Rastatt Fortress (German: Bundesfestung Rastatt) was built from 1842 to 1852. The construction of this federal fortress was one of the few projects that the German Confederation was able to complete. The fortress site covered the Baden town of Rastatt and, in 1849, played an important role during the Baden Revolution. It was abandoned in 1890 and most of it was eventually demolished.
On 3 November 1815, in the margins of the Paris Peace Conference the four victorious powers - Austria, Great BritainPrussia and RussiaMainz, Luxemburg and Landau were designated as fortresses of the German Confederation and, moreover, they envisaged that a fourth federal fortress on the Upper Rhine, for which 20 million French francs were to be set aside from the war reparations.[1] As early as 1819 to 1824 a fortress construction commission was formed in which Baden, Bavarian, Württemberg and Austrian engineers jointly produced the plans, which were then shelved for 20 years for political reasons.[2] Whilst Austria wanted to extend Ulm, Prussia and the south German states nearer to France favoured the construction of a fortress in Rastatt. In October 1836 the king of Württemberg, William I, proposed a compromise which was to build or extend both towns into fortresses. In 1838/39 Bavaria and Austria were won over. Not until the Rhine Crisis of 1840/41 did it happen, however, that the states of the German Confederation come to an understanding about defence measures against France and the federal assembly on 26 March 1841 agreed the construction of both fortresses.[3] Rastatt was designated as a linking and border fortress, as well as an armoury for the VIII Army Corps.[4] The Grand Duchy of Baden was given the right to appoint the governor, the commandant and the chief of artillery, the chief of engineers was to be appointed by Austria.
Construction
Fortress quarry on the Eichelberg
Work on the federal fortress of Rastatt began on 15 November 1842 although its foundation stone was not laid until 18 October 1844, because laborious preparatory work was needed. This included the purchase of parcels of land or their requisition in return for compensation. In addition, to municipal and royal land, the properties of 345 private individuals were bought or requisitioned for the fortress.[5]
The construction of the fortress resulted in an enormous economic upturn for the town, which was later paid for however with the departure of public facilities such as the court (Hofgericht) and county council (Kreisregierung).[6] The Austrian lieutenant colonel, Georg Eberle was appointed as the senior fortress construction engineer and almost all the management staff were from Austria. The large number of construction workers employed (in 1844 4,000[7]) made the expansion of municipal infrastructure (police and medical services) necessary, the financing of which caused disputes between the town, the grand duchy and federal military authorities. The majority of the construction stone came from a roughly 500-metre-long bunter sandstone quarry on the hill of Eichelberg near Oberweier and was transported to Rastatt on a 14.5-kilometre-long, horse-drawn wagonway,[8] its capacity being 400 cubic metres per day. In the quarry 400-1200 workers were employed, for whom a special hutted camp was built. In addition to locals, there were workers from Württemberg, Austria, South Tyrol and Italy.[9] It was planned to complete the construction in 1849, but this did not come to fruition due to financial problems and the intervention of the Baden Revolution.
In 1848 the fortress was opened with the appointment of its first governor, Lieutenant General Carl Felix von Lassolaye.[10]
Following its interruption by the Baden Revolution in 1849, work restarted in 1850, but came to a provisional halt in 1852. After serious disputes over its further expansion and funding, especially between Prussia and Austria,[11] – the town defences and the station lunettes were finished in the period 1852–1854, and, in 1856, two outworks were completed.
Today
Karlsruhe Gate
Kehl Gate
Casemates
Rastatt Fortress was abandoned in 1890,[12] because it had lost its position on the border and hence its importance. The site was mostly sold in 1892 to the town of Rastatt as a source of construction material. After the German Empire had lost the First World War, it was laid down in the Treaty of Versailles in Article 180, that Germany had to slight its fortresses east of the Rhine along a 50-mile corridor. The Interallied Military Control Commission also laid down which remains of the abandoned Rastatt Fortress still had to be demolished.
The casemates are accessible and guided tours are offered. In the eastern part of the old Leopold Fortress 500 metres of passageway may be visited.
References
^Procès-verbal de la conférence de M. M. les plénipotentiaires des quatre puissances du 3. Novembre 1815 à Paris, Annexe B, Système défensif de la confédération germanique. Art. 10, dated 3 November 1815. In: Staatsarchiv des Deutschen Bundes, published by Johann Ludwig Klüber, Vol. I, 3rd Issue, Erlangen, 1816, pp. 389–391 online at Google Books
^Printed by Philipp Anton Guido von Meyer: Corpus constitutionum Germaniae, oder Die sämmtlichen Verfassungen der Staaten Deutschlands, Frankfurt am Main, 1845, pp. 95–96 online at Google Books
^The State Defence Commission in Berlin decided to close the fortress as early as 1887; the imperial cabinet order was dated 4 March 1890; Karl Stiefel: Baden 1648-1952. Karlsruhe 1979, Vol. 2, p. 1027.
Literature
Wolfgang Dreßen (ed.): 1848–1849. Bürgerkrieg in Baden: Chronik einer verlorenen Revolution. (Wagenbachs Taschenbücherei, 3). Wagenbach, Berlin, 1975, ISBN3-8031-2003-9.
Gunther Hildebrandt: Rastatt 1849. Eine Festung der Revolution. (Illustrated historical issue No. 6, ed. by the Zentralinstitut für Geschichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR). VEB Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften, Berlin, 1976.
Albert Neininger: Rastatt als Residenz, Garnison und Festung. Selbstverlag, Rastatt, 1961.
Carl Schurz: Flucht aus der Festung Rastatt. Erinnerungen an die Badische Revolution. Mit einer Einführung von Helmut Bender. Waldkircher Verlagsgesellschaft, Waldkirch, 1983, ISBN3-87885-086-7.
Rainer Wollenschneider, Michael Feik: Bundesfestung Rastatt. In Erinnerung an die Grundsteinlegung am 18. Oktober 1844. Schütz, Ötigheim, 1994, ISBN3-925418-44-X.
Karl Alois Fickler: In Rastatt 1849. Mit einem Plane von Rastatt. Rastatt 1853 online at Google Books
Karl Leopold Frhr. Schilling v. Canstatt: Die Militärmeuterei in Baden. Die Ereignisse in Rastatt, Bruchsal, Karlsruhe, Lörrach, Freiburg, Gundelfingen, Krotzingen, Neustadt etc. enthaltend. Aus authentischen Quellen zusammengetragen von einem badischen Offizier. Karlsruhe, 1849.
Carl von Rotteck, Carl Theodor Welcker: Staats-Lexikon – Encyklopädie der Staatswissenschaften. 3rd edn., 4th vol., Leipzig, 1860: Deutsche Bundeskriegsverfassung, B. Die Bundesfestungen, pp. 506–514. (online in der Google-Buchsuche)
Marco Müller: Die Bundesfestung Rastatt. In: Badische Heimat, Heft 4/2005, pp. 499–515
Karl Josef Rößler: Kampf um den Bau und die Besatzung der Festung Rastatt. In: Die Ortenau 42 (1962), pp. 264−273 online at the University of Freiburg
Hermann Kraemer: Rastatt im Revolutionsjahr 1848/49. Gedenkblätter zur Jahrhundertfeier. Rastatt, 1949.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rastatt Fortress.
Rastatt History Club: The Federal Fortress of Rastatt (Historischer Verein Rastatt: Die Bundesfestung Rastatt)
Entry at www.rastatt.de; retrieved 1 November 2013
Entry at www.burgerbe.de; retrieved 1 November 2013
Freiburger Zeitung dated 13 May 1849; retrieved 4 November 2013
Freiburger Zeitung dated 15 May 1849; retrieved 4 November 2013
April 25, 2023
rastatt, fortress, coordinates, 85833, 21056, 85833, 21056, german, bundesfestung, rastatt, built, from, 1842, 1852, construction, this, federal, fortress, projects, that, german, confederation, able, complete, fortress, site, covered, baden, town, rastatt, 18. Coordinates 48 51 30 N 08 12 38 E 48 85833 N 8 21056 E 48 85833 8 21056 Rastatt Fortress German Bundesfestung Rastatt was built from 1842 to 1852 The construction of this federal fortress was one of the few projects that the German Confederation was able to complete The fortress site covered the Baden town of Rastatt and in 1849 played an important role during the Baden Revolution It was abandoned in 1890 and most of it was eventually demolished Plan of the fortress in 1849 Contents 1 Background 2 Construction 3 Today 4 References 5 Literature 6 External linksBackground EditOn 3 November 1815 in the margins of the Paris Peace Conference the four victorious powers Austria Great Britain Prussia and Russia Mainz Luxemburg and Landau were designated as fortresses of the German Confederation and moreover they envisaged that a fourth federal fortress on the Upper Rhine for which 20 million French francs were to be set aside from the war reparations 1 As early as 1819 to 1824 a fortress construction commission was formed in which Baden Bavarian Wurttemberg and Austrian engineers jointly produced the plans which were then shelved for 20 years for political reasons 2 Whilst Austria wanted to extend Ulm Prussia and the south German states nearer to France favoured the construction of a fortress in Rastatt In October 1836 the king of Wurttemberg William I proposed a compromise which was to build or extend both towns into fortresses In 1838 39 Bavaria and Austria were won over Not until the Rhine Crisis of 1840 41 did it happen however that the states of the German Confederation come to an understanding about defence measures against France and the federal assembly on 26 March 1841 agreed the construction of both fortresses 3 Rastatt was designated as a linking and border fortress as well as an armoury for the VIII Army Corps 4 The Grand Duchy of Baden was given the right to appoint the governor the commandant and the chief of artillery the chief of engineers was to be appointed by Austria Construction Edit Fortress quarry on the Eichelberg Work on the federal fortress of Rastatt began on 15 November 1842 although its foundation stone was not laid until 18 October 1844 because laborious preparatory work was needed This included the purchase of parcels of land or their requisition in return for compensation In addition to municipal and royal land the properties of 345 private individuals were bought or requisitioned for the fortress 5 The construction of the fortress resulted in an enormous economic upturn for the town which was later paid for however with the departure of public facilities such as the court Hofgericht and county council Kreisregierung 6 The Austrian lieutenant colonel Georg Eberle was appointed as the senior fortress construction engineer and almost all the management staff were from Austria The large number of construction workers employed in 1844 4 000 7 made the expansion of municipal infrastructure police and medical services necessary the financing of which caused disputes between the town the grand duchy and federal military authorities The majority of the construction stone came from a roughly 500 metre long bunter sandstone quarry on the hill of Eichelberg near Oberweier and was transported to Rastatt on a 14 5 kilometre long horse drawn wagonway 8 its capacity being 400 cubic metres per day In the quarry 400 1200 workers were employed for whom a special hutted camp was built In addition to locals there were workers from Wurttemberg Austria South Tyrol and Italy 9 It was planned to complete the construction in 1849 but this did not come to fruition due to financial problems and the intervention of the Baden Revolution In 1848 the fortress was opened with the appointment of its first governor Lieutenant General Carl Felix von Lassolaye 10 Following its interruption by the Baden Revolution in 1849 work restarted in 1850 but came to a provisional halt in 1852 After serious disputes over its further expansion and funding especially between Prussia and Austria 11 the town defences and the station lunettes were finished in the period 1852 1854 and in 1856 two outworks were completed Today Edit Karlsruhe Gate Kehl Gate Casemates Rastatt Fortress was abandoned in 1890 12 because it had lost its position on the border and hence its importance The site was mostly sold in 1892 to the town of Rastatt as a source of construction material After the German Empire had lost the First World War it was laid down in the Treaty of Versailles in Article 180 that Germany had to slight its fortresses east of the Rhine along a 50 mile corridor The Interallied Military Control Commission also laid down which remains of the abandoned Rastatt Fortress still had to be demolished The casemates are accessible and guided tours are offered In the eastern part of the old Leopold Fortress 500 metres of passageway may be visited References Edit Proces verbal de la conference de M M les plenipotentiaires des quatre puissances du 3 Novembre 1815 a Paris Annexe B Systeme defensif de la confederation germanique Art 10 dated 3 November 1815 In Staatsarchiv des Deutschen Bundes published by Johann Ludwig Kluber Vol I 3rd Issue Erlangen 1816 pp 389 391 online at Google Books Muller p 499 Printed by Philipp Anton Guido von Meyer Corpus constitutionum Germaniae oder Die sammtlichen Verfassungen der Staaten Deutschlands Frankfurt am Main 1845 pp 95 96 online at Google Books s Staatslexikon p 509 Muller p 505 Fickler p 3 from 1843 to 1848 an average of 4 000 workers were employed to build the fortress reaching a peak of 6 000 Muller p 501 s www bundesfestung rastatt de retrieved 22 November 2013 Muller p 502 Entry online Leo bw Entry in the Baden Biographies Rossler pp 265 266 The State Defence Commission in Berlin decided to close the fortress as early as 1887 the imperial cabinet order was dated 4 March 1890 Karl Stiefel Baden 1648 1952 Karlsruhe 1979 Vol 2 p 1027 Literature EditWolfgang Dressen ed 1848 1849 Burgerkrieg in Baden Chronik einer verlorenen Revolution Wagenbachs Taschenbucherei 3 Wagenbach Berlin 1975 ISBN 3 8031 2003 9 Gunther Hildebrandt Rastatt 1849 Eine Festung der Revolution Illustrated historical issue No 6 ed by the Zentralinstitut fur Geschichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR VEB Deutscher Verlag der Wissenschaften Berlin 1976 Albert Neininger Rastatt als Residenz Garnison und Festung Selbstverlag Rastatt 1961 Carl Schurz Flucht aus der Festung Rastatt Erinnerungen an die Badische Revolution Mit einer Einfuhrung von Helmut Bender Waldkircher Verlagsgesellschaft Waldkirch 1983 ISBN 3 87885 086 7 Rainer Wollenschneider Michael Feik Bundesfestung Rastatt In Erinnerung an die Grundsteinlegung am 18 Oktober 1844 Schutz Otigheim 1994 ISBN 3 925418 44 X Karl Alois Fickler In Rastatt 1849 Mit einem Plane von Rastatt Rastatt 1853 online at Google Books Karl Leopold Frhr Schilling v Canstatt Die Militarmeuterei in Baden Die Ereignisse in Rastatt Bruchsal Karlsruhe Lorrach Freiburg Gundelfingen Krotzingen Neustadt etc enthaltend Aus authentischen Quellen zusammengetragen von einem badischen Offizier Karlsruhe 1849 Full text UB Frankfurt Carl von Rotteck Carl Theodor Welcker Staats Lexikon Encyklopadie der Staatswissenschaften 3rd edn 4th vol Leipzig 1860 Deutsche Bundeskriegsverfassung B Die Bundesfestungen pp 506 514 online in der Google Buchsuche Marco Muller Die Bundesfestung Rastatt In Badische Heimat Heft 4 2005 pp 499 515 Karl Josef Rossler Kampf um den Bau und die Besatzung der Festung Rastatt In Die Ortenau 42 1962 pp 264 273 online at the University of Freiburg Hermann Kraemer Rastatt im Revolutionsjahr 1848 49 Gedenkblatter zur Jahrhundertfeier Rastatt 1949 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rastatt Fortress Rastatt History Club The Federal Fortress of Rastatt Historischer Verein Rastatt Die Bundesfestung Rastatt Entry at www rastatt de retrieved 1 November 2013 Entry at www burgerbe de retrieved 1 November 2013 Freiburger Zeitung dated 13 May 1849 retrieved 4 November 2013 Freiburger Zeitung dated 15 May 1849 retrieved 4 November 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rastatt Fortress amp oldid 991102111, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
