Militärische Gesellschaft in Berlin

Militärische Gesellschaft in Berlin =
Military Society in Berlin

Founding of the Society

Year Authority / Notes

1801 According to White (1989), pp.29-30 and p.50, footnote 10, this Society was founded in Berlin on 1801, July 2 as the Militärische Gesellschaft. Its first director was Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst. According to White (1989), pp.xii-xiii, Scharnhorst was a prominent military educator in Hannover, who was also a proponent of reform in the military. When his proposals for reform were rejected in Hannover, he accepted a position in the Prussian army in Berlin in 1801.
According to White (1989), pp.41-42, this Society broke up with the mobilization of the Prussian Army in April of 1805. White (1989), p.121 gives the last recorded meeting as 1805, April 24.
White (1989), p.186 indicates that after the defeat of the Prussian army at Jena in 1806, Scharnhorst reorganized the Prussian General Staff. His reforms were continued by other talented military cheifs, most of whom had been members of the Militärische Gesellschaft during its brief period of existence.
It is interesting to note that there is a record in the GBV German Union cat. for an 1893 book entitled Zum 50jährigen Bestehen der Militärischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin am 24. Januar 1893 : ein Rückblick (printed by Mittler in Berlin as a 55-page manuscript evidently). This latter title would seem to suggest the existence of a society with the same name as the one we have been considering, but founded in 1843, and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1893. We also find in the GBV German Union cat. a record for the following 1912 book: Die politische Lage Europas vor Beginn der Befreiungskriege : Vortrag, gehalten in der Militärischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin am 23. Oktober 1912.
So we have evidence suggesting the existence of a Society of the same name, but founded in 1843 and still in existence just shortly before the First World War, that is to say, in existence for around 70 years. This latter Society appears never to have published a journal. We have no trace of its existence past 1912.
It is natural to wonder whether there was any relationship between these two societies. Did the 1843 Society regard itself, perhaps, as a revival of the 1801-1805 Society? Or was it simply founded as a completely unrelated Society?

Seat of the Society

City Authority / Notes

Berlin
Germany This location is supported by the name of the Society.

Name of the Society

Dates Name Authority

1802 - 1805 Militärische Gesellschaft in Berlin =
Militärische Gesellschaft zu Berlin Its publications establish this name for 1802 - 1805.

Journals of the Society

Years Full Journal Title Abbrev. Indexed
1802 - 1805
(1. - 5.,1)

A Denkwürdigkeiten der Militärischen Gesellschaft in Berlin
There are also records in the GBV German Union cat. that give this title as Denkwürdigkeiten der Militärischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin.
[GBV German Union cat.] Denkwürdigk. der militär. Gesellsch. in Berlin
[Reuss, v.7, p.1 cites B. 4; v.7, p.63 cites B. 1; v.7, p.64 cites B. 2 & B.3; p.7, p.68 cites B. 2; v.7, p.70 cites B. 3.]
Denkwürdigkeiten der Militär. Gesellsch. in Berlin
[Reuss, v.7, p.467 cites B. 1, 2, 3 & 4.] Reuss

Militärische Gesellschaft in Berlin = Military Society in Berlin
Founding of the Society
Year	Authority / Notes
1801	According to White (1989), pp.29-30 and p.50, footnote 10, this Society was founded in Berlin on 1801, July 2 as the Militärische Gesellschaft. Its first director was Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst. According to White (1989), pp.xii-xiii, Scharnhorst was a prominent military educator in Hannover, who was also a proponent of reform in the military. When his proposals for reform were rejected in Hannover, he accepted a position in the Prussian army in Berlin in 1801. According to White (1989), pp.41-42, this Society broke up with the mobilization of the Prussian Army in April of 1805. White (1989), p.121 gives the last recorded meeting as 1805, April 24. White (1989), p.186 indicates that after the defeat of the Prussian army at Jena in 1806, Scharnhorst reorganized the Prussian General Staff. His reforms were continued by other talented military cheifs, most of whom had been members of the Militärische Gesellschaft during its brief period of existence. It is interesting to note that there is a record in the GBV German Union cat. for an 1893 book entitled *Zum 50jährigen Bestehen der Militärischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin am 24. Januar 1893 : ein Rückblick* (printed by Mittler in Berlin as a 55-page manuscript evidently). This latter title would seem to suggest the existence of a society with the same name as the one we have been considering, but founded in 1843, and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1893. We also find in the GBV German Union cat. a record for the following 1912 book: *Die politische Lage Europas vor Beginn der Befreiungskriege : Vortrag, gehalten in der Militärischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin am 23. Oktober 1912*. So we have evidence suggesting the existence of a Society of the same name, but founded in 1843 and still in existence just shortly before the First World War, that is to say, in existence for around 70 years. This latter Society appears never to have published a journal. We have no trace of its existence past 1912. It is natural to wonder whether there was any relationship between these two societies. Did the 1843 Society regard itself, perhaps, as a revival of the 1801-1805 Society? Or was it simply founded as a completely unrelated Society?
Seat of the Society
City	Authority / Notes
Berlin Germany	This location is supported by the name of the Society.
Name of the Society
Dates	Name	Authority
1802 - 1805	Militärische Gesellschaft in Berlin = Militärische Gesellschaft zu Berlin	Its publications establish this name for 1802 - 1805.

Journals of the Society
Years	Full Journal Title	Abbrev.	Indexed
1802 - 1805 (1. - 5.,1) A	*Denkwürdigkeiten der Militärischen Gesellschaft in Berlin* There are also records in the GBV German Union cat. that give this title as *Denkwürdigkeiten der Militärischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin*. [GBV German Union cat.]	*Denkwürdigk. der militär. Gesellsch. in Berlin* [Reuss, v.7, p.1 cites B. 4; v.7, p.63 cites B. 1; v.7, p.64 cites B. 2 & B.3; p.7, p.68 cites B. 2; v.7, p.70 cites B. 3.] *Denkwürdigkeiten der Militär. Gesellsch. in Berlin* [Reuss, v.7, p.467 cites B. 1, 2, 3 & 4.]	*Reuss*