West German movie 1956 lots of uniforms and Pickelhauben in color
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KIR145
Well-known member
The "Hauptmann von Köpenick" is a true story! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Voigt
In 1906, the shoemaker Wilhelm Voigt purchased parts of used Prussian Guards Captain's uniforms from different shops and tested their effect on soldiers. He had resigned from the shoe factory ten days previously. He took the uniform out of baggage storage, put it on and went to the local army barracks, stopped four grenadiers and a sergeant on their way back to barracks and told them to come with him and they followed. He dismissed the commanding sergeant to report to his superiors and later commandeered six more soldiers from a shooting range. Then he took a train to Köpenick, east of Berlin, occupied the local city hall with his soldiers and told them to cover all exits. He told the local police to "care for law and order" and to "prevent calls to Berlin for one hour" at the local post office.
He had the treasurer von Wiltberg and mayor Georg Langerhans arrested for political corruption, and confiscated 4002 marks and 37 pfennigs, issuing a receipt for the money signed with his former prison warden's name. Then he commandeered two carriages and told the grenadiers to take the arrested men to the Neue Wache in Berlin for interrogation. He told the remaining soldiers to stand in their places for half an hour and then left for the train station, where he changed back into civilian clothes and disappeared with the money. ...
Thank you for reminding me this great story! Best regards, Jens
In 1906, the shoemaker Wilhelm Voigt purchased parts of used Prussian Guards Captain's uniforms from different shops and tested their effect on soldiers. He had resigned from the shoe factory ten days previously. He took the uniform out of baggage storage, put it on and went to the local army barracks, stopped four grenadiers and a sergeant on their way back to barracks and told them to come with him and they followed. He dismissed the commanding sergeant to report to his superiors and later commandeered six more soldiers from a shooting range. Then he took a train to Köpenick, east of Berlin, occupied the local city hall with his soldiers and told them to cover all exits. He told the local police to "care for law and order" and to "prevent calls to Berlin for one hour" at the local post office.
He had the treasurer von Wiltberg and mayor Georg Langerhans arrested for political corruption, and confiscated 4002 marks and 37 pfennigs, issuing a receipt for the money signed with his former prison warden's name. Then he commandeered two carriages and told the grenadiers to take the arrested men to the Neue Wache in Berlin for interrogation. He told the remaining soldiers to stand in their places for half an hour and then left for the train station, where he changed back into civilian clothes and disappeared with the money. ...
Thank you for reminding me this great story! Best regards, Jens
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Jeff R
Well-known member
This is awesome - such a wacky story. The real guy, Friedrich Wilhelm Voigt, was caught soon thereafter but pardoned by the Kaiser less than two years into his sentence thanks to public opinion finding the whole episode amusing (including Wilhelm II who allegedly called him an "amiable scoundrel")
An interesting example of the prestige of the army in Wilhelmine Germany. He just brazened it out, and virtually no one questioned him!
An interesting example of the prestige of the army in Wilhelmine Germany. He just brazened it out, and virtually no one questioned him!