Editing Erfurt (section)

=== Erfurt during the Napoleonic Wars ===
{{main|Principality of Erfurt}}
[[File:Die Napoleonshöhe im Steiger bei Erfurt von NH Dornheim.jpg|thumb|''{{lang|de|Die Napoleonshöhe im Steiger bei Erfurt}}'', painted by {{Interlanguage link multi|Nikolaus Dornheim|de|3=Nikolaus Christian Heinrich Dornheim}} in 1812. Inaugurated in March 1811 to celebrate [[Napoleon]]'s birthday, this [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek-style]] [[temple]] with grotto, flowerbeds and fountain in the ''{{lang|de|Stiegerwald}}'' was burned in November 1813 and completely destroyed by Erfurters and their [[War of the Sixth Coalition|besiegers]] in 1814.]]
Erfurt became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1802, to compensate for territories Prussia lost to France on the [[Left Bank of the Rhine]].<ref name="Reichsdeputationshauptschluss documentArchive.de">{{Cite web |title=Hauptschluß der ausserordentlichen Reichsdeputation |publisher=documentArchiv.de |url=http://www.documentarchiv.de/nzjh/rdhs1803.html |date=25 February 1803 |access-date=17 January 2016 |language=de |archive-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204205532/http://www.documentarchiv.de/nzjh/rdhs1803.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Reichsdeputationshauptschluss Wikisource">{{ws|The full text of [[:de:s:Hauptschluß der außerordentlichen Reichsdeputation vom 25. Februar 1803|Hauptschluß der außerordentlichen Reichsdeputation vom 25. Februar 1803]] at German Wikisource}}</ref> In the [[Capitulation of Erfurt]], the city, its 12,000 Prussian and Saxon defenders under [[William I of the Netherlands|William VI, Prince of Orange-Nassau]], 65 artillery pieces, and the [[Petersberg Citadel]] and Cyriaksburg Citadel [[:de:Zitadelle Cyriaksburg|Cyriaksburg]], were handed over to the French on 16 October 1806.<ref name="Petre 1907/1993">{{cite book |author=Francis Loraine Petre |title=Napoleon's Conquest of Prussia 1806 |publisher=[[Lionel Leventhal]] |year=1993 |orig-year=First published 1907 |isbn=1-85367-145-2 |pages=194–95 |author-link=Francis Loraine Petre}}</ref> At the time of the capitulation, [[Joachim Murat]], [[Marshal of France]], had about 16,000 troops near Erfurt.<ref name="Smith 1998">{{cite book |author=Digby Smith |title=The Napoleonic Wars Data Book |publisher=Greenhill |year=1998 |isbn=1-85367-276-9 |page=226 |author-link=Digby Smith}}</ref> With the attachment of the [[Saxe-Weimar]] territory of [[Blankenhain]], the city became part of the [[First French Empire]] in 1806 as the [[Principality of Erfurt]], directly subordinate to Napoleon as an "imperial state domain" ({{langx|fr|domaine réservé à l'empereur}}), separate from the [[Confederation of the Rhine]], which the surrounding [[Thuringia]]n states had joined.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814">{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111885.html |title=1806–1814: Erfurt unter französischer Besetzung |date=22 January 2013 |trans-title=1806–1814: Erfurt under French occupation |publisher=Erfurt Stadtverwaltung [Erfurt city administration] |language=de |access-date=2 January 2016 |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925043753/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111885.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Erfurt was administered by a civilian and military Senate<ref name="Fürstenkongress">{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurter-fuerstenkongress-1808.de/historie.htm |title=Kurzer historischer Überblick |trans-title=Brief historical overview |work=Napoleon's Fürstenkongress Erfurt |publisher=Euratibor |language=de |access-date=2 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080322/http://www.erfurter-fuerstenkongress-1808.de/historie.htm |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> (''{{lang|de|Finanz- und Domänenkammer Erfurt}}'')<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> under a French governor, based in the {{lang|de|[[:de:Kurmainzische Statthalterei|Kurmainzische Statthalterei]]}}, previously the seat of the city's governor under the Electorate.<ref name="Fürstenkongress"/> Napoleon first visited the principality on 23 July 1807, inspecting the citadels and fortifications.<ref name="Fürstenkongress"/> In 1808, the [[Congress of Erfurt]] was held with [[Napoleon]] and [[Alexander I of Russia]] visiting the city.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Erfurt 1808. The Emperor honours German literature |url=https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/articles/erfurt-1808-the-emperor-honours-german-literature/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=napoleon.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

During their administration, the French introduced [[street light]]ing and a tax on foreign horses to pay for maintaining the [[road surface]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> The {{lang|de|[[:de:Peterskirche (Erfurt)|Peterskirche]]}} suffered under the French occupation, with its inventory being auctioned off to other local churches – including the [[organ (music)|organ]], [[church bell|bells]] and even the [[steeple|tower]] of the {{lang|la|Corpus Christi}} chapel (''{{lang|de|Fronleichnamskapelle}}'') – and the former monastery's library being donated to the [[University of Erfurt]] (and then to the Boineburg Library when the university closed in 1816).<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> Similarly the Cyriaksburg Citadel was damaged by the French, with the city-side walls being partially dismantled in the hunt for imagined treasures from the convent, workers being paid from the sale of the building materials.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=upBXAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA21 |title=Ruinen oder Taschenbuch zur Geschichte verfallener Ritterburgen und Schlößer (etc.) |trans-title=Ruins, or: A pocketbook on the history of dilapidated knights' castles |author=Gerhard Robert Walter von Coeckelberghe-Dützele |publisher=Mich. Lechner |date=1834 |page=21 |access-date=23 January 2016 |language=de |quote=''{{lang|de|Nach der unglücklichen Schlacht bei Jena und dem Rückzuge der Preußen, wurde sie durch Kapitulation den Franzosen übergeben, und erhielt anfangs eine ziemlich starke Besatzung; doch wurde sie in der Folge so von ihnen vernachläßigt, daß in einer gewissen Epoche der Marketender Sturm mit seiner Familie und ein alter Unteroffizier ihre ganze Garnison ausmachten. Damals war es, wo der Intendant Devismes und der Domainen-Direktor Gentil in der nach der Stadt zugekehrten Seite der Mauer einen Schatz suchen ließ, der noch aus den Zeiten des ehemaligen Benedektiner-Nonnenklosters hier versteckt seyn sollte, ohne zu bedenken, daß zufolge der oben angeführten, an der Mauer befindlichen Inschrift, kein Schatz von 1478 her in einer Mauer versteckt seyn konnte, die über 100 Jahre darnach erst erbaut worden war; aber die Habsucht eilte hier jeder nähern Untersuchung vor. Bei dieser Gelegenheit wurde auch die alte Burgkapelle demoliert und aus den verkauften Baumaterialien die Arbeiter bezahlt, die beim Schatzgraben hilfreiche Hand geleistet hatten.}}'' [After the unfortunate battle of Jena and the retreat of the Prussians, it was handed over by capitulation to the French, and was initially fairly strongly garrisoned; but was subsequently so neglected that at one time the whole garrison consisted of the [[wikt:sutler|sutler]] Sturm with his family and an old sergeant. At that time, Intendant {{Interlanguage link multi|Pierre Jean Louis de Vismes |lt=de Vismes|fr|Pierre Jean Louis de Vismes}} and Domain-Director Gentil searched in the city-side walls for treasure hidden since the times of the former Benedictine nunnery – without considering that an inscription located on the wall above showed that it had been built just over 100 years later, so no treasure could have been hidden there in 1478, but greed hastened this before any closer investigation. On that occasion the old chapel was demolished, and the workers who had helped dig for treasure were paid from the sale of the building materials.] |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113191817/https://books.google.com/books?id=upBXAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA21#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- ; not being properly repaired until over a decade later, under the Prussians.{{Citation needed |date=January 2016}} -- unsourced within [[:de:Zitadelle Cyriaksburg]] -->

In 1811, to commemorate the birth of the [[Napoleon II|Prince Imperial]], a {{convert|70|ft|adj=on|abbr=off}} ceremonial [[column]] (''{{lang|de|Die Napoleonsäule}}'') of wood and plaster was erected on the [[common land|common]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts">{{cite web |url=http://www.thueringer-naturbrief.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=187&limit=1&limitstart=5 |title=Denkmale Erfurts 1806–1814 |trans-title=Monuments of Erfurt 1806–1814 |publisher=Thüringer Naturbrief |language=de |access-date=3 January 2016 |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925043753/https://www.thueringer-naturbrief.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=187&limit=1&limitstart=5 |url-status=live }}</ref> Similarly, the ''{{lang|de|Napoleonshöhe}}'' – a [[Greek Revival architecture|Greek-style]] [[temple]] topped by a [[Winged Victory of Samothrace|winged victory]] with shield, sword and lance and containing a [[bust (sculpture)|bust]] of Napoleon sculpted by [[Friedrich Wilhelm Eugen Döll|Friedrich Döll]]<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PnLrCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |title=Die Belagerung von Erfurt 1813–1814 |trans-title=The Siege of Erfurt 1813–1814 |author=Frank Palmowski |publisher=Sutton Verlag |date=2015 |orig-year=First published 2013 |isbn=978-3-954-00604-5 |page=82 |language=de |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113191707/https://books.google.com/books?id=PnLrCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA82#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> – was erected in the ''{{lang|de|Stiegerwald}}'' woods, including a grotto with fountain and flower beds, using a large pond (''{{lang|la|lavoratorium}}'') from the {{lang|de|Peterskirche}},<ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/> inaugurated with ceremony on 14 August 1811 after extravagant celebrations for Napoleon's birthday,<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> which were repeated in 1812 with a concert in the {{lang|de|[[Predigerkirche (Erfurt)|Predigerkirche]]}} conducted by [[Louis Spohr]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/>

With the [[War of the Sixth Coalition|Sixth Coalition]] forming after French defeat in Russia, on 24 February 1813 Napoleon ordered the Petersburg Citadel to prepare for [[siege]], visiting the city on 25 April to inspect the fortifications, in particular both Citadels.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> On 10 July 1813, Napoleon put {{Interlanguage link multi|Alexandre d'Alton|fr}}, [[nobility of the First French Empire|baron of the Empire]], in charge of the defences of Erfurt.<!-- ref name="Koch" confirms d'Alton's name (see below) but the date and his rank as Baron of the Empire are unsourced within [[:de:Belagerung von Erfurt (1813)]] and [[:fr:Alexandre d'Alton]]--> However, when the French decreed that 1000 men would be conscripted into the {{lang|fr|Grande Armée}}, the recruits were joined by other citizens in rioting on 19 July that led to 20 arrests, of whom 2 were [[capital punishment|sentenced to death]] by French [[court-martial]];<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/> as a result, the French ordered the closure of all inns and alehouses.<ref>{{cite book |editor=Willibald Gutsche |title=Geschichte der Stadt Erfurt |trans-title=History of the city of Erfurt |edition=2nd revised |language=de |location=Weimar |publisher=Böhlau |year=1989 |isbn=3-7400-0095-3}}</ref>

Within a week of the Sixth Coalition's decisive [[battle of Leipzig|victory at Leipzig]] (16–19 October 1813), however, Erfurt was besieged by Prussian, Austrian and Russian troops under the command of Prussian Lt Gen [[Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf|von Kleist]].<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Koch">{{cite book |author=Christoph Wilhelm von Koch |title=Histoire abrégée des traités de paix entre les puissances de l'Europe depuis la paix de Westphalie, Volume 3 |trans-title=Abridged history of the peace treaties between the powers of Europe since the Peace of Westphalia, Volume 3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7lw_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA303 |publisher=Meline, Cans et Compagnie |year=1838 |language=fr |quote=''{{lang|fr|Le général Kleist assiégeait Erfurt. Par suite d'une capitulation signée le 20 décembre, le générale français d'Alton se retira dans les deux forts de Petersberg et Cyriacsbourg, et la ville fut remise aux Prussiens le 6 janvier 1814.}}'' [General Kleist laid siege to Erfurt. As a result of a capitulation signed on 20 December, the French general d'Alton withdrew to the two forts of Petersberg and Cyriaksburg, and the town was handed over to the Prussians on 6 January 1814.] |author-link=Christoph Wilhelm von Koch |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113191707/https://books.google.com/books?id=7lw_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA303#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> After a first capitulation signed by d'Alton on 20 December 1813 the French troops withdrew to the two fortresses of Petersberg and Cyriaksburg,<ref name="Koch"/> allowing for the Coalition forces to march into Erfurt on 6 January 1814 to jubilant greetings;<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850">{{cite web |url=http://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111888.html |title=1814–1850: Erfurt im preußischen Staat |date=22 January 2013 |trans-title=1814–1850: Erfurt in the Prussian state |publisher=Erfurt Stadtverwaltung [Erfurt city administration] |language=de |access-date=3 January 2016 |archive-date=22 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922074157/https://www.erfurt.de/ef/de/erleben/entdecken/geschichte/chronik/111888.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hühn 1839">{{citation |author=Georg Friedrich Hühn |title=Kurzgefasste Nachricht von der Belagerung, Blokade und Einzug der Königlich Preußischen Truppen in Erfurt. Vom 21sten Oktober 1813 bis zum 8ten Januar 1814. In einem Briefe als ein Journal abgefasst, und an einen vertrauten Freund abgesendet. Bei Gelegenheit der 25jährigen Jubelfeier neu abgedruckt |trans-title=Concise news of the siege, blockade and entry of the Royal Prussian troops into Erfurt. From 21 October 1813 to 8 January 1814. In a letter as a journal written and sent to a trusted friend. Reprinted on the occasion of the 25th jubilee |location=Erfurt |year=1839 |postscript=.}}</ref> the ''{{lang|de|Napoleonsäule}}'' ceremonial column was burned and destroyed as a symbol of the citizens' oppression under the French;<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/><ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PnLrCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA25 |title=Die Belagerung von Erfurt 1813–1814 |trans-title=The Siege of Erfurt 1813–1814 |author=Frank Palmowski |publisher=Sutton Verlag |date=2015 |orig-year=First published 2013 |isbn=978-3-954-00604-5 |page=25 |access-date=17 January 2016 |language=de |quote=''{{lang|de|Preußische Truppen marschieren in der Stadt ein. Auf dem Anger kommt es zu Jubelszenen. Der Napoleon-Obelisk wird zerstört.}}'' [Prussian troops march into the city. On the Anger this leads to scenes of jubilation. The Napoleon obelisk is destroyed.]}}</ref> similarly the ''{{lang|de|Napoleonshöhe}}'' was burned on 1 November 1813 and completely destroyed by Erfurters and their besiegers in 1814.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1806–1814"/><ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/><!-- This paragraph might also benefit Beck's painting of the Napoleonsäule all aflame, also from<ref name="Denkmale Erfurts"/>; while his DoD is unclear it will clearly be more than 70ya, so that painting too will be out of copyright. --> After a call for volunteers 3 days later, 300 Erfurters joined the Coalition armies in France.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/> Finally, in May 1814, the French capitulated fully,<!-- date 5 May is unsourced within [[:de:Peterskirche (Erfurt)]] --> with 1,700 French troops vacating the Petersberg and Cyriaksburg fortresses.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/><!-- date 7 May is contradicted by [[:de:Belagerung von Erfurt (1813)]] --> During the two and a half months of siege, the mortality rate rose in the city greatly; 1,564 Erfurt citizens died in 1813, around a thousand more than the previous year.<ref name="Hühn 1839"/>

After the [[Congress of Vienna]], Erfurt was restored to [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] on 21 June 1815, becoming the capital of one of the three districts (''{{lang|de|Regierungsbezirke}}'') of the new [[Province of Saxony]], but some southern and eastern parts of Erfurter lands joined Blankenhain in being transferred to the [[Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]] the following September.<ref name="Erfurt Chronik 1814–1850"/> Although enclosed by [[Thuringia]]n territory in the west, south and east, the city remained part of the Prussian [[Province of Saxony]] until 1944.<ref name=":0" />