Jena
The
battle of Jena saw a massively outnumbered Prussian force
crushed by the major portion of the French army under the
direct command of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Jena
is a terrific site to visit as little has changed in the
almost two centuries since it was fought.
The
battlefield is just to the west of the city and there is
a first-class battle museum to visit at Cospeda. The museum,
where it is said Bonaparte stayed, houses military items
of interest and a useful electronic map of the clash.
There
are many excellent viewing positions, particularly on the
Windknollen Ridge and many small villages where important
parts of the fighting occurred.
80
km (50 miles) south-west of Leipzig. 1 hour 15 minutes drive.
40 km (25 miles) south of Auerstadt. 38 minute drive.
35 km (22 miles) east of Erfurt. 42 minutes drive.
Battle
Description
Auerstadt
Auerstadt
was one of the great feats of French arms and occurred on
the same day as Jena. It came about when Marshal Davout
and his legendary III Corps ran into the main Prussian army
under King Frederick William III.
Taking
a defensive stand near the village of Hassenhausen, Davout
absorbed the Prussian attacks and then when he felt the
moment was right the Iron Marshal ordered his men on to
the attack routing an army almost three times the size of
his own corps.
The
battlefield is very well preserved and at Hassenhausen there
is an excellent vantage point on a large grassy mound, where
Davout himself was positioned.
The
original Prussian position is near the village of Spielberg.
Auerstadt
itself offers a memorial to the Prussian troops.
58
km (36 miles) south-west of Leipzig. 55 minute drive.
40
km (25 miles) north of Jena. 38 minute drive.
61 km (38 miles) east of Erfurt. 1 hour drive.
Battle
Description
Lutzen
A
hard-fought battle involving more than 200,000 men, Lutzen
was a French victory over a Russo-Prussian army.
Lutzen
is close to Leipzig and the battlefield is pretty much as
it was in 1813, although a mining operation has marred its
southernmost side.
There
is a diorama of the battle at a museum in Grossgorschen
and a number of memorials - including some interesting ones
for low-ranking individual soldiers - in nearby villages.
22
km (14 miles) south-west of Leipzig. 25 minute drive.
61
km (38 miles) north-east of Jena. 55 minute drive.
37 km (23 miles) west of Auerstadt. 34 minute drive.
Battle
Description
Leipzig
The
largest monument commemorating the battle of Leipzig is
the 91-metre centennial tower, built as a memorial to the
victory of the Allied nations against Napoleon Bonaparte
in 1813.
The
structure is so large the sculpted guards are 12 metres
high, but this gigantic size may be apt when you consider
that 600,000 men took part in the fighting.
You
can get a marvellous view of the surrounding area from the
monument's platform, however, there are some 500 steps to
navigate and you'll need to be pretty fit.
Another major memorial is the Russian Church, built to honour
the 22,500 soldiers of the Tsar killed during the battle.
There
are also close-by memorials in Wachau, Liebertkolwitz, Kolmberg,
Probstheida, Dolitz, Mockern and Schoonefeld.
80
km (50 miles) north-east of Jena. 1 hour 15 minutes drive.
58 km (36 miles) north-east of Auerstadt. 55 minute drive.
Battle
Description
Other
1813 Battlefields
Markers
and memorials of various conditions feature at most of the
other 1813 Campaign battlefields, including Grossbeeren
and Dennewitz, with the more "weathered" being
set down for restoration.
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