The Franco-Prussian War is one of the lesser covered
topics on this platform. And even within this war there are battles that are lesser known.
In this video you're gonna learn about the Siege of Strasbourg. Keep watching.
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On this channel we’ve barely touched upon the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871).
This war erupted due to aggressive foreign from both France and Prussia.
France had by that time an emperor: Napoleon III (nephew of former emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte). Just like the first French emperor Napoleon III had also great
aspirations to dominate the European continent. However during the 1860s his popularity declined.
The population was fed up with his authoritarian style of governance.
Hoping to boost his image he wanted to achieve new international successes. Yet, his 1861-7
‘Mexican adventure’ (where he sent his army to Mexico and installed Emperor Maximilian I
on the throne) became a faillure. His troops withdrew from Mexico and Emperor Maximilian
I got executed. Meanwhile he looked at Prussia which become more powerful.
The Prussian king Wilhelm I strived for military reinforcement
of his nation. These policies were carried out by conservative chansellor Otto van Bismarck. In two
short wars against Denmark and Austria Bismarck established the North German Confederation.
Napoleon III saw Prussia as a serious threat and wanted to annex Belgium and Luxembourg
or the Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz). Bismarck declined and threatened that if it
would come to war it would be one likes of which has never been seen before.
And war did break out. The direct cause of it was the Ems Dispatch, where in short Bismarck
released a statement to the press that stirred up emotions in both countries. And so, war
between France and the North German Confederation (alongside with south German states) was a fact.
On 2 August 1870 the opening shots of the war were fired. The French Chassepot Rifles proved
superior to the German Dreyse needle gun. Also the French made use of the Mitrailleuse that could
fire over 100 rounds per minute. At Saarbrücken the French were succesfull but with superior
artillery the Germans drove the French back at Wissembourg. At Spicheren and Wörth the Germans
also proclaimed victory. Before the war the Germans had done extensive research
of the French terrain. As the Germans moved towards Metz, another group went for Strasbourg...
This city was seen as the strongest fortress city. Throughout history Strasbourg has seen numerous
battles: Roman conflicts, the 16th century religious war and during the Napoleonic Wars.
Now the Germans wanted to seize control over the city because of its symbolic
importance and because they did want to integrate the city in the German nation. On 12 August led
elements of the Baden field division supported by Würtembergish fortress artillery arrived at
the city. As rail and telegraph lines were cut the city became isolated. Inside Strasbourg there were
85,000 civilians and 15,000 French soldiers armed with 1,200 obsolete guns.
Military governor of Strasbourg Jean-Jacques Uhrich led the French forces in the city. The
French in Strasbourg weren't prepared for a battle so only after the first Germans arrived
proper preparations were made. And Strasbourg may have been blessed with surrounding fortresses,
for modern weaponry these were outdated. Meaning that because of the lack of outer fortresses
the Germans were able to bring their artillery in close range of the city. Prussian commander
August von Werder hoped to make the city surrender after a few cannon shots.
Yet, this wasn't the case. The city was also symbolically important for the French
and French commander Jean-Jacques Uhrich was willing to hold out till the bitter end.
On 15 August the German start shelling the city with heavy artillery. As citizens flee
to their cellars buildings caught fire. From the German side the period of shelling was more a
time of investment where von Werder maneuvered his artillery into place and developed his strategy.
Even German newspaper didn't overtly cover this siege, no more than one paragraph on
Strasbourg appeared during this time. Yet, the shelling led to international condamnation. From
24 August Von Weder increased this bombing through an intense, destructive nighttime bombardment of
the city center. When that didn't make the French surrender turned to the traditional form of siege
warfare in which he primarily aimed his cannon at the ramparts in order to effect a breach.
As cultural and sacred objects, such as the New Church, turned to ashes one inhabitant claimed the
Last Judgement had arrived as another believed humanity was fallen back by two centuries,
to the horrors of the Thirty Years’ War. The Germans made preparations to take the city
by storming it, but this would most likely result into a costly
attack. Therefore the plan was to shell and starve the city into surrender. On several occasions
the French try to destroy the German positions but each time they fail. The French did succeed
in inundating the area south of the city. The shelling destroys parts of the fortifications.
On 11 September the Swiss Red Cross is allowed to evacuate the elderly, the sick and the wounded
from the city. Now the French learn about what has happened outside the city walls in the meanwhile.
They learn that at Sedan the Napoleon III has been captured and in Paris the Third Republic has been
proclaimed. French commander Uhrich knows there is no point in holding out, but refuses to give
in. Later that month Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden sents him a personal letter urging him to
surrender on humanitarian grounds. Since the outer walls have been breached on several spots the
Germans make themselves ready to storm the city. However, it doesn't come to that point, because on
27 September Uhrich decides to surrender and the next day the city is handed to the Germans.
The French suffered 562 dead soldiers and 341 dead civilians. Altogether almost 20,000 wounded. The
Germans suffered 177 KIA, 715 WIA and 44 MIA.When in 1894 Pastor Wilhelm Horning published
his dairy he opened it with a message to his children, which stated:
Little did he know... And if you want to know more about WW1, click here!