A virtual visit of Iéna's battlefield

Robert Ouvrard

The battle of Iena took place on the heights which dominate the city (the plateau of Landsgrafenberg) which one reaches by Cospeda's village. The site offers to the guest of numerous monuments, recently renewed, among whom about twenty steles marking the various places of the French troops (they have then a round summit, in shape of hat) and Prussian or Saxon ( sharp summits). There is, regrettably , at the moment no brochure similar to that edited for the battle of Leipzig, which would allow to find them easily.

Very logically, the visit of the battlefield owes begin with that of the museum dedicated to the battle and to the events which are connected with it.

The museum of the battle, to Cospeda

One arrives at Cospeda by taking, from Iena, the road of Weimar. One can, either take the main road, or the historic road, described by Coignet in the Carnets.

It is with the completely reshaped contents that the museum opened again its doors in May, 1999. The artisan is the Research institute of Military History of Iena 1806, with the support of the museums of the city of Iena.

Here are presented part of the collection of the museum " Göhre ", the museum of the city of Iéna. Near the historic theater of the operations of 1806-1807, the exhibition shows to the guests many historical documents and maps as well as witnesses' reports of the events. It also offers the possibility to concretely imagine the events, in their spatial and strategic dimension. The daily life of the soldiers, the uniforms as well as the function and the action of weapons, the whole placed in the actual frame of time, represent a supplementary interest, and not the slightest, of this exhibition.

On Landsgrafenberg, (Windknollen)

From this place, which one reaches from Cospeda, and which is situated where was the centre of the French march, and where Napoleon spent the night preceding the battle, one get a beautiful sight over the city of Iéna (1 , 2), the Saale valley (route of Lannes and Augereau's troops) and up to Leuchtenberg , as well as, of the other side, the ground on which took place the first fights of the battle of Iena.

A small walking leads to the stele ( 3 ) marking the place where would have been Napoleon's tent.

From the village Cospeda (4-5), one hat a view on Closewitz and the Steinbach valley (6)

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Dornberg

Dornberg is the most important point from the strategic point of view, at the same time as the highest of the battlefield. From there (one can also climb up up to the summit of the water tank) excellent sight on the whole battlefield in the direction of Vierzehnheiligen (1) and Krippendorf (2). It is in this direction that Napoleon supposed the presence of all the Prussian forces, and that he launched his attack. It is from here that he then continued to direct the operations.

In border of the road, a stele ( 3 ), set up for the 180th anniversary of the battle (in October 18, 1986), marks the place of Napoleon and the Old Guard, at 10 o'clock, in the morning of October 14, 1806. Nearby, a panel ( 4 ) indicates the composition of the forces having fought in Dornberg.

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Vierzehnheiligen's village

It is here that took place the fights between the Prussian division Grawert, the Prussian cavalry, the Saxon  brigades (Dyhernn
and Cerrini) and the French troops of Lannes 5th, Ney 6th, Soult 4th, as well as the reserve of cavalry under the command of marshal Murat, arrived later on the battlefield.

Towards 13h, the Prussian lines were broken. Then started the retreat. It was in fact the decisive moment of the battle of Iena.

In front of the church ( 1 ), the monument of the battle ( 2 ), set up on October 14, 1906, for the hundredth anniversary, in the presence of Kronprinz

" To the officers and soldiers killed in the battle of Iena. In the battle of Iena were killed or died from their wounds 53 officers and about 1100 soldiers of the Prussian and Saxon armies; 271 officers and about 6000 men were wounded. Among the officers having taken part in the battles of Iena and Auerstaedt, 181 found a heroic death in 1809, and from 1813 till 1815, during the wars of liberation.

The name of the 53 officers is registered on the bronze patch

A little farther, a small stele ( 3 ) indicates the forces of the marshal Lannes (17.500 men - 24 artillery)

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Sperlingsberg (Kappelendorf)

One is here on the west part of the battlefield ( 1 ). Here was, the day before the battle, the bivouac of the big part of the Prussian army (prince of Hohenlohe), who had his headquarters in the castle (Wasserburg) of Kappelendorf's village. (2)

On the hill which dominates the village, the impressive stony tower ( 3 ), dating 1907, restored in 1986. Three commemorative plates are affixed on walls.

• This monument was set up as 1906-1907 by the Association of Kappelendorf's monuments.

• 1806-1906 / Here took place on October 14, 1806 the last heroic attack of the Prussians against Napoleon. Those that scatter in tears will harvest in the enjoyment. (4)

• Here fell on October 14, 1806, in a heroic fight, the following officers: von Wahler u. Cronegk, von Jagow, von Voss, von Sydow, von Puttkammer, von Michalkowski, von Berenhorst, von Berenhortz, von Schweintz, von Rathenow, von Schweder, von Langen, von Werder of the following regiments of infantry: Alt-Larisch N 26, Strachwitz N 43, Wedell N 10.

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Near the road, a stele indicates the place of the forces of the marshals Soult, Lannes and Augereau ( 5 )