knötel, P.Pietsch, E.Janke B.Collas. Uniformenkunde das Deutsche Heer. Dependroick-Grüter. Hamburg.1939
3. G. Ortenberg, I. Promper. Preuß ischen-Deutsche Uniformen v.1640-1918. Orbis Verlag. Munich. 1991
4. D. Eisenhower. Crusade to Europe. Rusich. Smolensk 2000
5. O. Bradley. A soldier's story. Isographus. EKSMO-Press. Moscow. 2002

North, Jonathan.
H82 Soldiers of the First World War 1914-1918. Uniforms, insignia, equipment and weapons / Jonathan North; [transl. from English M. Vitebsky]. - Moscow: Eksmo, 2015. - 256 p. ISBN 978-5-699-79545-1
"Soldiers of the First World War"- a complete encyclopedia of the history of military uniforms and equipment of the armies that fought on the fronts of the “Great War”. Its pages show the uniforms of not only the main countries of the Entente and the Triple Alliance (England, France, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary), but also of all the countries involved in this terrible conflict.

G E R M A N I
CAVALRY
The German cavalry played an important role in 1914, but as the war continued its importance (and numbers) gradually declined. By 1918 it had practically disappeared. In 1914, there were still traditional differences between heavy cavalry (used to deliver powerful attacks on the battlefield, the role assigned to German cavalry in the 1970s) and light cavalry. The difference between dragoons and cuirassiers - usually kept in reserve - and hussars, lancers and mounted rangers was significant. The latter were usually used for reconnaissance and patrol service. Light cavalry moved ahead of the main body of the German army when it invaded Belgium and during offensive operations in Poland in 1914–1915. The German lancers were considered omnipresent and extremely active. This misconception is explained by the fact that most German cavalrymen were armed with pikes, so they were mistaken for lancers.

Heavy Cavalry
Cuirassiers wore feldgrau-colored uniforms with a standing collar, Swedish cuffs and shoulder straps. Regimental colors were reflected in the edging of the shoulder straps (there was a white braid on the inside of the edging), on the collar, on the cut of the front flap of the uniform and on the cuffs (officers had no piping on the collar and cuffs; in the Saxon Regiment there was no piping on the collar). Regimental braid was sewn onto the collar and cuffs of the uniform. In some regiments, the regimental number was indicated in red on the shoulder straps. The shoulder straps in the 1st, 2nd, 6th, 8th and 9th regiments had encryption; in the Bavarian regiments the shoulder straps were simple, with red edging.
The heavy cavalry wore black helmets with a pointed pommel (model 1889) with a long backplate and state cockades, as well as a badge representing the corresponding symbol of the state (for the Saxons it was a star). The helmet was worn with a light green cover, on which, from September 1914, the regimental number was indicated in green. The Bavarians wore a helmet similar to that of the Bavarian infantry. The color of the cap band matched the color of the regiment. The breeches were gray, without piping, often reinforced with leather inserts. For footwear, high boots (with knee protection) were worn, although ordinary boots made of genuine leather were sometimes worn instead. At the end of 1914, a simplified cut uniform was introduced, and in 1915, a blouse with white shoulder straps and piping in regimental colors was introduced. In 1916, cavalrymen began wearing steel helmets.

Dragoons
Initially, dragoons were horse-mounted infantrymen, but by the end of the 19th century they had, by all indications, turned into real heavy cavalry. German dragoons wore gray uniforms with a standing collar (with piping in accordance with the established order) and regimental color piping on Swedish cuffs. The shoulder straps also had edging of the regimental color (for officers, the color of the lining of the shoulder straps corresponded to the color of the regiment). On the shoulder straps the number of the regiment was indicated in red (in the 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th, 17th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th regiments on the monogram was placed on the shoulder straps). In the 23rd and 25th regiments, galloons were worn on collars and cuffs. In 1914, all regiments wore helmets with a pointed top like in the infantry with state emblems (in the 1st and 3rd regiments these were guards eagles) and cockades. The 9th and 16th Regiments wore badges of honor on their helmets for their participation in the Battle of Waterloo. In addition, on the helmets of the dragoons of the 9th regiment there were honorary badges for participation in the Peninsular War and the Battle of Girda. The band of the cap was the color of the regiment; On the caps of the 2nd regiment, an emblem in the form of an eagle was worn between the cockades. In 1915, the uniforms were replaced by blouses with blue shoulder straps and piping in regimental colors. Since 1916, Dragoons began to wear steel helmets.

Hussars
In 1914, the hussars retained their original uniform, which bore the imprint of traditional hussar attire. They wore an Attila uniform (model 1909), which was based on a dolman, with a black and gray (for the Saxons, green) cord decorating the front of the uniform and embroidery on the back. The shoulder cords were woven from twisted galloon tape in the regimental color and the historical color of the regiment (see table). Officer's shoulder straps of regimental color had edging matching the color of the cord. The hussars wore black fur shakos with a state cockade, which was not covered by a gray cover, and a chin strap. The regiment number was indicated in green on the case. The caps had a band of regimental color (in the 1st, 2nd and 17th regiments there was a skull between the cockades). Breeches with braid and cord were worn tucked into boots. In 1915, blouses were introduced, but many regiments continued to wear the Attila uniform.

Bavarian Chevolers
The German army included eight regiments of Bavarian light cavalry (chevaux-leger), uniformed in gray ulankas with Swedish cuffs and a stand-up collar. The colors of the edgings are shown in the table. Until 1916, Chevolezers wore helmets with a pointed pommel and the Bavarian coat of arms. The Bavarian light cavalry then switched to steel helmets.

Horse huntsmen
The 13 horse-jaeger regiments wore greenish-gray uniforms with standing collars and Swedish cuffs. In the 1st and 8th regiments the edgings were white, in the 2nd and 9th - red, in the 3rd and 10th - yellow, in the 4th and 11th - blue, in the 6th and in the 13th they are blue and in the 7th they are pink. The regiment number was indicated in red on the shoulder straps. Only the 1st Regiment had a monogram on its shoulder straps. Until 1916, horse huntsmen wore helmets with a pointed top.

Lancers
German lancers wore a modified version of the traditional Polish uniform. Its elements were a squat hat with a square top, an ulanka uniform (reminiscent of a Polish jacket) with a lapel and rounded shoulder straps (on the shoulder straps of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th , 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, and 21st regiments had red numbers). Red piping went around the lapel, collar, cuffs and shoulder straps. The uniform had a standing collar (except for the Bavarian regiments) and Polish cuffs (with a toe). Since March 1915, the lancers began to wear uniforms of a simplified style with scarlet shoulder straps with piping in regimental colors.

Knowing about the Great Patriotic War only from Soviet and Russian films, Russian citizens know practically nothing about the Wehrmacht cavalry.

In people's minds, the Germans are always on motorcycles, armored personnel carriers, trucks, tanks, and they dismount only to offend the peasants, or when they are holding the line. The motorization of the Wehrmacht is greatly exaggerated, so in each infantry division there was a purely cavalry detachment - a reconnaissance detachment.

Its staff strength was 310 people - the detachment was supposed to have 216 horses, 2 motorcycles, 9 cars (or armored cars). This cavalry squadron was reinforced with 75 mm field guns, or 37 mm anti-tank guns.

The Wehrmacht also had a separate cavalry unit - in 1939, a cavalry brigade - it participated as part of Army Group North, in the battles on the Narew and the capture of Warsaw. In the fall of 1939 it was converted into a cavalry division and took part in the French Campaign. Its staff consisted of 17 thousand horses. Before the invasion of the USSR, it was part of the 2nd Panzer Group of G. Guderian, as part of Army Group Center. The division quite successfully maintained the pace of the offensive, together with tank units.

The only problem was the supply of horses in the winter of 1941-1942. it was transformed into a tank division (24th TD). But in the middle of 1942, one cavalry regiment was created in all three army groups - “North”, “Center”, “South”. In 1944, these regiments were increased to 2 brigades - the 3rd and 4th. The 3rd and 4th Cavalry Brigades, together with the 1st Hungarian Cavalry Division, were brought together into the Von Harteneck Cavalry Corps, which fought on the border of East Prussia, and in December 1944, it was thrown into Hungary. In February 1945, the cavalry brigades were reorganized into cavalry divisions. Composition of the 3rd Cavalry Division: 2 cavalry regiments, 1 artillery regiment, 1 anti-tank battalion, 1 Cossack battalion, 1 communications battalion. Composition of the 4th Cavalry Division: 2 cavalry regiments, 1 artillery regiment, 1 anti-tank battalion, 1 communications battalion. In March 1945, they took part in the Wehrmacht offensive at Lake Balaton, in one of the most fierce battles of the war. In April they retreated to Austria, where they surrendered to the Americans.

Besides cavalry was created in the elite unit of the Third Reich SS- in 1941, an SS cavalry brigade was created in Poland; in the summer of 1942, it was deployed to the 1st SS Cavalry Division. In 1944, two SS cavalry divisions were formed - the 8th Florian Geyer, the 22nd Maria Theresa, both died surrounded near Budapest. From the remnants, in March 1945, the 37th SS Cavalry Division "Lützow" was created. Conducted heavy fighting north of Vienna in March 1945. The surviving remnants of the division surrendered to the Americans in Austria.

The Wehrmacht also had Cossack cavalry units - in August 1943, the 1st Cossack Cavalry Division was created, made up of prisoners of war and volunteers. Composition: 1st Don Cossack Horse Regiment, 2nd Siberian Cossack Horse Regiment, 3rd Kuban Cossack Horse Regiment, 4th Kuban Cossack Horse Regiment, 5th Don Cossack Horse Regiment, 6th Terek Cossack Horse Regiment, artillery detachment (two mounted Cossack artillery battalions), Cossack engineer battalion, Cossack communications battalion. The division fought in the Balkans, against NOAU partisans. At the end of December 1944, she was transferred from the Wehrmacht to the SS troops. In February 1945, the 15th SS Cossack Cavalry Corps, numbering 40-45 thousand people, was deployed on its basis. Composition: 1st and 2nd Cossack divisions, Plastun brigade.

Thus, it is clear that the German command did not consider cavalry to be an obsolete branch of the military and used them quite successfully. Constantly increasing the number of its cavalry. Cavalry regiments, brigades, and divisions were completely modern means of waging maneuver warfare, and the German command understood this very well. Cavalry units were also used quite successfully in anti-partisan operations in wooded areas.

One of the accusations against Stalin sounds like “On horses against tanks.” This material refutes this myth.

This phrase from Alexander Glebovich Nevzorov inspired us:

“In 1941, near Moscow, near the village of Muzino. The German 106th Division, supported by the 107th Lieutenant Regiment, was awaiting the order to attack, and at that moment the cavalrymen of the 44th Cavalry Division of the Red Army rushed towards them. Galloping, swords drawn. At a distance of a thousand yards, the Germans opened fire with cannons and machine guns. According to an eyewitness, two thousand horses were killed in six minutes. About thirty bleeding horses reached the German positions, where they were already shot at point-blank range with rifles and machine guns. The Germans did not lose a single person in the battle near the village of Muzino. The name of the idiot who gave the 44th division the order to attack does not seem significant to me. In the world history of cavalry there have been such idiots

Task. Trace the combat path of 44 kd in the Battle of Moscow (Moscow defensive operation) in the period from 09/30/1941 to 12/5/1941.

It is noteworthy that the date is not indicated; we would add that the location is indicated, apparently, incorrectly, since such a settlement is not indicated either on the operational map or in the operational reports. The numbers and designations of the units are also questioned by us, since apparently the designation of the PP (infantry regiment) was deciphered by Nevzorov as a sub-regiment, which, as far as I know, did not exist. This is what makes everything difficult. So let's begin...

The 44th Mountain Cavalry Division was concentrated in Central Asia (if I’m not mistaken on the border with Iran), and arrived on the Southwestern Front no earlier (we were unable to determine more precisely) November 15, 1941.

“The 17th, 20th, 24th and 44th cavalry divisions (each with 3 thousand people) who arrived from Central Asia formed the second echelon (emphasis added). The horses turned out to be not re-shod for the winter, and in the Moscow region the ground was already frozen, ice appeared in the wetlands, and this made it difficult for the cavalry to move. The fighters and division commanders did not yet have the skills to operate in rough, wooded and swampy terrain.” (K.K. Rokossovsky. Soldier's duty. Part 4)

The actual strength of the mountain cavalry division is:

a) The composition of the cavalry in peacetime by January 1, 1938. Cavalry in peacetime (by January 1, 1938) consists of: 2 cavalry divisions (5 mountain and 3 territorial), separate cavalry brigades, one separate and 8 reserve cavalry regiments and 7 cavalry corps directorates. The number of peacetime cavalry as of January 1, 1938 was 95,690 people.

b) Organizational measures for cavalry 1938-1942.

In 1938:

a) the number of cavalry divisions is proposed to be reduced by 7 (from 32 to 25), disbanding 7 cavalry divisions using their personnel to replenish the remaining divisions and to strengthen mechanized troops and artillery;

b) disband two departments of cavalry corps;

c) disband two reserve cavalry regiments;

d) in 3 cavalry corps, form one anti-aircraft artillery division (425 people each);

e) reduce the composition of the cavalry division from 6,600 people to 5,900 people;

f) leave the cavalry divisions of OKDVA (2) in reinforced strength (6800 people). The number of mountain cavalry divisions is 2620 people."

From the report of the People's Commissar of Defense K. Voroshilov to the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, autumn 1937.

That is, the number of 44 cavalry regiments was 2620 people, 2 “incomplete” cavalry regiments - 45 and 51. We will need this.

The first place I rushed was Google, and this is what I managed to find:

“11/15-12/5, right wing troops (30A, 16A, 1ud. A and 20A) West. front (Army General G.K. Zhukov) in cooperation with Kalinin. front (general-general I.S. Konev) during the Moscow defensive operation of 1941. The goal is to prevent the breakthrough of the attack group of the pr-ka (3rd and 4th tank groups) to Moscow with the North. Soviet stubborn defense The troops inflicted significant damage on the enemy and thwarted his plan. This allowed the owls. the command will gain time to concentrate strategic reserves and launch a counteroffensive.

From Zhukov’s order of November 1: “The defense should be carried out as an active defense, combined with counterattacks. Don't wait for the enemy to strike himself. Launch counterattacks yourself... This is what our Stalin teaches us.”

...On November 15, the 58th Tank Division, which arrived from the Far East and did not have time to conduct reconnaissance of the enemy’s terrain and location, advancing through the swamps, lost 157 tanks out of 198 and a third of its personnel. At the same time, an attack was carried out by the 17th and 44th cavalry divisions on a wide field against the German infantry and tanks of the 4th Panzer Group, which had managed to dig in. The 44th was almost completely destroyed, and the 17th lost 3/4 of its personnel. The 316th Infantry Division was going to attack from the south towards Volokolamsk.”

The date indicated is November 15th. Nevzorov also tells us about 2000 corpses (more than a cavalry regiment). That is, the combat effectiveness of the division should be almost zero - wild losses plus the moral factor. However, let us allow ourselves to doubt this. And here's why.

“11/19/44 cd was concentrated in the area of ​​BORIKHINO - BOGAIKHA - PETROVSKOE.

21.11 44 ​​cd is concentrated in the SPAS-NUDOL area.

21.11 44 ​​cavalry division from the SPAS-NUDOL area was advanced to support units of the 18th and 78th infantry divisions in the YADROMINO-KHOLUYANIKHA area; its position is being clarified.

22.11 44 ​​cd: 45 cp at 15.00 22.11 passed GORKI, with the task of capturing the BACLANOVO - TRUNYAEVKA - SITNIKOVO area; The 51st CP at 7.30 entered into battle with two enemy battalions and by 15.00, having lost up to 150 people killed and wounded and 4 guns, withdrew with one squadron to the KRESTENEVO area, and the rest of the forces to the SKRIPASHCHEVO area.

11/23 Remains 44 cd, 1 guards. TBR, 23, 27 and 28 TBR are concentrated in the SAVELYEVO area.

Dovator's cavalry group, 44 cavalry division, two battalions of the 8th Guards. The SD and tank battalions of the 129th and 146th Tank Brigades at 13.00 on November 24 launched a counterattack from the line KRESTY - SKORODUMYE - OBUKHOVO - KRYVTSOVO and captured the STRELino - SHAKKINO - MARTYNOVO - SELISHCHEVO area.

18th Infantry Division, 1st Guards. Tbr, 54 kp 44 kd conducted holding battles with the enemy at the same line.

27.11 2nd Guards kk (3.4 guard cavalry and 44 cd) firmly held the defense line MIKHAILOVKA - SNOPOVKA - ^ ZHUKOVO.

28.11 2nd Guards kk (3rd, 4th guards cd and 44 cd) restrained the enemy advance at the line BEREZKA - ROSTOVTSEVO - ALEXEEVSKOE - northern. edge of the forest south of MILECHKINO.

30.11 44 ​​cd, defending the western outskirts of KRYUKOVO, restrained the enemy advance with a force of up to a point with 30 tanks.

1.12 44 kd occupied the line MTS (north-eastern outskirts of KRYUKOVO) - KIRP (east of KRYUKOVO).

2.12 8th Guards sd, 44 cd and 1 guards. TBR fought at the line ALEXANDROVKA - KRYUKOVO - KAMENKA. After fierce fighting. ALEXANDROVKA and KAMENKA were abandoned by our units. 10 enemy tanks were destroyed in KRYUKOVO.

3.12 2nd Guards US from 20 and 44 cd defended the line KUTUZOVO - RUZINO - BREKHOVO, advancing with part of its forces on the KAMENKA area.

4.12 44 cd after a fierce unsuccessful battle for the Kamenka area, it retreated to the western edge of the forest east of the Kamenka area, where it went on the defensive.”

(Battle of Moscow. Chronicle, facts, people: In 2 books - M.: OLMA-PRESS, 2001. - Book 1.)

We see that all this time the division is constantly fighting, and also counterattacking. And given the huge shortage of human and horse resources, most likely they could not replenish the unit to two cavalry regiments. In addition, on the operational map published on the same website, we see that on November 15, 1941, the 44th cavalry division was in the second echelon and did not take part in the battles, which is consistent with other sources. These maps agree quite well with the materials we presented earlier. We will rely on them. So, on November 22, 1941, the division has the task of capturing the BAKLANOVO - TRUNYAEVKA - SITNIKOVO area (45 checkpoints from the Gorka area); The 51st CP (from the Kostenevo area) at 7.30 entered into battle with two enemy battalions (exactly the same 106th Infantry Division, covering the flank of the 2nd (tank division) advancing on Baklanovo-Vvedenskoye-Misirevo) and by 15.00, having lost up to 150 people killed and wounded and 4 guns, withdrew with one squadron to the Krestenevo area, with the rest of the forces to the Skripischevo area (apparently you can trust the data in the book, since it reports large losses (more than 40-50%)). Speaking of expediency: this strike was directed at the flank of the advancing enemy (2 TD and 106 PD) in order to disrupt the offensive. That is, the most effective of the possible options is to use mobile formations to flank the enemy’s mobile formations. But the Germans covered their flanks well. Apparently this battle is meant, although we can only assume this with a high degree of probability.

The order to attack most likely came from the immediate superiors - the commander of the 16th Army, Lieutenant General (future Marshal, twice Hero of the USSR) K. Rokossovsky. It should be recalled that it is to this “idiot” (like many other “idiots” from the cavalry, of which “there were a lot,” because most of them served in the cavalry under the Tsar) that we owe our lives. And they should know their names and surnames. Know and respect.

It was precisely through constant counter-offensives and advances that the initiative had to be wrested from the enemy.

“The offensive will continue to remain the most decisive type of military action. Psychological considerations require that combat training and troop leadership be based on preparation for offensive actions. An army that is not trained in an offensive spirit is like a knight without a sword. Troops well prepared for offensive operations will, after appropriate training, be able to withstand the defensive.”

“The attack is carried out on the enemy in order to crush him. It allows us to impose our will on the enemy and forces him to conduct military operations in a direction favorable to us. In the offensive, the superiority of the commander and troops is most clearly demonstrated (Emphasis added by us).”

(Eike Middeldorf. Russian company: tactics and weapons. St. Petersburg. Polygon Publishing House, 2000)

Only the offensive allowed the cavalry units to fully demonstrate all their qualities. Most of the losses in the horse composition, according to the recollections of WWII veterans, occurred from bombing and artillery shelling when the horses were standing. In addition, oddly enough, near Moscow our units, generally leading defensive battles, the best they could do (and did) was to attack. At the first opportunity. The success of defensive actions primarily depends on the organization of counterattacks, and cavalry divisions, in the absence of tank formations larger than a brigade, were the most successful. Unfortunately, the contribution that our grandfathers made who fought on horseback was unfairly forgotten. And we owe this to Comrade Nevzorov and others like him.

Another thing is that often, due to the very tense situation at the front, attacks were poorly prepared, communications with the units participating in the offensive were poorly organized. In the rush of a defensive battle, when German tank divisions broke through into the depths of the defense, counterattack formations were brought into battle piecemeal, as they arrived, often without proper preparation. The inexperience of soldiers and commanders at the initial stage of the war can also serve as some justification for large losses, however, more on that later. The victory was forged near Moscow and both the cavalry and the horses separately were invested in it.

In general, we consider it necessary to note that the cavalry corps were one of the most combat-ready formations of the Red Army. As noted earlier, by 1939 the number of cavalry was declining.

“Cavalry formations were reorganized into mechanized ones. In particular, this fate befell the 4th Cavalry Corps, whose command and 34th division became the basis for the 8th Mechanized Corps. The commander of the cavalry corps, Lieutenant General Dmitry Ivanovich Ryabyshev, headed the mechanized corps and led it in June 1941 into battle against German tanks near Dubno.”

In 1923, B. M. Shaposhnikov’s book “Cavalry (Cavalry Sketches)” was published, which outlines the role and tasks of cavalry in modern warfare. There is no glorification of cavalry or revaluation of its role in sight. Many of our talented generals and marshals came from the cavalry - three times Hero of the USSR Budyonny, four times Hero of the USSR Zhukov, twice Hero of the USSR Rokossovsky, Hero of the USSR Eremenko, twice Hero of the USSR Lelyushenko and many more. They all understood that although it is necessary to take into account the experience of the Civil War, military thought does not stand still and cavalry in a modern war must have slightly different tasks than those that were set before it.

Field manual of the Red Army in 1939: “The most appropriate use of cavalry formations together with tank formations, motorized infantry and aviation is ahead of the front (in the absence of contact with the enemy), on the approaching flank, in the development of a breakthrough, behind enemy lines, in raids and pursuit. Cavalry formations are able to consolidate their success and hold the terrain. However, at the first opportunity they should be relieved of this task in order to preserve them for maneuver. The actions of a cavalry unit must in all cases be reliably covered from the air.” Compound:

“The regular cavalry divisions of 1941 had four cavalry regiments, a horse artillery division (eight 76 mm guns and eight 122 mm howitzers), a tank regiment (64 BT tanks), an anti-aircraft division (eight 76 mm anti-aircraft guns and two batteries of anti-aircraft machine guns), a communications squadron, a sapper squadron and other rear units and institutions. The cavalry regiment, in turn, consisted of four saber squadrons, a machine gun squadron (16 heavy machine guns and four 82-mm mortars), regimental artillery (four 76-mm and four 45-mm guns), an anti-aircraft battery (three 37-mm guns and three quadruple “maxims”). The total staff strength of the cavalry division was 8968 people and 7625 horses, and the cavalry regiment was 1428 people and 1506 horses, respectively. A two-divisional cavalry corps roughly corresponded to a motorized division, having slightly less mobility and a lighter weight of an artillery salvo.”

(Isaev A. Antisuvorov. Ten myths of the Second World War. - M.: Eksmo, Yauza, 2004.)

We can see that a cavalry unit is not only horses and sabers, but also artillery, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, machine guns... The cavalry was a formidable, completely modern force, very mobile (at times cavalry units were required to travel up to 90-95 km, which is a difficult task for mechanized units) and is practically independent of fuel and has the highest maneuverability, where a tank cannot pass, a horse will pass. In addition, the majority of cavalry units are old units with their own established combat traditions (for example, the 5th and 2nd cavalry divisions), ideologically and psychologically strong, or recruited from regions traditionally strong in cavalry - Terek, Kuban (2nd Guards Cavalry - 50 and 53 cd - Dovator’s building). Unlike mechanized corps, cavalry corps in 1941 were able to survive all retreats and encirclements, constantly counterattacking, carrying out raids behind enemy lines and coming to the aid of other parts of our army.

Here is an excerpt from the book by Heinz Guderian (the same Colonel General Hapner served under his command) “Memoirs of a Soldier.” (Smolensk: Rusich, 1999.)

“On September 18, a critical situation developed in the Romny area. Early in the morning, the noise of battle was heard on the eastern flank, which became increasingly intensified over the next period of time. Fresh enemy forces - the 9th Cavalry Division and another division together with tanks - were advancing from the east on Romny in three columns, approaching the city at a distance of 800 m. From the high prison tower located on the outskirts of the city, I had the opportunity to clearly observe how The enemy was advancing, the 24th Tank Corps was tasked with repelling the enemy advance. To carry out this task, the corps had at its disposal two battalions of the 10th motorized division and several anti-aircraft batteries. Due to the superiority of enemy aviation, our aerial reconnaissance was in serious condition. Lieutenant Colonel von Barsevisch, who personally flew out for reconnaissance, barely escaped the Russian fighters. This was followed by an enemy air raid on Romny. In the end, we still managed to keep the city of Romny and the forward command post in our hands... The threatened position of the city of Romny forced me to move my command post back to Konotop on September 19. General von Geyer made it easier for us to make this decision with his radiogram, in which he wrote: “The transfer of the command post from Romny will not be interpreted by the troops as a manifestation of cowardice on the part of the command of the tank group.”

Apparently there is no neglect or underestimation of the enemy. Cavalry enemy! And only cavalry could successfully operate in an isolated breakthrough (raid), causing damage to materiel, destroying warehouses, destroying communications, equipment and manpower of the enemy. Her contribution to the Victory cannot be underestimated.

In conclusion, I would like to say the following. Now I quite often hear or read that they did the wrong thing back then and killed a lot of people... I read from Nevzorov about the pointlessness of using cavalry, about the terrible suffering of horses in war. In my deep conviction, war is the greatest disaster for all living things. And not just for the horse. It is absurd and wrong to evaluate the military from the standpoint of peacetime and peaceful views.

A military man first of all carries out an order, no matter how incomprehensible it may sometimes be for him, he must carry it out. Because the command knows more, it has an idea of ​​the entire operational situation. And therefore, to consider individual attacks, even if they ended in failure, in isolation from premises, consequences, pulling him by the ears to my calculations, I consider fundamentally incorrect from a scientific point of view and complete disrespect for those who fought then, from general to soldier. Apparently, after so many years, working out in a warm stable with your horses, you can rant about the meaninglessness of the War and the liberation of Europe, without ever coming into contact with the horrors that actually happened. I am in awe of veterans and immensely grateful to them. All this is part of the history of my Country, and therefore of me personally. To disrespect her is to disrespect yourself.

And the anti-Soviet people don’t understand that the cavalrymen rode horses. Instead of going on horseback to attack the tanks. This is the same as thinking that motorized riflemen are attacking in trucks.