Drill Befehle

Page 2

Einzelausbildung: 

Being of Drills for the soldier

Our good friend Tomasz has provided a more accurate version of Drill commands.  Christian Folini, the Secretary of the Company of St. George and native has also told me that his native Swiss-German dialect is very similar to high-German (what we call high-gothic) dialect, as it is easy for him to read original manuscripts.  He has also told me that Kassel (Kassel) is also near the border the lower-German dialect used by Swiss-Germans.  So these commands are a close to accurate as we can find.  It is also noted that 

"...These are the basic commands, every Rottmeister has his own version of them, and also some commands of his own."

which means that the commands used are various all over the Empire.  

"Here the commands in high-German and their English equivalent..." (Note: a few universal commands have been added to the list for ease of use)

• "Aufgemerkt!" - Attention

• "Rührt Euch" - To be At Rest  

• "Wehren auf!" - Raise your halberds! (onto the shoulder)

• "Wehren ab!" - Ground your halberds!

• "Wehren vor!" - Bring your halberds in front! (means: halberd-points face the enemy)

• "Wehren zum Angriff!" - Halberds to the attack! (means: first row points forward, second row prepares to strike with the axe-blades)

• "Vorwärts voran!" - March on!

• "Das Ganze steht!" - Stand still!

• "Kehrt rechts!" - Turn right!

• "Kehrt links!" - Turn left!

• "Kehrt um!" - Turn around!

• "Schwenkt rechts!" - Wheel right!

• "Schwenkt links!" - Wheel left!

• "Angegriffen!" - Charge Forward, Assault!

• "Halt" -  Stop.  

• "Salut" - Salute.  

• "Scharf machen" - To Arms!

• "Augen ...rechts" - Eyes Right!

• "Die Augen ...links!" - Eyes Left!

• "Geschlossene Ordnung Truppenteil" - Closed Order Formation!

• "Bestellung Ordnung Truppenteil" - Open Order Formation!

The commands are broken down here:

• "Aufgemerkt!" - (Attention) The soldier is to halt movement and stand up straight and proud.  Stand with rigidity, heels together, toes pointed out at an easy angle.  Stand straight, with shoulders back, unless you are crooked from years of hard labor. All eyes are to be on the Rottmeister.

• Rührt Euch:  "To be At Rest"  Take a more relaxed position, but do not wander off, step out of line, or begin speaking.  

• "Wehren auf!" - Raise your halberds! (onto the shoulder)

• "Wehren ab!" - Ground your halberds! 

• "Wehren vor!" - Bring your halberds in front! (means: halberd-points face the enemy)

• "Wehren zum Angriff!" - Halberds to the attack! (means: first row points forward, second row prepares to strike with the axe-blades)

• "Vorwärts voran!" - March on!  

  "March on!"  This order was usually given after a speech, or in the short form of an inspirational quip, in which the soldiers reply with the Kompanie motto.  For example:

  Officer gives an inspirational quip:  "Voraus zu Zeig!" (Ahead to victory)

  Soldiers chorus:  "Gott, Ehre, Vaterland!"  (The Magnus Kompanie Motto of Hessen, "God, Honor, Fatherland")

  Officer: "Vorwärts voran!" (March on!)

  NOTE: The standard high-gothic marching cadence was  three steps per beat of the drum, like a waltz.  i.e. To begin, the drum would beat as the left foot came down, two steps would follow (the right, then left), and then the drum would beat again on the next step, the right foot.  "drum, right, left, drum, left, right, drum, right, left, drum, left, right, on and on."

  The Drum usually set the speed of the march, other instruments, such as the German bagpipe or fife filled in with inspirational music.  In the case of having only the drum, there is a great deal of freedom for the drummer to assume all parts.

• "Das Ganze steht!" - Stand still!  When this command is called, the soldier is to become motionless.  This may be used to reiterate that the formation is at Attention.

• "Kehrt rechts!" - Turn right!  This is a sharp 45 degree turn to the right.  Used either for "right face!" or for rounding corners on the march with a small formation

• "Kehrt links!" - Turn left!  This is a sharp 45 degree turn to the left.  Used either for "left face!" or for rounding corners on the march with a small formation

• "Kehrt um!" - Turn around!  "About face!"  All soldier sharply spin around to the LEFT, ending to face the opposite direction.  In the 20th century, the German army turns left, I see no reason to discount this practice stems from medieval tradition.

• "Schwenkt rechts!" - Wheel right!  With a large formation of four or more soldiers abreast, this command is given in place of a normal turn.  The line of soldiers sweeps around like the spoke of a wheel, pivoting on the soldier on the end.  This soldier on the end reduces his steps to "baby steps" or even marching in place, while the soldier on the far end of the line swinging out takes larger steps to compensate for the turn.

• "Schwenkt links!" - Wheel left!  With a large formation of four or more soldiers abreast, this command is given in place of a normal turn.  The line of soldiers sweeps around like the spoke of a wheel, pivoting on the soldier on the end.  This soldier on the end reduces his steps to "baby steps" or even marching in place, while the soldier on the far end of the line swinging out takes larger steps to compensate for the turn.

• "Angegriffen" - Charge Forward, Assault!  The formation charges forward at a steady, quick pace; without breaking up formation.

• Halt:  Stop.

• Salut:  Salute.  The free hand is raised across the chest with fingers outstretched. The arm is bent at the elbow, creating a "cross" between the arm and body.

  Saluting an opponent during a tournament or duel is much different.  It shall be done in Magnus Kompanie in the following manner.

  Salut mit Schwert:  With the sword still held at face-height, it is pivoted at the arm, bringing it down to point diagonally at the ground.  It is then brought back up and returned to the presentation position, where the second hand grips the pommel, showing the soldier is ready for combat.  

  Salut mit Deichselarm:  With a pole-arm, the same motion is done, except the weapon is brought down so that the head meets the ground, but the hands are raised above the head, so that the weapon is diagonal overhead pointing at the ground.  The soldier then takes a combat stance and brings the weapon to his side, ready for combat.

• Scharf machen:  "To Arms!"  Prepare yourself for battle by arming yourself as quickly as possible.

• Augen ...rechts:  "Eyes Right!"  The head is turned swiftly, snapping to the right, usually in acknowledgement of a flag or Officer of High Rank or esteem.  Most objects these commands will be given for will be to the right.

• Die Augen ...links!  "Eyes Left!"  The head is turned swiftly, snapping to the left.  This begins with "Die" so that the soldier is prepared to look in the correct direction (left) before the command execution is given.  Whenever you heard "Die Augen", you know it is to the left.  Simply "Augen" is to the right.  

• "Geschlossene Ordnung Truppenteil" - Closed Order Formation!  The soldiers close ranks to within a few inches between shoulders.

• "Bestellung Ordnung Truppenteil" - Open Order Formation!  The soldiers align themselves with an elbows' room between shoulders.

  Abstand:  Abstand is the order called to assume the Reihe (rye-eh), a line with two or more rows of men facing front-to-back, your normal halberd or pike formation.  Each row is arms-length away.

  (NOTE:) This one is used in the field.

  Zwischenraum:  is called to assume the Linie (leen-yeh), a line with the soldiers standing shoulder-to-shoulder, as for inspection. It is with the elbows just touching on each man. 

  (NOTE:) This one is used for non combat purposes.

  These formations are assumed as each man falls-in and forms on the man to the far Right end, or the Front, depending on how this man is facing and the position called for.  In Closed-Order, this end man is called the Flügelman.  In open order, he is  called the Anschlußman. 

  Nach rechts...richt Euch:  The soldiers turn their heads to the right toward the Flugelman and dresses the ranks.