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Düppel, 18. April 1864


Fritz

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A much forgotten campaign and battle, still vividly remembered in Denmark till this day. There is the preserved battlefield and museum of "Dybbol", near Sönderborg between the Jutland Peninsula and Fünen, which can be visited any time. However, the museum is only opened in Summer, the battlefield the whole year. Around the battlefield are the graves of the fallen, on Danish and Prussian sides.
Before WW2 the battle was still remembered in the form of the cult around the Prussian Pionier Carl Klinke, of whom a monument still exists, this can be seen today in Spandau-Haakenfelde.
The Danish War was sparked off by disagreement on the future of the joint provinces Schleswig and Holstein, which had been under Danish administration, and Danish plans under Christian X were laid down to annex these territories. The council of German states in Frankfurt decided to go to war over these territories and mobilisation of the Prussian and Austrian armies begann in early 1864. After overcoming the Dannawerk fortifications in Holstein, the Prussian army advanced towards Copenhagen, which was defended by the Düppel fortifications at the Eastern edge of Holstein and the Island of Alsen. After many skirmishes and battles, the Prussian storm companies, preceeded by artillery bombardment, attacked on the morning of 18th April 1864. Each Schanze had to be taken separately, and each was given covering fire from the Danish defenders and artillery. At Schanze II, Pionier Carl Klinke made the attempt to ignite and threw a 30kg powder sack at the pallisade of this position. The explosion damaged the work so that the attacking Prussian infantry could enter the breech. Klinke however, wounded by several Danish marksmen, was blasted by the explosion and hurled into the ditch, suffering severe burns to hands and face. mortally wounded, he was despatched to a nearby Feldlazarett, but died underway. He was buried with full military honours in a single grave next to the mass graves. A monument was later errected in his honour, this however was demolished by the Danes in 1945. Pionier Klinke belonged to 4.K./Brandenburgisches Pionier-Btl.No.3
Illustrations show a period artists impression of the battle.
The next illustration of the monument to Pionier Klinke in Spandau-Haakenfelde
The campaign Medal for 1864 (Ill.) shows the monograms of King Wilhelm and Emperor Franz Joseph, ribbon in joint Prussian amd Habsburg colours
The Düppeler Sturmkreuz was issued with 4 different ribbons and was of white metal. Now becoming rare.

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Denkmal für Pionier Klinke in Spandau

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und in Düppel

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Die Ruhestätte von Pionier Klinke im Kameradengrab

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Das 1945 von den Dänen gesprengte Denkmal in Sönderborg

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Der Kopf des von den Dänen 1945 zerstörten Denkmals

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Das Restitutions Denkmal für den Pionier Klinke heute

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Konvolut von vier Auszeichnungen des Deutsch-Dänischen Krieges von 1864. 1)  Düppeler Sturmkreuz, am alten, stark zerschlissenen Band für Nichtkämpfer;  2) Alsen-Kreuz, am etwas späteren Band für Kämpfer; 3) Kriegsdenkmünze 1864  für Kämpfer, preußische

The iron medal for non combattants

Deutsch-Dänischer Krieg 1864: Medaille für Beteiligung am Krieg [Medaljerne  für Detalgelse i Krigerne] (1875). Ausgabe für 1864, Bronze, an Bandrahe,  mit neuem Band. BWK2 142.

The Danish medal for 1864

See also

https://www.genealogistkottal.com/blog/commemorative-medal-for-participation-in-the-schleswig-wars-of-1848-1850-and-1864/

 

 

 

 

 

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There was a recent book 1864 by Tom Buk-Swienty written about the campaign. It also produced a Danish mini series which has English subtitles of the same name. The book is alright, not spectacular, but is about the only mass market book on the subject easily available in English.

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The book I have is "Entscheidung 1864" by Wilfried Vogel, appeared in Bernhard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn 1995 ISBN 3-7637-5943-3 - (German text)is well covered, some of the earliest original photos, maps, order of battle for Prussia,Austria and Denmark, etc. The Danes tend to glorify the subject and have a museum, which is interesting, but a bit one-sided. I was there many years ago in 1996, the museum was closed at the time, but the battlefields were open, you could wander from Schanze to Schanze, these reconstructed, also see the graves along the side and some of the memorials. The Danes removed a lot after 1945, having a lot of anti-German sentiments, which were widespread at the time. In Hamburg Altona, along the River-Front there is a memorial to the Austrian seamen, who died in the sea battle off the Island of Helgoland. This is very nicesly done with the Imp.Austrian Eagle and a dedication. The Danish Navy was rather powerfull in those days and had much more and better ships than the Royal Prussian Navy - Königlich Preußische Marine.

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We have one of these in stock at the moment, it's a bit worn but good to find out the complete history behind it. :thumbsup:

 

Military medal of the Kingdom of Prussia commemorating The Battle off Duppel 18th April 1864 with Denmark. The medal is in the shape of a cross.Between the arms of the cross is a laurel wreath and in the center is a round medallion.The medal bears the effigy of King Wilhelm I circumscribed are the words WILHELM KOENIG VON PREUSSEN (William King of Prussia).On the reverse depicts a crowned Prussian eagle perched upon a Danish cannon. The top arm of the cross has the word DÜPPEL, the left arm of the cross has 18, the right arm has APR., and the bottom arm of the cross bears the year 1864. Medal is quite worn with replacement suspension ring and ribbon.

G.C. £35

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There used to be quite a few of them around, but are now rarely seen. I have one in my collection, also on an older, replaced ribbon (pre 1945 old stock). A few sources now offer fairly good replacement ribbons nowadays. Following that there was the Alsen-Kreuz in gold coloured bronze, similar design, but with the Prussian Eagle over small boats, symbolising the crossiing of the Alsen-Sund in June 1864. For the 1864 campaign medal, there was also an iron version for non-combattants, similar to previous campaigns. If your example were in better condition, (possibly undervalued) it would be worth quite a bit more. Presently, they would be around 150 Euro, I think. With a good original ribbon, considerably more.

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And following the action at Düppel, an award for the crossing of the Alsen-Sund was later awarded. Here are some examples from wikipedia and DHM, obverse and reverse of decoration and a set of medals with this decoration, showing how worn. Isued on various ribbons for combattants and non-combattants, the basic colours were blue, orange, black and white. Perhaps slightly rarer than the Düppel Cross, and known as the Alsen-Kreuz. Unable to illustrate my own examples for technical reasons. My example is on an original ribbon for combattants. The example shown is not the orginal issue, but a "Zweitfertigung", which would have a broader, lined attachment for the ring, known as a "gerillte Öse".

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  • 2 weeks later...

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Prussia: Pionierspaten, Feldflasche and Brotbeutel, ca. 1858-1870
in the collections of the Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, Cologne.
The shovel was manufactured by Killing & Rath, Hagen, this was a later
Donation by Westfälisches Pionier-Bataillon 9 in Deutz with a complete pioneer equipment
to the museum in 1898.

Auch das Kölnische Stadtmuseum hat in seiner Sammlung Hinterlassenschaften von Pionieren. Das Eingangsbuch des Hauses verzeichnet im Jahr 1898 die Abgabe einer Pionierausrüstung: »Feldmütze, Waffenrock, Tuchhose, paar lange Stiefel, Helm, Tornister mit Riemen, Kochgeschirr mit Riemen, Brodtbeutel, Feldflasche, Leibriemen mit Schloss u. Tasche, paar Vorder-Patronentaschen, Spaten mit Futteral und Schanzzeugriemen«. Sie stammt vom Westfälischen Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 7 (WPB 7), das von 1833 bis 1914 in Köln stationiert war. Bis auf den Spaten mit Lederfutteral und -tragriemen, die Feldflasche und den Brotbeutel sind die übrigen Teile nicht mehr eindeutig zu identifizieren und haben zum Teil andere Inventarnummern erhalten.

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Gedenktafel am Geburtshaus von Carl Klinke in Bohsdorf/Vorwerk
Foto: Wochenkurier/Lew

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Die Tafel für Pionier Klinke wurde 1945 zerschlagen und begraben
Als man 1945 das Düppeler Siegesmonument von 1864 sprengte, wurde auch der Gedenkstein des Pioniers Klinke, auf der Schanze Nr. 2, durch Vandalismus beschädigt. Die gusseiserne Gedenktafel wurde achtlos in die Büsche geworfen. Dort wurde sie von Gerhard Schmidt (gestorben 2008) gefunden und auf dessen Dachboden eingelagert. Später wurde Schmidt Hauptvorsitzender des Bundes Deutscher Nordschleswiger, der Dachorganisation der deutschen Minderheit in Dänemark. Mitte der 1980er Jahre wurde er auch Vorsitzender des Trägervereins Deutsches Museum Nordschleswig und setzte sich für die Errichtung eines Museums von und für die deutsche Minderheit ein. Als dieses 1988 Realität wurde, überreichte er die Gedenktafel dem Museum. Auf dem Gedenkstein, auf der Schanze Nr. 2, wurde schon kurze Zeit nach den Geschehnissen des Jahres 1945 eine Kopie der Tafel angebracht. Diese hängt bis zum heutigen Tag.

 

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