Napoleonic Werden
Home Front
by Edgar Lawrence, UK
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Further to my article of last year, about Dr Neuhaus, of Essen Werden in the Rhur, and his time as a doctor in the Moscow campaign. l would like to take a look at what life was like was like back home in Werden, in The Grand Duchy of Berg, during the same period.
Remember that Werden was in the Duchy of Berg, part of the Holy Roman Empire, governed by the Prussians. (Although even today no self-respecting Werdener would admit any Prussian connection. Indeed they were Rheinlanders, i.e. German, and had no tradition of being bound to Prussia). The Prussians administered the area from Bochum, for example, on 19th April 1798 the 'Royal Prussian Justice Commissioner and Judge Jacobi', came to Werden to adjudicate in the matter of a will.
In 1802 the Prussians occupied the area, in effect Berg was annexed and became part of Prussia. This meant Berg was now under the direct rule of Prussia.
In 1804 a new Province of Essen / Werden was set up for closer administration. In his first report on Werden, the Inspector said he thought the town had lost its mind. He had visited during the annual 3 day festival that goes on day and night for a full week. He said, in his report, that the inhabitants had a tendency to riotous living.
The Inspectors report of 1 April 1805 stated that the town was careless about the disposal of waste from the houses. Not only were vegetable peelings thrown from doorways, but also 'Nacht Topfe' were being emptied from bedroom windows. In future anyone caught would be fined 1 rthl. Berl. cour. (1 Reichsthaler Berliner Wahrungsmunze).
In addition to the Berliner money there was also the Reichstaler Clevish in use. In fact Clevish. was still in use in 1826.
This then was the town of Werden until 1806 when as a result of the Treaty of Schonbrunn 24th February 1806, Prussia was made to cede, amongst other areas, Berg to France.
Napoleon raised the status of Berg to that of Grosshersogtum, Grand Duchy. And made his brother in law, Joachim Murat, the Grand Duke of Berg and Cleves, on 15th March 1806. It wasn't until this date that Werden knew it was part of France. Murat took up residence in Dusseldorf on the 24th March.
As part of the new administration, Karl. Joseph Graf von Nesselrode, the last Hereditary Director of Nobility, for the old Berg, was made Interior Minister. So not all the top administrative jobs went to the French, they used locally known talent. (As far as I can tell, Karl Joseph was no relation to Karl Robert Count Nesselrode, the Secretary of State to Tzar Alexander I).
On 24th March French troops arrived in Werden and secured the town. Not too well, because nine days later Prussian soldiers arrived and being unable to enter by any of the gates, climbed over the town wall. The town now had two occupying forces and was therefore a 'zweigeteilte Stadt', a town in two halves. It was not alone in this, as Essen also had French and Prussian Troops. This situation continued until August when the soldiers of both sides pulled out.
On 12th July 1806 the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist, replaced by the Confederation of the Rhine. A collection of states which promised troops for the Grande Armée. The Protestants welcomed the end of the Holy Roman Empire. They 'went with the times'; the Catholics were not as happy, but accepted the 'times'.
Since 1757 there had been a town ordnance that said whenever there was an announcement of great importance, the church bell would be rung. This institution was continued, and the bell was rung on a number of occasions.
On 15th July 1808, Murat was made King of Naples, and Napoleon took the title of Grand Duke of Berg to himself. The bell was rung on the 1st August in celebration, it having taken that long for the news to spread. Then just 14 days later the bell was rung again to celebrate Napoleon's birthday. Once again Werden celebrated, at midnight everyone was expected to go quietly home. However a young man with a wooden platter on his head, on which there were 20 lanterns, ran through the town chased by 20 of his friends all shouting loudly. They finished in the market square, outside Bergermeister Joisten's house. Joisten was not amused, and fined them 2 Reichtaler on the spot. Sending them home he said it was about time they grew out of their children shoes.
The next day Joisten received a letter of complaint. It said when the Prussian King's birthday was celebrated the whole town had been illuminated. But when young patriots celebrated the birthday of the Emperor Napoleon they were fined. The fines were revoked.
Not to be outdone Joisten declared that Werden was an 'industrial town' and its inhabitants were entitled to a good nights sleep. If there were any further repetitions of the market orgy, the police had been told to deal with it at once. The offenders would be fined 3 Reichtaler. This was the last decree of Bergermeister Joisten, three weeks later he died. From then on the title Maire (mayor) was used. Although I suspect only on official occasions.
The church bell was rung again on the 24th March 1811 to celebrate the birth of the King of Rome. The day was celebrated with illuminations and dancing in the street - again a riotous day, with the police enforcing the curfew.
The bell ringer was called out again on the 7th June to announce that the King of Rome was to be christened on the 9th, another day of celebration.
On the 9th the Rector told the bell-ringer that althoughhe had only one bell, hes should produce the tones of a nightingale, a quail, a blackbird and a cuckoo. The bell was rung morning, noon and night, and again the celebrations went on until the cerfew.
On 28th May 1813 news was received that Napoleon had won the battle of Bautzen. The Bergermeister ordered that there would be a Te Deum Mass on Sunday 6th June at 9 o'clock in the Catholic Church. The Officers Corps were to parade at 8.30 and march to the church.
By 1813 monthly reports had to be prepared by the Bergermeister. On the 1st April he was asked how many scaffolds there were in Werden, he replied on the 21st, none. On the 24th August the local paper mill was awarded a patent, by Napoleon, for producing a rust free packing paper.
On the 12th October 1813 the Town Secretary wrote that there were no longer any military to be seen. On behalf of the Maire he wrote 'As from today I wish the Royal Prussian Troops to be allowed free access. Give cheers Kaiser Alexander and Franz and the King Friedrech Wilhelm live'. He continued 'The bell is to be rung, and the schoolteacher, with the school children are to parade. The children are to make a wreath of laurel leaves, and it is to be presented on a large platter, to the Commanding General, by a young schoolgirl in a white dress'.
The Maire declared to the General of Troops that 'We are happy once again to be ruled by the Great Monarch!' He went on to say that it was a pleasure to see the Brave Prussians with the Prussian Black and White cockades. The Prussian heart is again proud. (What happened to We sind mehr Deutch als Preussen')
On the 12th November came news that the advance guard of the Russian Army was in Elberfeld, some 12 kilometres south of Werden. The Commandant, GeneralMajor Jusefowitsch gave orders that any public works that were being carried out should continue, but there would be no money to pay for them. The people were thanked for the way in which they had received the Russians, and the quiet and orderly way in which the takeover had taken place.
The Bergermeister and a deputation from Werden went to Elberfeld, and reported to the General Major. They returned at 7 o'clock with 8 Cossacks. The next day was the usual celebrations with food and drink, the Cossacks however took no part.
In November, Werden along with the West Province, were once again in Prussian hands. From Dusseldorf came the announcement, that all relationships and links with the Grand Duchy of Berg were finished. Fraternising with, or helping Berg troops was punishable by death.
So came to an end of the influence of Napoleon in Werden. Well not quite; on the night of 34 August 1816, at about one in the morning, the town was woken by shouts of 'The Emperor Napoleon lives'. The night watch found two friends, the worse for drink, and even in the guardroom neither could recognise the night watch for who they were. Once again 'Napoleon llllives'. It took them two days to sober up, one claimed he could remember nothing, the other that it was Napoleon's birthday. They had the right month, but the wrong date. They were kept in the jail for one day.
It seems that the changes in administration, and occupation, did not affect the day to day lives of the Burgers of Werden. In fact they seem to have taken advantage to celebrate a number of new dates in the calendar. Providing in the meantime young men for the Prussian army, the Grande Armée and later the Prussians again.
Until 1802, for hundreds of years official letters from Werden were headed 'Von Gottes Gnaden'. With Gods Help. Then in 1802 this was changed to 'From his Prussian Majesty'. Then again in 1808 it was changed to 'Von Seiner Kayserlichen und Koniglischen Mayestat dem Allerdurchlauchtigsten Fursten und Herm Napoleon, Kaiser der Franzosen, Konig von Italein, Beschutzer des Rheinbundes, Grosherzog von Berg....'
'From your Emperor and Imperial Royal Highest of Princes and Men Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, Grand Duke of Berg...'
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