1998 Frederick the Great
Battlefield Tour

May 18: Landeshut and Mollwitz

by Fritz Mueller


We drove southwest out of Breslau passing through Schweidnitz (Swednica) and into the foothills of Silesia approaching Bohemia. Along the route, Duffy points out the large pyramid-shaped mountain known as the Zobten Berg, which is clearly visible from Leuthen and Schweidnitz. It is a good landmark and point of reference throughout our travels. During the Seven Years War, both sides used the Zobten Berg as an observation post, while the Prussians at Leuthen used it as a point of reference in their flank march around the Austrian lines. There are no signs of the old fortress of Schweidnitz and the town is now a gritty looking industrial center. It is not particularly attractive.

Editor's Comments:

Eventually we made our way to Landeshut (Kamienna Gora), another industrial town that. straddles one of the two main routes from Silesia to Bohemia, which lies on the other side of the Riesen-Geberge mountain system. The other route is guarded by the imposing fortress of Glatz (Klodzko), which we will see later in the tour. Landeshut was an important military depot for Frederick, it was a linen textile center, and it guarded the aforementioned route into Silesia. The town is situated in the hollow of a deep valley, surrounded by various mountain heights. Accordingly, the defence of the town required occupation of the surrounding heights. The Prussian general Fouque construction ten forts on these hills in 1758. These were manned by company strength garrisons for the most part.

Lt. General Henri-Auguste de la Motte Fouque was one of Frederick's favorite generals, and their relationship went back to Frederick's early adulthood at Rheinsberg (1736-1740). Fouque was a follower of the Old Dessauer school of soldiering, which emphasized traditional Prussian toughness and discipline. Perhaps this, combined with a particularly sharp tongue, explains why Fouque was not particularly liked by the rest of the Prussian officer corps.

In the campaign of 1760, Frederick decided to stay in Saxony with the main royal army and shift Prince Henry and his 35,000 troops to Silesia. Fouque was detached with a corps of about 11,000 troops to occuppy Landeshut, to protect the lines of communications between the two major Prussian armies.

The Austrian general Gideon Ernst von Loudon saw this as an opportunity to capture another isolated Prussian detachment, as had happened at Maxen in 1759. He advanced his army of some 35,000 Austrians towards Landeshut, his approach screened by a range of hills that paralleled Fouque's ring of hill forts around the town. Duffy noted that Loudon is mostly associated with the Silesian theater of operations and that he had once offered his services to Frederick. Frederick turned down his application, later calling it one of the worst mistakes of his career.

Loudon was a difficult person to get along with, and like Fouque, was unpopular with many of his fellow officers. Loudon's command style was characterized by long periods of lethargy followed by short bursts of activity such as the Dornstadtl raid on the Prussian supply column, the successful storming of the fortress of Glatz, or the action at Landeshut.

Loudon directed a two prong attack against Fouque's positions, from the northeast and the southwest Our first stop on the battlefield was an ascent of the steep Hahn Berg position in the southwest. From here we had an excellent view of most of the Prussian hill forts leading north towards the town of Landeshut. In otherwords, one can view and appreciate the entire battlefield from atop the Hahn Berg.

After a steep and somewhat breath taking climb, we came upon the remains of several fleches. Moving further up the hill, we found the earthen redoubt on the crest. I must say that I would have missed seeing all of these works had they not been pointed out to me by Professor Duffy. I imagine that time, erosion and the work of some farmers did much to reduce and flatten the profile of these works. The first Austrian attack of the Hahn Berg was driven off by the Prussian grenadier battalion Koschembahr.

The Austrians regrouped and attacked once more and captured the position. The Prussians retreated to the Galgen Berg ("Gallows Hill"), closer in towards Landeshut. This left the little garrison on the next hill, the Gerischtes Berg, to fend for themselves. This position also fell in due time and represented the collapse of the Prussian right, or southernmost defensive positions. Now the way was open for Austrian cavalry to skirt around the Prussian right and cross the Bober River, which ran to the rear of the Prussian positions. Thus the Austrian cavalry was in position to cut off any retreat by the Prussians from Landeshut.

We then descended from the Hahn Berg and climbed the adjacent Gerischtes Berg. Here, the Prussians had built a triangular-shaped earth work on the lower south side of the hill. We could barely see the remains of this work from the Hahn Berg summit, but up close, one would have difficulty finding it unless he knew what he was looking for. Fortunately, we had Professor Duffy with us and he led us up the hill in a successful assault of the "Bad Guys" (aka Prussians) fort. It was very windy and cold on the summit, so we spent but a short time up here as Duffy described the action that took place to the north of Landeshut. Alas, my hands were probably too cold to take many notes, so I can't give any details. Suffice it to say that the Prussian positions to the northeast of Landeshut were also driven back into the town.

A general retreat now commenced, but this was cut off by the afore-mentioned Austrian cavalry, which was now positioned on the other side of the Bober River. Duffy noted that Fouque fought to the very end, finding himself isolated in a Prussian square composed of the free battalion of Below and a company of IR 37 (Braun). Fouque was wounded and taken prisoner along with most of his men. The Prussians casualties included 27 officers and 1,900 men killed and wounded. The captives included 4 generals, 239 officers and 7,800 men, and 34 colors. The Austrian casualties were higher, suggesting some spirited defense by the Prussians before the inevitable collapse. The Austrians reported 19 officers and 755 men killed in action and 90 officers and 2,034 men wounded.

Professor Duffy added a final word on the fate of Fouque. He was badly wounded, bleeding profusely and in danger of being struck down permanently by the Austrian cavalry. However, the Austrian Colonel Voit, of the Lowenstein Dragoon Regiment, intervened and saved Fouque's life. Voit offered his horse to Fouque, who declined the offer commenting 'The blood would spoil your fine saddlery.' Wit replied 'It will become far more precious, when it is stained with the blood of a hero.' Once in captivity, Fouque proved to be a nuisance, what with his continual complaining, so the Austrians shipped him off to a remote prison cell in Croatia.

Fouque's final demise at Landeshut, by Menzel.

We now return to Fritz Mueller's commentary of the trip. Standing here on the Gerischtes Berg it is easy to understand why Fouque split his forces in an attempt to control all of the key hilltop positions. But looking at the deployments on the map it is little wonder that the Austians were able to destroy the defenses in detail. The Prussians' last stand on the Galgen Berg, although brave, was another poor choice. This was a killing ground surrounded by higher ground that provided the Austrians with deadly zones of crossfire. This battle of Landeshut (Kamienna Gora) should never have been fought. Fouque would have undoubtedly agreed with my assessment. His lines were over-extended, he was outnumbered three to one and seemingly attacked from all sides. Mindful of Finck's fate at Maxen, Fouque at least obeyed his orders to hold Landeshut and fought to the last man. However, he never forgave Frederick for putting him in such an untenable position.

Back onto the coach and southwest to Grussau, the site of a pilgrimage church and monastery. Frederick stayed here frequently during his many travels through Silesia. This structure is a monument to Rococco architecture, as well as to Christianity. I believe each of us who entered the church was awe-struck by the magnificence of the artwork and the mastery of construction. The church itself was worthy of our excursion on this day. [Editor: each of us bought picnic supplies at a small store outside the monastery and we ate our sandwiches on the bus as a light rain began to fall. Fritz apparently consumed some bad cheese or fruit that made him. very ill and green over the next several days.]

Dr. Duffy suggests that. we complete the day with a visit to Mollwitz (Malujowice), which is nearby. We all agree and set out. We arrive at the site of Frederick's first battle at about 4:00 P.M. The village is probably much the same as it was in 1740. A quaint old church surrounded by a buttressed stone wall dominates the village center. A stone plaque embedded in a wall bears the date 1691.

Inside the church the walls are covered with faded frescoes of previous centuries. Our tour director (Steve Howe) dates the frescoes from the 15th Century. A small, but beautiful pipe organ fills the balcony above the narthex.

The pews are ancient wood, well worn and hard as stone. Many of us deposit offerings in the collection box as we leave. For a weekday the church has received a small windfall.

[Editor: we noticed another one of the ever present Silesian Storks nesting oil top of the chimney of a nearby house. These are so com- mon, that many houses have a pole with a flat base attached to tile house or roof so that the storks will not nest on top of the chimney. I also found a battlefield monument celebrating Mollwitz, just outside of the church. However, the locals have converted it into a religious shrine, having painted the stone tablet baby blue and white arid placing a glass encased Madona in front of the inscriptions.]

Down a dirt road through a small farm and we are standing on the ground were the Austrian infantry turned out to meet the Prussian attack. The battlefield is open ground and composed of fields and pastures, much the same as it was in 1740. Moving cast we view the area of Romer's cavalry attack that almost succeeded in rolling up the Prussian right flank. Some of the field was destroyed when a military air base was built here (by the Soviets) in the recent past. The airstrip has since been dismantled. All in all, the battlefield of Frederick's first victory is not remarkable in any way. But standing on the ground of this historic event is, in itself, remarkable and somehow energizing.

More 1998 Frederick the Great Tour

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© Copyright 1998 by James E. Purky

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