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The Fall of Zittau...

Discussion in '"Today in History", Literature & Media Review' started by Martin Antonenko, Jul 23, 2020.

  1. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    It is the year 1757 in Germany, the Seven Years' War is raging.

    After the catastrophic defeat at Kollin for Prussia (July 18, 1757), the king and the remains of his army had to retreat along the Elbe via Leitmeritz and Pirna.

    A second part of the army under Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia...

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    ... marched to Leipa via Hirschberg and Neuschloß.

    This detachment is in command of the large flour magazine in the city of Zittau (East Saxony) ...

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    ... to cover: More than 8,000 four-in-hand carriages with flour, oats and powder stinging there; all streets around the city are crowded with these cars.

    But the main Austrian army under Count Daun ...

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    ... and Duke Karl of Lorraine ...

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    ... is faster - their avant-garde reaches Zittau on July 17th and 18th - on July 21st the entire Austrian army moves into a semi-circle around Zittau.
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    The Prussians only arrive at Herwigsdorf on July 22nd in the evening and try to reach Zittau the following day to carry out their mission.

    But with every step forward they are being pushed harder by the Austrians!

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    Throughout July 23 there were constant battles, three Prussian cavalry regiments were already locked up by the Austrians and in danger of being captured as General von Winterfeld ...

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    ... rushes in with a regiment of cuirassiers and three regiments of infantry, and throws the Austrians back!

    At the news of the approaching Prussians, the Austrians close their ring around the city before Zitau.

    There are 10,000 Prussian soldiers in the city - more than Zittau residents!

    The city had already been asked to surrender on July 18. The Prussian city commander, Colonel von Dierick, however, rejected all requests. Later, on the 22nd, the Austrian artillery colonel, Walter von Waldenau, appeared ...

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    ... with a trumpeter at the Weber gate and, as usual, was led blindfolded to General Schmettau. The latter, as well as the Prince of Braunschweig-Bevern replied that they would defend themselves as soldiers do.

    On July 20 and 22, however, the Seidlitz cavalry, the Normann dragoon regiment and nine battalions of infantry, along with 500 bread wagons and the artillery, the Prince, von Bevern and General von Schmettau retired to the Prussian camp near Herwigsdorf. The Austrian cavalry, which wants to prevent this, is chased away by Seidlitz.

    Only about 800 men remained in Zittau. And most of the supplies.

    On 23 July 1757, at 9 a.m., the Austrian colonel reappears accompanied by the trumpeter and is led to the commander. The request to hand over the city is again rejected.

    At 10 a.m. the Östtereichers with two batteries standing on the Frauenkirchhof and in a meadow to the right of the Mandau open a six-hour, uninterrupted bombardment on Zittau to prevent the Prussians from getting their supplies!

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    Every fourth bullet is made glowing and only then fired!

    The bombardment, which is led by the Colonel von Waldenau mentioned above, has devastating consequences for the city of Zittau!

    The city burns in nine places within a quarter of an hour. Deleting is out of the question. Street after street is caught by the flames. Soon the various fires will unite in one big fire!

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    Since the gates remain occupied by the Prussians who stayed behind in the city and who are strictly ordered to defend Zittau to the last man...

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    ... none of the residents can flee!

    The Prussians in their camp near Herwigsdorf can only watch the downfall of Zittau.

    When the bombardment ends after six hours, Zittau is 80 percent destroyed, unelected residents are dead.

    The Prussian occupation can save itself partially; a few managed to reach the camp near Herwigsdorf, many of them, including Saxony, who had been pressed into the Prussian army, overflowed to the Austrians - also out of bitterness at the destruction of the city.

    Three regiments of Austria penetrate the glowing pile of rubble that was once Zittau, capture part of the undamaged flour stores, 14,535 bushels, ten flags, a lot of ammunition - and capture 270 Prussians.

    Among them is the former city commander, Colonel Diericke. However, since he claims to have only stayed in the city in order to be able to receive any further parliamentarians from the Austrians, he is released.

    The destruction of an entire city received the greatest attention and sympathy in Eurpopa at the time and was often compared to the fate of Magdeburg during the Thirty Years' War.

    The Prussians have little more than to mint this medal ...:

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