In the hold

There are always some people that believe that during the Napoleonic wars women were near non existent in the armies, or that were solely camp followers or if at all, ladies of the officers and staff.

But even at that time there are memoirs that hint at or suggest women did participate much more actively than that. Some remained hidden, sometimes with the help of other fellow soldiers and very rare few served without such concealment or managed even to acquire some sort of rank. 

 As their contribution is often ignored, forgotten or downright denied this place will be used from time to time to shed light onto them. While certainly not as many as the male counterparts the exact numbers will never be known as those who were successful in concealing themselves and either died before they could write their memoir or never did write it (as is most common) are lost in memory. There are reports of those discovered, whether as they failed and were found too early, or have decided to reveal themselves or someone else had wanted to remove them and thus spilled the beans, perhaps they were found due to an injury requiring the tending of a more revealing kind or even after their death as their bodies were found. There are also records that speak of soldiers sometimes discovering such an unusual trait in a fellow soldier but choosing to keep silent about it and keeping the well known ‘secret’ amongst themselves. The fact remains that yes, they did exist and could be just as brave, as persistent and as able as the rest.

Now here i will write a short little bit about one of these, that donned the uniform and achieved a great deal in it. Nowadays streets were named after her and in 2018 a politician even suggested the same for a military establishment, and lastly, she had rank, she was promoted during her time of service:

The Prussian sergeant Friederike Krüger. Officially sanctioned at Waterloo, while in earlier campaign received the Iron Cross, was in the thick of battle at Ligny (16.6.1815) and survived unscathed. 

Friederike Krüger was born 4.10.1789 in Friedland (Mecklenburg) to Johann Jürgen Krüger. Her father was formerly a serf ( male servant or farmhand) on Klockow estate near Friedland. She died on 31.5.1848 in Templin. Her full name was Sophie Dorothea Friederike Krüger and her name, when she disguised herself as a soldier, was August Lübeck. She served between 1813-1815 in the first company of the Colbergsches Infanterie Regiment (this regiment is renamed in 1889 to Colbergsche Grenadier-Regiment Graf Gneisenau (2. Pommersches) Nr. 9) 

In her younger years she worked at her parents’ farm and as a maid. Following the defeat of the Prussian Troops in 1806 at Jena and Auerstedt, the occupation of her homeland began. The family particularly felt the burden of the French occupation, and at the age of 23 Friederika was said to have experienced the atrocities of the French soldiers.

After the death of her mother in 1812 she went to Anklam to learn as an apprentice to become a Tailor. According to once source she might have even made her male clothes herself, but either way she donned the male attire, cut her hair and answered the mobilisation proclamation of 1813.  Because of the urgency and the speed of the mobilisation the medical examinations fell through and August could proceed to ‘his’ regiment. She joined the 4. Kompanie des 1. Batallions under Major von Schmidt, Infanterieregiment Nr. 9 Kolberg, later renamed into 2. Pommersches Regiment. 

Fellow soldiers who found out about her secret did not betray her, they respected her bravery and were said to have been loyal to her. However the secret could not remain a secret forever as at some point during a battle she called encouragement to her fellow countrymen and her high voice alerted the others to her true identity. While one would expect her to be discharged and sent home, nothing of this sort happened. Instead, probably because of her dedication and good performance, she was allowed by King Frederick William III of Prussia to continue serving, this time, under her real name. 

Service: Some of the battles she took part in are:  
- The battle of Möckern 5.4.1813,

A source details that she was promoted to corporal after the battle of Möckern.

- The battle of Großbeeren on 23.8.1813,

- The battle of Dennewitz on 6.9.1813.

She was seriously wounded at the battle of Dennewitz by shrapnel (Granatsplitter), and while still on the battlefield was appointed for her bravery to Unteroffizier , a sergeant, to the Liebkompanie by the Colonel (Oberst) Von Zastrow.  This is confirmed by another source: The promotion to a sergeant was achieved after the battle of Dennewitz. 

She did not go to the field hospital (Feldlazarett) Jüterbog, but to Berlin. After recuperation she returned to her Regiment and. The battle fields.

She was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class and the Russian order of St. George. 

- Through Holland to France in 1814 and then to Paris

- Battle of Ligny on 16.6.1815 

- Battle of Waterloo 18.6.1815
 
After the war Friederike returned to Friedland and invited in 1816 by the king to attend the Ordenfest. Here she met with her later husband, Unteroffizier (NCO) Karl Köhler. It was quite a strange event for the time period, and a bit of a sensation for all of Berlin, when on 5.3.1816 two non-commissioned officers married in the presence of the War minister in the church of the Garrison, and with the support and permission of the King. She left the army after the marriage. Not only that but she received from the Prussian king a larger trousseau , while her husband was appointed Ober-Steuer-Kontrolleur, a chief tax controller. 

The wedding: The stately Gardeunteroffizier Karl Köhler wore his riding uniform, while the much smaller, but strong bride wore a black silk dress. Both later settled in Templin. After their wedding she was named Friederike Krüer-Köhler. 

The king of Prussia sponsored the couple’s first son, the grand duke of Mecklernburg-Sterlitz sponsored their first daughter. They had 4 children, from these one was a son and other 3 were daughters. Initially they lived in Lychen, but then moved to Templin in 1841. She died here on 31.5.1848, while seriously ill.  She was laid to rest with all honours in the Templiner St. Georgen cemetery.

Awards: Iron cross, Commemorative War Medal (by King Frederick WIlliam, for her bravery), Russian order of St. George. 
Pension: For her services to the King and the army she received an annual pension of 72 Thalers from the Prussian King and an annual pension of 50 Thalers from Grand Duke Of Mecklernburg-Strelitz,  Charles II.

Modern: Streets named after her are found in Großbeeren and Templin 

Sources:
- Friederike’s Grave https://www.templin.de/grab-der-friederike-krueger/ 2023
- Karl von Bagensky: Geschichte des 9ten Infanterie-Regiments gennant Colbergshces. Kolberg 1842, S.203 
- Frankfurter Ober-Post-Amts-Zeitung: 1816,1/6, https://books.google.si/books?id=ZIZDAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA21-IA21&lpg=PA21-IA21&dq=battle+of+waterloo+friederike+krueger&source=bl&ots=U8oXHiAxL7&sig=ACfU3U32Nd-YT2BUBACYHIrTysS9t0pRIQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8pK_U4fWCAxVUX_EDHfPSAsk4FBDoAXoECAUQAw#v=onepage&q=battle%20of%20waterloo%20friederike%20krueger&f=false

- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friederike_Krüger
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friederike_Krüger