Erected to remember a battle. The Apelstein 25 stands as a silent witness. It marks a position in the Battle of Leipzig. This battle was also known as the Battle of the Nations.
The Apelsteine are memorials. Guido Theodor Apel designed them. He lived from 1811 to 1867. These stones show the positions of the Coalition armies. They fought in the Battle of Leipzig. Each Apelstein carries an inscription. It shows a number. This number identifies it out of the 50 Apelsteine. The inscription includes the army’s name and commander. It also notes the number of soldiers. The inscription states the battle’s name and date.
Look closely at the Apelstein 25. You can see the inscription. It names Marshal Marmont. He was the Duke of Ragusa. It mentions the VI Corps and 18,000 men. The inscription also states “Battle of MÖCKERN, 16th October 1813”.
The Battle of Leipzig raged from October 16 to 19 in 1813. The most important day was October 18. Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army fought. His troops included Polish, Italian, and German soldiers. They faced a coalition. This coalition included the armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden. The coalition won a decisive victory.
Almost 600,000 soldiers fought. This made it the largest battle in Europe before World War I. It was the bloodiest battle of the Napoleonic Wars. The French suffered great losses. Around 45,000 were killed or wounded. 36,000 soldiers were taken prisoner including 15,000 wounded. The coalition also suffered. They had 54,000 men killed or wounded.
The large number of dead and wounded caused problems. They could not care for or bury everyone. Typhus and cholera broke out in Leipzig. These diseases quickly spread. They went through Germany and then Europe.
The Apelstein 25 is a reminder. It marks a critical moment in a massive conflict. This conflict shaped the course of European history. The Apelsteine originally were rectangular columns. They were made of sandstone and about 1.5 meters high. Stones for the Coalition troops have a pointed head. This looks like an upside-down V. It also has the letter V. Stones for Napoleon’s troops have a round head. They feature the letter N. The inscriptions face the battlefield. They show the battle name and date. The other side lists commanders and troop details. Two arrows on the narrow sides show the front lines. The tops of the stones indicate directions. Numbers up to 42 followed a rule. Even numbers went to Coalition forces. Odd numbers went to Napoleon’s forces.
Sandstone wasn’t very durable. Construction reached stones outside the city. People started replacing many stones. They used copies made of harder materials. Sometimes they moved them slightly. The size and shape changed too. Some copies have text errors.
Today, Apelstein 25 stands. It connects us to the past. It allows us to reflect on the human cost of war. It reminds us of the lives lost and the impact of the Battle of Leipzig.