| Lange Kerls |
In the first year as king, Friedrich William I. increased the army by a fourth. One of his
famous giant soldiers was an Irish born Grenadier James Kirkland who measured 6
foot 11inches. The regiment had benefits that the regular soldiers lacked; They got
more pay and allowances and the king gave them land and houses.
famous giant soldiers was an Irish born Grenadier James Kirkland who measured 6
foot 11inches. The regiment had benefits that the regular soldiers lacked; They got
more pay and allowances and the king gave them land and houses.
But it may have been more than that. He might rightly have thought of how
intimidating a sight it would seem to an average size foreign army. He gave his
son, the future Friedrich the Great, his own toy regiment, the Crown Prince
Cadets, made up of 131 little boys whom the Prince could command and play
with as he liked. At fourteen, Friedrich was made a major of the giant
Potsdam Grenadiers, and he commanded the giants on the parade ground
daily. When his father died in 1740, Friedrich relieved the giants, over 3,000
by then, of duty and allowed them to return to their homes. With the money
saved, he established four regiments of men of ordinary height in their place.
intimidating a sight it would seem to an average size foreign army. He gave his
son, the future Friedrich the Great, his own toy regiment, the Crown Prince
Cadets, made up of 131 little boys whom the Prince could command and play
with as he liked. At fourteen, Friedrich was made a major of the giant
Potsdam Grenadiers, and he commanded the giants on the parade ground
daily. When his father died in 1740, Friedrich relieved the giants, over 3,000
by then, of duty and allowed them to return to their homes. With the money
saved, he established four regiments of men of ordinary height in their place.
If a man had the misfortune of being a very tall man in Prussia during the
time of Friedrich Wilhelm I, there was a very good possibility he would end
up being one of the king's tall toys in a special regiment, a unit known as the
Potsdamer Riesengarde ( the "Potsdam giant guard" ), nicknamed the "Lange
Kerls" by the Prussian people. The original required height was 5'11", then
well above average male height. The tallest soldiers were reportedly about 7
feet and some of the Potsdam giants actually towered above eight feet. It was
reported that the recorded height of a Scottish member of the Grenadiers was
at eight feet three inches. It was said that no ordinary man could reach the top
of some of their heads. In 1707, they were provided a new garrison.
time of Friedrich Wilhelm I, there was a very good possibility he would end
up being one of the king's tall toys in a special regiment, a unit known as the
Potsdamer Riesengarde ( the "Potsdam giant guard" ), nicknamed the "Lange
Kerls" by the Prussian people. The original required height was 5'11", then
well above average male height. The tallest soldiers were reportedly about 7
feet and some of the Potsdam giants actually towered above eight feet. It was
reported that the recorded height of a Scottish member of the Grenadiers was
at eight feet three inches. It was said that no ordinary man could reach the top
of some of their heads. In 1707, they were provided a new garrison.
The King, who was said to have only been between only
about 5 foot tall himself, organized three battalions so that all
who stood near seven feet tall and above were assigned to the
first ranks. The Guards regiment consisted of 60 officers, 165
grenadiers, 53 drummers, 15 horses, 15 medics and about
2,160 musketeers, not one of which was less than six feet tall.
about 5 foot tall himself, organized three battalions so that all
who stood near seven feet tall and above were assigned to the
first ranks. The Guards regiment consisted of 60 officers, 165
grenadiers, 53 drummers, 15 horses, 15 medics and about
2,160 musketeers, not one of which was less than six feet tall.
Few of the new recruits came voluntarily. Some were simply abducted, lured
with false promises or tricked into service, and they were recruited from all
over the known world. He offered rewards for tall men who joined the army
on their own and gave substantial rewards to fathers who sired tall sons; he
also offered riches to tall men serving in the armies of other nations, hoping
they would desert and join the Prussian army. Although the king was
notoriously frugal, it cost Prussian taxpayers around 36 million crowns for the
establishment and maintenance of this regiment. One seven-foot-two Irish
inch giant was purchased at a reported cost of over 6,000 pounds. However,
other European kings sometimes gave the Prussian king tall men as special
gifts. Russian Czar Peter I, the Great, who stood six feet seven inches tall
himself, sent an annual supply of "Giants", and the Sultan of the Ottoman
Empire sent him some big boys. 12 very tall Africans were also added.
with false promises or tricked into service, and they were recruited from all
over the known world. He offered rewards for tall men who joined the army
on their own and gave substantial rewards to fathers who sired tall sons; he
also offered riches to tall men serving in the armies of other nations, hoping
they would desert and join the Prussian army. Although the king was
notoriously frugal, it cost Prussian taxpayers around 36 million crowns for the
establishment and maintenance of this regiment. One seven-foot-two Irish
inch giant was purchased at a reported cost of over 6,000 pounds. However,
other European kings sometimes gave the Prussian king tall men as special
gifts. Russian Czar Peter I, the Great, who stood six feet seven inches tall
himself, sent an annual supply of "Giants", and the Sultan of the Ottoman
Empire sent him some big boys. 12 very tall Africans were also added.
Grenadier Schwerid Rediwanoff of Moskow, left. Their uniform included a red hat, blue
jacket with gold trim, scarlet trousers, white stockings, black shoes and a brimless hat. Their
weapons were muskets, white bandoleers, and daggers.
jacket with gold trim, scarlet trousers, white stockings, black shoes and a brimless hat. Their
weapons were muskets, white bandoleers, and daggers.
He found big, powerful peasant girls for them in hopes that they would sprout more giants. As an
added benefit, the King never actually sent his giants into battle. Rather, they were an amusement.
Voltaire stated of the King: "armed with a huge sergeant's cane," (he) "marched forth every day to
review his regiment of giants. These giants were his greatest delight, and the things for which he went
to the heaviest expense" (and) "he played with them as a child would with enormous living toys."
When suffering from illness and confined to his bed, the King sometimes ordered two or three
hundred of them to visit and "preceded by tall, turbaned Moors with cymbals and trumpets and the
grenadiers' mascot, an enormous bear, they would march in a long line through the King's chamber
to cheer him up." Being a passable artist, he enjoyed painting the giants as well.
added benefit, the King never actually sent his giants into battle. Rather, they were an amusement.
Voltaire stated of the King: "armed with a huge sergeant's cane," (he) "marched forth every day to
review his regiment of giants. These giants were his greatest delight, and the things for which he went
to the heaviest expense" (and) "he played with them as a child would with enormous living toys."
When suffering from illness and confined to his bed, the King sometimes ordered two or three
hundred of them to visit and "preceded by tall, turbaned Moors with cymbals and trumpets and the
grenadiers' mascot, an enormous bear, they would march in a long line through the King's chamber
to cheer him up." Being a passable artist, he enjoyed painting the giants as well.
Below: Friedrich Wilhelm I greets the Salzburgers. He was a giant in the hearts of his grateful subjects.