PRUSSIA – SHOOTING AWARD – OFFICER – 1. GARDE-REGIMENT ZU FUß – ORIGINAL PRESENTATION BOX

PRUSSIA – SHOOTING AWARD – OFFICER – 1. GARDE-REGIMENT ZU FUß – ORIGINAL PRESENTATION BOX

by | Sep 5, 2019

PRUSSIA – SHOOTING AWARD – OFFICER – 1. GARDE-REGIMENT ZU FUß – ORIGINAL PRESENTATION BOX

Extremely special shooting award for the regimental commander of the 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß. This regiment was the most elite of all German infantry regiments. 1. Garde Regiment zu Fuß had more noblemen and members of royalty who served in the regiment or were a la Suite officers than ANY other regiment.

Founded in 1688, making it amongst the oldest Prussian infantry regiments, 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß, had a long and proud history. The regiment was garrisoned in Potsdam where the most prestigious of the Garde-Regiments were based. This included the Regiment des Garde du Corps. Pretty rich company!

This shooting award, first authorized in January 190, was worn until 1914. Below is a list of the regimental commanders of 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß. It should be noted that each man went on to become a general officer before he retired:

• Karl von Plattenberg
• Gustav von Berg
• Karl Wilhelm von Willisen
• Friedrich von Kleist
• Friedrich von Friedeburg
• Prinz Eitel Friedrich (The second son of Kaiser Wilhelm II.)
• Friedrich von Bismarck

This list consists of seven men who served as regimental commander from1901-1914. This is a very elite group and as we continue our description you will find out how very special this item is. We cannot say with certainty which of the seven this shooting award belonged to, it does narrow down the owner.
The shooting award or shooting badge or more formally “Schützenschnur” (Besondere Kaiser Schnur as it was bestowed by the Kaiser).

The badge consists of a massive rope of silver bullion that extends 49”. At the bottom are two large silver bullion and silk formed acorn shapes. At the top is a loop where it would be attached to the tunic in a similar fashion to an aiguillette.

This lovely Schützenschnur comes wrapped in the original tissue paper and is housed in a circular black leatherette storage carton which measures 8” in diameter.

Further information on this impressive item can be found in “Uniformengeschicte des Prussichen Heers 1808-1914 Volume 1 Page 253.”

This item is in MINT condition. Remember that it was awarded from the hands of Kaiser Wilhelm II to one of the seven men above.

This would display well on its own or on a tunic from 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß.

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ALBUM – THIRTY-THREE PHOTOGRAPHS – DIAGRAMS – 1. GARDE-REGIMENT zu FUß – PRUSSIA

ALBUM – THIRTY-THREE PHOTOGRAPHS – DIAGRAMS – 1. GARDE-REGIMENT zu FUß – PRUSSIA

by | Sep 28, 2016

This is a very interesting soft cover album that measures 9 1/4″ x 6.” It celebrates THE most elite German infantry regiment, the 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß (1.GRzF). This elite regiment was founded in 1688. It was garrisoned at Potsdam. It is where König Frederick the Great built his castle, Sanssouci, and where many of the most elite Prussian Garde-Regiments (including the Regiment der Garde du Corps) were based. Most of the regiment’s officers came from German royalty and nobility, as was the case with the Regiment der Garde du Corps. No regiment in the German Army has more à la suite officers than 1.GrzF. In the 1914 Rangliste, twenty plus à la suite officers are mentioned. All princes of the House of Hohenzollern were automatically enrolled in the regiment. Kaiser Wilhelm II’s six sons and his brother’s two boys accounted for eight of the regiment’s à la suite officers! Other high-ranking royals also belonged to the regiment. Another token of the high esteem in which the regiment was held was its headdress style. They were one of two regiments to wear a mitre for high dress occasions. Our album sports a simple brown cover. The pages are held together by an equally simple, string binding. [The cover is a bit fragile, so we suggest care when looking through the album. Perusing it on a flat surface, which places less strain on the covers and binding, will help preserve it all the more]. A brief history of the regiment from 1740 through 1871 begins the account. The next pages depict the history of uniforms and headdress from 1704 through 1845 (the soldier in 1845 models an early pickelhaube). Progressive paintings show the regiment in action during the Napoleonic War in 1813, the 1866 Austro-Prussian War of, and the 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian War. A later photo, which dates from the late 1880’s or early 1890’s, shows Kronprinz Wilhelm as a leutnant in the regiment. Another photo shows his brother, next-in-line Prinz Eitel Friedrich. The balance of the book is filled with formal and informal views of the regiment’s soldiers. It is a very entertaining and informative visual history of a very elite regiment.