Count Pahlen III. Three thousand riders. That is what Apelstein 10 tells us. It also tells us of the Battle of Wachau on October 16 1813. We stand here at Apelstein 10. It marks a spot from a significant battle. This is part of the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig.
These stones are called Apelsteine. They are named after Theodor Apel. He was a Leipzig citizen and writer. Apel wanted to commemorate the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. He placed these stones at important battle locations. In Leipzig and its surroundings, there are 50 such memorials.
Theodor Apel paid for 44 of these markers himself. This happened between 1861 and 1864. Six more were added later. These came from private funds, Apel’s foundation, and other associations.
Originally, the Apelsteine were sandstone columns. They stood about 1.5 meters tall. Coalition troop positions got stones with a pointed top. This looked like an upside-down V for “Verbündete” meaning Allies. Napoleon’s troop positions got stones with a round top. They had an N on them.
The inscriptions face the battlefield. They show the battle name and date. The other side lists the commanders. It also shows troop details and strength. Arrows on the narrow sides show the front lines. The stone tops indicate directions. Numbers up to 42 followed a rule. Even numbers marked Coalition troops. Odd numbers marked Napoleon’s troops.
Sandstone wasn’t very durable. Construction reached the stones outside the city. So, they started replacing stones in the 19th century. They used copies made of tougher materials. Sometimes, the new stones were placed slightly off from the original spot.
The copies changed the size and shape. Some stones in western Leipzig taper upwards. Others have bases and tops. Copying also led to some text errors.
Apelstein 10 tells of Count Pahlen III. He commanded 3000 riders. They fought in the Battle of Wachau on October 16 1813. This stone marks their place in that battle.
The Battle of Leipzig was huge. Almost 600000 soldiers fought. It was Europe’s largest battle before World War I. It was also one of the bloodiest of the Napoleonic Wars. The coalition won a decisive victory.
After the battle, many dead and wounded were left behind. Typhus and cholera broke out in Leipzig. These diseases spread through Germany and Europe.
The Apelsteine help us remember these events. They mark where history happened. Each stone tells a small part of a much larger story. Apelstein 10 reminds us of Count Pahlen III and his riders. They fought in the Battle of Wachau. Their actions shaped the history we remember today.