In the Footsteps of the Soldiers - a self-drive tour to South Schleswig

Transcription

1 In the Footsteps of the Soldiers - a self-drive tour to South Schleswig Scan the code for more 1864 experiences.

2 Brodersby - Missunde Missunder Fährstraße, Brodersby Geocoordinates: Latitude Longtitude Prussian troops, and several hostile battalions advanced towards the village from the road to Missunde. At the same time, the ene-my moved their artillery closer to the Danish positions. However, the impact of this was only small, since most of the grenades went flying over the Danish redoubts. The village of Missunde was severely damaged, though, and most of the village was burned down. The Schlei inlet is only 135m wide between Brodersby and Missunde, making it the narrowest part of the inlet. There are no clues, when crossing the Schlei to Missunde, that the town was once the setting for some of the most violent battles to take place in Prussian troops tried to cross the Schlei at Missunde in order to bypass the reinforced redoubt at Danevirke. The Battle of Missunde was the first major battle of the Second Schleswig War. The position in question was part of the eastern wing of Danevirke - and had the Prussian-Austrian forces succeeded here, they could have bypassed the Danish army and destroyed its position. As such, the war could have been decided by a single battle. On more than one occasion it seemed like the enemy was preparing to storm the Danish position. To ensure that the enemy could not force its way to the road which led to the crossing of the Schlei, two cannons from the west bank were shifted in order to aim at the road - but just as the troops were ready, the shooting eased off, and at 4pm the Germans held their fire. Both sidesexperienced great losses - the Danes lost nine officers and 132 privates; the Prussians lost 12 officers and 187 privates. On the morning of February 2 nd, a thick fog lay over Missunde, making it impossible to judge the enemy s strength and position. The Danes fired only once that morning. During the day, more and more forces joined with the

3 Danevirke Danevirke Museum, Ochsenweg 5, Dannewerk Geocoordinates: Latitude Longtitude The Prussian army had superior weapons and cannons. They had twice the number of soldiers and held new, long-range artillery. The cold winter created problems for the Danes, as it potentially gave the Prussian army a chance to cross the frozen Schlei inlet, thus bypassing the Danish front-lines. The Danevirke is a system of Danish fortifications dating back to the 7th Century. It stretches for 30 km across Jutland, from the Schlei inlet in the east to the marshes around the Treene, and the Ejder at the west of the peninsula. Up to 80 per cent of the earthworks remain intact. In 1864, the Danevirke wall held an almost mythological status in Denmark, being seen as impenetrable. Along with the wetlands around the Ejder and the Treene, the wall at Danevirke constituted a natural line of defence. The fortification was expanded across Southern Jutland, with new redoubts. At the beginning of 1864, the defence included 27 re-doubts, with 38,000 soldiers. In the valleys at the Treene and the Ejderstream, dams were built, enabling the Danes to flood the area as required. Redoubts were also built in the marshlands at Frederikstad. But in 1864 the Danish army faced several problems. Based on this, General Christian de Meza decided to withdraw from Danevirke to a safer position. From a political perspective, however, it didn t seem possible to withdraw to Funen or Als - so de Meza decided to withdraw to the position at Dybbøl instead. This position was newer and in better condition than the one at Danevirke. The soldiers walked all the way from Danevirke, instead of using the newly built railway, and historians still debate why: some believe it was because some of the bridges en route were destroyed too soon.

4 Kolding Odense Dybbøl Als Flensburg Sankelmark Brodersby Schleswig Danevirke Missunde Kiel Hamburg

5 Places to visit Historischer Krug (D) Grazer Platz 1, Oeversee, Germany Open: and Hotel Restaurant Fakkelgaarden (DK) Fjordvejen 44, Kollund, 6340 Kruså, Denmark Open: Tue - Sat, Restaurant Bind (DK) Fjordvejen 120, 6340 Kruså, Denmark Open: Tue - Sat, (closed 30/06-15/07) Ferry Brodersby Myssunde (D) Sails whenever there are passengers, between Trip lasts for 3 minutes. Price: 1 car incl. 2 pers.: 3: extra pers Danevirke Museum (D) 26/03-25/10: Tue - Fri, Sat - Sun, Price: Adults: 3 Children from 6 years: 1 Groups (min 15 Pers.) 2 per person Schools: free entry Benniksgaard Hotel (DK) Sejrsvej 101, 6300 Gråsten, Denmark Open daily, Lunch by appointment, on Tel Fleggaard - Shopping at the border (D) Alte Zollstr. 44, Harrislee Open: Mon-Sat ; Sun Remember to bring Euros. The museum does not accept other currencies, or credit cards. Historic Battlefield Center (DK) 01/04-31/10, daily from Living History during high season. High season 28/06-17/08 Price during high season: Adults DKK 110 Children DKK 60 Family ticket DKK 300

6 Sankelmark Bundesstraße 76, Oeversee, parking lot at the right-hand side of the road Geocoordinates: Latitude Longtitude The Battle of Sankelmark was a minor battle, on the road between Schleswig and Flensburg, taking place during the withdrawal from the Danevirke position. Danish troops at the rear were overtaken by Prussian forces near Sankelmark. The battle turned out to be one of the fiercest man-to-man battles, in which bayonets were frequently deployed. The Danes were outnumbered by the Prussian forces. After a fierce battle, with many Danish soldiers captured, the remaining Danish troops managed to halt the Prussians progress, thus linking up again with the rest of the Danish army. During the 80 km march from Danevirke to Dybbøl, ten soldiers froze to death, and over 500 soldiers were lost at Sankelmark. The remaining soldiers were completely exhausted.

7 The Isted Lion Stuhrsallee, Flensburg Geocoordinates: Latitude Longtitude rediscovered the monument, and in the autumn of 1945 the lion was officially handed over to King Christian X by the American army. It was placed in a courtyard towards the rear of the Royal Danish Arsenal Museum. On September 10, 2011 the Isted Lion returned to the military cemetery. The cemetery lies opposite the museums at Museumsbjerg, between Reberbanen and Stuhrsallee in Flensburg. The cemetery was opened in 1811 during the Napoleonic wars. There are several war graves from the First and Second Schleswig Wars. As well as the 2,400 Danish soldiers, German, Austrian and Swedish soldiers are also found buried here. Among the Danes are General-Mayor Friedrich Adolph Schleppegrell and Colonel Frederik Læssøe, both of whom fell at Isted in The Isted Lion is a Danish war monument of a sitting lion. It was created by the Danish sculptor H.W. Bissen in , and was intended as a monument to the Danish victory over Schleswig-Holstein in the Battle of Isted, on July 25, Originally erected in Flensburg in 1862, it was taken as a spoil of war and moved to Berlin by the Prussian authorities in There, it was originally erected in the Zeughaus (Arsenal). In 1875 it was moved to the Cadet Academy in Lichterfelde. Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, Henrik V. Ringsted, a correspondent from the Danish newspaper Politiken, Next to the graves lies a memorial mount for King Frederik VII, and a marble memorial stone for the soldiers killed at the battle of Isted.

8 Denmark They killed them,we dug thema grave in our garden, laid them beside the beaten track All our flowers shall decorate their grave Southern Jutland girls, you must not forget it! (Holger Drachmann) Avnbjerg Flensborg landevej, 6400 Sønderborg Geocoordinates: Latitude Longtitude The house Bøffelkobbel Amtsvejen 4, Nybøl, 6400 Sønderborg Geokoordinater: Latitude Longtitude On February the 22nd, Prussian troops advanced the Danish infantry at Bøffelkobbel. Dragoon Jens Christian and infantryman Hans Hansen died under the attack. Kathrine and Jørgen Fink took the bodies to their house at Bøffelkobbel, burying the soldiers in their front garden. Their grave is the only one for private soldiers to be found in the area around Dybbøl. In 1876, the Danish poet Holger Drachmann visited the house at Bøffekobbel on his travels through Southern Jutland. His poem about the grave in the farmhouse garden made the grave famous. Approx. 2km west of the redoubts at Dybbøl lies the mount of Avnbjerg, the highest point in the area. It offered the Prussians an excellent view over the battlefield. Over time, the mount was slowly dug away - but it has been re-established, using, amongst others materials, soil left over from the building of the Historic Battlefield Center at Dybbøl Banke Historiecenter Dybbøl Banke Dybbøl Banke 16, 6400 Sønderborg Geocoordinates: Latitude Longtitude At the Historic Battlefield Center, Dybbøl Banke, you ll experience one of the most exciting chapters in Danish history. Join in the war of 1864, where thundering cannons and the smell of pancakes spread across the soldier s camp. Sønderborg Erhvervs- og Turistcenter Rådhustorvet Sønderborg Tel info@visitsonderborg.com