Pulczinski in the Battle of Nations, Leipzig 1813

Pulczinski in the Battle of Nations, Leipzig/Germany

18 October 1813


Free translated from german to english and in military context
by Andreas Pulczinski, August 2009

Introduction:
Major von Pulczinski was member of the allied troops as a commander of the Prussian "4TH RESERVE INFANTRY REGIMENT" fighting against Napoleon.
This regiment was formed from the 3rd East-Prussian Musketeer Battalion and the 3rd East Prussian-Infantry Reserve Battalion.
The climax of the war was the Battle of Nations, where the allied defeated Napoleons army so badly, that Napoleon was forced to change to a defence strategy on own territory in the following.
During the battle of nations the amount of casualties on both sides were extremly high; approximatly 80.000 to 110.000 total were killed or wounded.
Napoleon lost about 38,000 killed and wounded soldiers. The allied Troops captured 36.000 Prisoners of War.
Among the dead on allied site (polish), was Marshal Józef Antoni Poniatowski, a nephew to the last king of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski.

In the battle Major von Pulczinski commanded an attack on Paunsdorff/Leipzig against the French troops on 18 October 1813.

The Scenary:

Major von Pulczinski, captured with his regiment in these battles three cannons and two howitzers and took as well, a big amount of prisoners nearly a complete regiment at Dennewitz. The attack he commanded was reported to Colonel von Bockum:

‘On 18 October at three o’clock in the afternoon, Major von Pulczinski was ordered from the crown prince of Sweden, to capture Paunsdorf with 2 Batallions. Behind this village, enemy infantry with artillery was detected.
…. The village was captured in the first attack. In opposite of the village, the battalions came under cross fire by an enemy artillery battery, at the road to Sellershausen.
The Attack stocked for a moment, then 1st and the 2nd battalion regathered themselfs and captured two howitzers and a cannon. ....
Continuing the attack and now supported by the captured artillery, the regiment moved forward to Sellershausen and assaulted the village under artillery fire.. …. Major von Stutterheim arrived with six platoons of the 1st battalion, to support the 2nd Batallion with building a frontline behind the village, which thrown back the fleeing enemy into Sellershausen.
At this moment all three prussian field officers were seriously wounded; 3 captains and 3 lieutenants were out of action.
Because of the intensive urban warfare, the battalions were mainly dispersed and splittered into small combat groups. Without any coverage they needed to retreat from Sellershausen to Paunsdorf to be formed- up again into organization.

During the retreat, the main part of his men fought their way back in close combat with bayonett and saber.

Captain von Beyer was leaving Sellershausen with the skirmishers of the 2nd battalion, as reguard.
Officer Cadett von Görtzke and Officer Cadett von Obstfelder who was hit by 3 shots, were beside him.

Until the Brigades ‘Borstell’ and ‘Krafft’ arrived, General von Bülow was not able to support Major von Pulczinski more earlier. The big losses of the regiment could only be compensated by their reckless braveness only, with which the men followed their leaders…… [Signed:] Friccius”


Source: Friccius, “Berichtigung”, in ‘Militär-Wochenblatt’, 27. Jahrgang No. 25, 24 June 1843
Source: Heereskunde1929_PR_Reserveinfanterieregimenter, Berlin 1929
Source: Digby-Smith - "1813: Leipzig" p 195


MY PERSONAL REMARK::::::::: MAKE LOVE NOT WAR::::::

Free translated and in military contextby Andreas Pulczinski, August 2009 (C)

Pulczynski in Moscow

Vasily Kirsh from Moscow, Russia (va_kirsch@yahoo.com):

My great-great-grandfather (grandfather of my father's mother), Jan Pulczynski (hard L with a slash), was born in Poland in 18... and died in Moscow no later than 1911. His father's name was Norbert. We still know very little about them.

The one and only document is the Address book of Moscow, entitled "All Moscow, 1909", where one can read the following record: "Ivan Norbertovitch Pulchinskiy. Bol'shaya Alexandrovskaya Ulitza, Dom Chetkina". By the legend, he was born in Warsaw.

By the legend, his ancestors were Grafs (Grafen). Only one of his many Russian successors saved this information and told to children. In early Soviet times this knowledge was dangerous. The very mentioning of this could lead to the loss of work as minimum, or repressions. Only recently, after many communications with my near and far relatives, a single photo of my ancestor Jan Pulczynski and 2 photos of his Russian wife Olga Pulczynska were discovered.



Jan Pulczynski

When I was 6 years old my grandmother told me that her grandfather Jan Pulczynski was sent to Russia as a prisoner after 1863 Uprising. The second legend is that he had horse business, and oil transport business with cooperation with Nobel's House in Moscow. 

I discovered that in Russia Jan Pulczynski had a title which was not high. He was Odnodvoretz, not Graf. 

Jan Pulczynski became Ivan Norbertovitch Pulczynskiy in Russia. The second name is always given for the father's name in Russia. He changed his religion to Orthodox (Greek) Christianity. Maybe, because of the marriage on his young wife Olga who, by the legend, was a relative to Serbian (or Romanian?) Consul in Moscow. Olga and Jan Pulczynskie had two daughters, Elizabeth (my great-grandmother) and Anna. 

Olga Semenovna Pulczynska

Internet findings, some from http://www.books.google.com/:

Poltczen 1437, Pulczno 1686, Kasz. Poucno, … Pholtzen 1354, Polczno

Jency z armii napoleonskiej zeslani do Omska i wcieleni do Sybirskiego Kozackiego Wojska Liniowego / 1813-1837 / Polczynski Mateusz

From ACTA BORUSSICA / Polczynski Albert 1827 Lehrer Dupin seit 1835 Piaskowo 1851 Disziplinarsache 252/60, 84(Numbers of archives and protocols)

Marceli Kujawa-Polczynski (1844-1910) z Gniewkowa...napisal wspomnienia powstanca z roku 1863/64 pt. "Bartek Nowak"

Regesta Historica-Diplomatica Ordinis S. Mariae Theutonicorum 1198-1525 Page 636 / Graf Hans von Gleihen Pfleger zu Butow u….Polczin

GREEKS (?) of Odessa, Name list from Church-Books, (in Russian)Pulczynska Maria Iosifovna (Iosif, Josef – was her father), p.251

8 Pulk Piechoty Legionow / Zidentyfikowani oficerowie pulku zamordowani w niewoli rosyjskiej w 1940/ Kpt. Stanislaw Marceli Polczynski Adam Moszynski: LISTA KATYNSKA. Londyn: Gryf Publications LTD, 1982, s. 153. ISBN 83-8028-81-1.

Reichstagsabgeordnete des Adels 1907/ Kurzbiographien und Parlamentsdaten adeliger Volksvertreter / Janta-Polczynski (Janta-Polczynski), Roman v.

Polczynski Teofil Wikent’evitch / Born 1887, Poland, Pole, came to the USSR in 1937*, school education, non-communist, wood factory, individual worker, arrested 03 11 1937, accused by 58-10, 58-11 articles, executed 07 02 1938,27 04 1989 his case was reconsidered – not guilty… Source : Memory Book of Bashkiria (Bashkortostan Republic).