Ulanen-Regiment 1

[Rittmeister]

Dis this Regiment even exist? In the records (family-archive, so nothing official) of one officer I read he served in "Ulanen-Regiment 1". While reading this site I saw that the only Ulanen-Rgt. numbered 1 (apart from the Garde, then) is the one located in Militisch/Ostrowo, where this officer from Hannover never set foot most likely. The title of this regiment Kaiser Alexander von Ru?land is nowhere mentioned. Could it be that the family historian mistook with the actual unit, K?nigs-Ulanen-Regiment (1. Hannoverisches) Nr. 13, which was stationed in Hannover, for Ulanen-Regiment 1?

[Blackhorse]

Dis this Regiment even exist? In the records (family-archive, so nothing official) of one officer I read he served in "Ulanen-Regiment 1". While reading this site I saw that the only Ulanen-Rgt. numbered 1 (apart from the Garde, then) is the one located in Militisch/Ostrowo, where this officer from Hannover never set foot most likely. The title of this regiment Kaiser Alexander von Ru?land is nowhere mentioned. Could it be that the family historian mistook with the actual unit, K?nigs-Ulanen-Regiment (1. Hannoverisches) Nr. 13, which was stationed in Hannover, for Ulanen-Regiment 1?

That's entirey possible. What was the officer's name? There are many resources available here that may be able to pinpoint the exact unit of the individual in question.

[bob lembke]

Traditionally 1. Ulan Regiment "Emperor Alexander III of Russia" was garrisoned in Militsch, and was in the 10. Cavalry Brigade of the 10. Infantry Division of the V. Armeekorps, HQed in Posen, West Prussia. That was the situation in 1900, and 96% sure that it was so in 1914.

If the guy was an officer before May 1914 we will have him located in a flash, given his name. Officers were sometimes posted to units other than their home-town unit, especially within the Prussian Kingdom.

On my father's side the traditional unit of service was 3. Ulan=Regiment (1. brandenburgerische) "Emperor Alexander II. of Russia". (My grandfather and father broke the tradition.) I once, in error, bought a "Reservistenbild" of the Alexander III. regiment, mistaking it for my family's Alexander II. regiment. The 1. Uhlan=Regiment was, I believe, Manfred von Richthofen's regiment.

Bob Lembke

[Blackhorse]

Traditionally 1. Ulan Regiment "Emperor Alexander III of Russia" was garrisoned in Militsch, and was in the 10. Cavalry Brigade of the 10. Infantry Division of the V. Armeekorps, HQed in Posen, West Prussia. That was the situation in 1900, and 96% sure that it was so in 1914.

If the guy was an officer before May 1914 we will have him located in a flash, given his name. Officers were sometimes posted to units other than their home-town unit, especially within the Prussian Kingdom.

On my father's side the traditional unit of service was 3. Ulan=Regiment (1. brandenburgerische) "Emperor Alexander II. of Russia". (My grandfather and father broke the tradition.) I once, in error, bought a "Reservistenbild" of the Alexander III. regiment, mistaking it for my family's Alexander II. regiment. The 1. Uhlan=Regiment was, I believe, Manfred von Richthofen's regiment.

Bob Lembke

Bob,

I have a saber hanging on my wall that reads, 3. Ulan=Regiment (1. brandenburgerische) "Emperor Alexander II. of Russia. "Zur Erinnering an meiner Dienstzeit".

[bob lembke]

Bob,

I have a saber hanging on my wall that reads, 3. Ulan=Regiment (1. brandenburgerische) "Emperor Alexander II. of Russia. "Zur Erinnering an meiner Dienstzeit".

That is tremendously neat!

I am angling to get copies of photos of a number of my ancestors in the uniform of the regiment. Due to the age, etc. of the possessors of the photos, it is a bit of a problem.

Is the sabre engraved with a name?

Bob Lembke

[Blackhorse]

That is tremendously neat!

I am angling to get copies of photos of a number of my ancestors in the uniform of the regiment. Due to the age, etc. of the possessors of the photos, it is a bit of a problem.

Is the sabre engraved with a name?

Bob Lembke

Hi Bob,

SADLY there is no name, at least not that I am able to find. The saber and scabbard are in excellent condition. Was there a difference between officer's and enlisted men's sabers, and if so how do I determine which I have?

[bob lembke]

There are people who know those things in spades, but it is not me. However, I would imagine that the EM/OR were provided with their sabre, while the officers had to provide their own equipment. My father specifically told me that in regards to the Guards Cuirassiers. It simply was very expensive to be a Prussian cavalry officer; you had to provide a lot of expensive equipment, and I think that my father said that the officer had to provide for his orderly and two horses. When he entered the regiment he had to provide a financial statement proving that he had the necessary means to the colonel of the regiment.

The engraving is the same wording that Prussian EM used on their memorabilia to their "graduation" out of active duty into the reserves, such as those Reserveistenbilden and the mugs that are found on e-Bay. (Did you know that cavalry EM had three years of active duty, not two, probably due to the additional skills that he had to acquire; riding, care of his horse, etc.?) But the wording does neccessarily indicate that the owner was a EM. Equipment was kept for a long time (when my father went into the army in 1915, at 19 1/2, his boots were older than he was. But perhaps the sword owner was a EM that also provided his own sword (many EM provided their own, better, privately tailored uniforms, if they had the money), or possibly he could buy it at the end of his active duty. He still was probably going to be in the reserves for 20-odd more years.

You might start a thread with a title that would catch the eyes of sword nuts.

Bob Lembke

[Blackhorse]

There are people who know those things in spades, but it is not me. However, I would imagine that the EM/OR were provided with their sabre, while the officers had to provide their own equipment. My father specifically told me that in regards to the Guards Cuirassiers. It simply was very expensive to be a Prussian cavalry officer; you had to provide a lot of expensive equipment, and I think that my father said that the officer had to provide for his orderly and two horses. When he entered the regiment he had to provide a financial statement proving that he had the necessary means to the colonel of the regiment.

The engraving is the same wording that Prussian EM used on their memorabilia to their "graduation" out of active duty into the reserves, such as those Reserveistenbilden and the mugs that are found on e-Bay. (Did you know that cavalry EM had three years of active duty, not two, probably due to the additional skills that he had to acquire; riding, care of his horse, etc.?) But the wording does neccessarily indicate that the owner was a EM. Equipment was kept for a long time (when my father went into the army in 1915, at 19 1/2, his boots were older than he was. But perhaps the sword owner was a EM that also provided his own sword (many EM provided their own, better, privately tailored uniforms, if they had the money), or possibly he could buy it at the end of his active duty. He still was probably going to be in the reserves for 20-odd more years.

You might start a thread with a title that would catch the eyes of sword nuts.

Bob Lembke

Bob,

As always, you are a veritable encyclopedia of information. Thank you for that! I think I will take your advice and start a new thread as well.

Cheers

Chris

[Rittmeister]

Thanks Blackhorse and Mr. Lemke for the interesting discussion!

I have a question that might provide some insight; on the Schulterklappe of this officer I can clearly see a crown. Would a member of Ulanenregiment 1 wear this?

[Guest Rick Research]

His NAME would resolve all issues.

[Rittmeister]

Attached the man's Schulterklappen. Who can fully identify it?

I can only identify a pip for Oberleutnant.

[Guest Rick Research]

Asking 3 times for the NAME and NOT being told it makes continuing this pointless.

There is an EASY way. There is a HARD way. And there is NO way.

Best of luck on the way you've chosen!

[dwmosher]

As Rick stated, it would be a lot easier with a name. Whoever he was, his rank was that of a Rittmeister and from the cypher on the shoulder strap he was from either Ulanen-Regt. Kaiser Alexander III. von Russland (Westpreussisches) Nr. 1 or Ulanen-Regt. Kaiser Alexander II. von Russland (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3. Can you show a complete picture of this officer? The piping on the ulanka (white for UR1 and yellow for UR3) could further help in determining which regiment he was with.

Regards

Dave

[Rittmeister]

Dwmosher: Thanks a lot! You've pretty much solved it. UL1 it is then. The piping on the ulanka is indeed white. I'm curious though how you figured it out. The Epauletten show only 1 pip, yes? Then there seems to be a crown, and then some symbol I couldn't figure out. What does it represent?

Edited October 19, 2007 by Rittmeister

[Rittmeister]

Asking 3 times for the NAME and NOT being told it makes continuing this pointless.

There is an EASY way. There is a HARD way. And there is NO way.

Best of luck on the way you've chosen!

Hi Rick,

I'm curious, is the DAL for example 1914 available somewhere? Or is just the lucky few that managed to get copies or something?

Edited October 19, 2007 by Rittmeister

[Blackhorse]

Out of curiosity, why so coy with the name and the rest of the image of the officer in question? If you don't know the name, a simple "I don't know the man's name" would probably have sufficed for those of us who like the bottom line up front.

Cheers,

BH

[dwmosher]

Dwmosher: Thanks a lot! You've pretty much solved it. UL1 it is then. The piping on the ulanka is indeed white. I'm curious though how you figured it out. The Epauletten show only 1 pip, yes? Then there seems to be a crown, and then some symbol I couldn't figure out. What does it represent?

Perhaps. Actually, I was talking about the piping color underlay on the shoulder strap. The piping on the body of the ulanka for both regiments was red. Upon further inspection, I think your boy is wearing feldgrau and the picture is post-1915. I believe the board is double-piped; red as the base and either white (most likely) or yellow as the secondary color. I see two pips; one above and one below the cyphers indicating a Rittmeister. The symbol you can't figure out below the crown is a script "A" with either a Roman numeral II or III under it. The style of the button is M-1910, so he probably wearing the M-1910 ulanka and not wearing either the Freidensuniform or Kleinerrock.

Regards

Dave

Edited October 20, 2007 by dwmosher

[Rittmeister]

Perhaps. Actually, I was talking about the piping color underlay on the shoulder strap. The piping on the body of the ulanka for both regiments was red. Upon further inspection, I think your boy is wearing feldgrau and the picture is post-1915. I believe the board is double-piped; red as the base and either white (most likely) or yellow as the secondary color. I see two pips; one above and one below the cyphers indicating a Rittmeister. The symbol you can't figure out below the crown is a script "A" with either a Roman numeral II or III under it. The style of the button is M-1910, so he probably wearing the M-1910 ulanka and not wearing either the Freidensuniform or Kleinerrock.

Regards

Dave

I am impressed! Indeed, he is wearing Feldgrau and the photo was indeed taken at the earliest in 1916. Of course, there are two pips! As you can see I'm a newbie to this and easily thrown off guard. I didn't even see the "A", is it just below the crown? I guess it would stand for Emperor Alexander, which the regiment carried in it's name, and the roman numeral "III" for the regimental number. The numeral however seems strangely crafted, the first digit almost looks like a 3. Is there a reference somewhere, where the numerals are better depicted?

Regarding the double piping of the Epauletten, according the site I quoted they had "Gilt on white with gilt cypher". Indeed I can also make out the darker piping, seemishly red. According to the (digital) textbook, it shouldn't be there?

Thanks again for your help, I've learned a lot.

[Mike Dwyer]

the "A", is it just below the crown? I guess it would stand for Emperor Alexander, which the regiment carried in it's name, and the roman numeral "III" for the regimental number. .

No, it would stand for the particular czar, not the regimental number. There were two regiments named for two different Czar Alexanders, one was named for Alexander II, the other was named for Alexander III.