Did you know that the Apelsteine serve as silent witnesses to one of Europe’s most decisive battles? I am eager to tell you a story about Apelstein 11.
Apelstein 11 is one of a series of memorials. They mark positions of the Coalition armies in the Battle of Leipzig. Guido Theodor Apel designed these stones. He lived from 1811 to 1867.
Each Apelstein shows a number. It also shows the army name, commander name, and troop number. The stone includes the battle name and date.
Apelstein 11 bears an inscription. It reads Fürst Poniatowski VIII Corps 8000 M. Another part says Schlacht bei Wachau am 16. Oktober 1813. This tells us about Prince Poniatowski’s Polish corps of 8,000 men. They fought at the Battle of Wachau on October 16, 1813.
The Battle of Leipzig was also called the Battle of the Nations. It raged from October 16 to 19, 1813. Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army fought against a coalition. The coalition included armies from Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden. The coalition won a decisive victory.
Almost 600000 soldiers fought in this battle. It was the largest European battle before World War I. The Napoleonic Wars’ bloodiest battle led to immense suffering. The French lost 45000 men killed or wounded. 36000 soldiers were captured including 15000 wounded. The coalition suffered 54000 killed or wounded.
The aftermath was devastating. So many dead and wounded could not receive care or burial. Typhus and cholera broke out in and around Leipzig. These diseases spread through Germany and Europe.
Theodor Apel created the first 44 memorials from 1861 to 1864. He wanted to commemorate the battle’s struggles. These original stones were made of granite and sandstone. They provided information on troop strength, direction, and commanders.
Odd-numbered stones marked French troop locations. They had the letter N for Napoleon and a rounded top. Even-numbered stones marked Allied locations. These had the letter V for Verbündete and a pointed top.
Leipzig associations continued this tradition. Between 1901 and 1994, they added stones 45 to 48. In 2000, the Historisches Torhaus zu Markkleeberg 1813 association erected stone number 50. It stands before the Torhaus Markkleeberg museum. In 2003, they added stone number 49.
The stones suffered damage over time. They were replaced or moved. Errors crept into copied inscriptions. Despite these changes, the Apelsteine remain significant.
These stones remind us of the Battle of Leipzig’s immense scale. They honor the soldiers. They also remind us of the suffering. Apelstein 11 stands as a testament to history. It is a place to reflect on the past’s impact.