The Leipzig-Dresden railway line through time

" A crowd of about 10000 assembled. Applause broke out. Among cheers and cries of Germany for ever! Everyone rushed to the station rooms. All trains were occupied in a few minutes by spectators of all types even the locomotives were covered by inquisitive onlookers. Workers in dirty overalls mixed with ladies in silk dresses."

Troops were on the move again. In the summer of 1870, the Prussians astounded the world by defeating the previously invincible military power of the French. An important reason for the German success was the faith that the military authorities in Germany had placed in the railway system. They had valued the railways' system for the part it would play in national defence. Military strategists saw during the 'Seven Weeks' War', how fit the troops were when they travelled to the battlefront by train rather than marching on foot. The troops also could be more effectively supplied once in position in the theatre of war. Saxon soldiers reported to the stations along the Leipzig - Dresden line for mobilisation and transport to the front.

The war was fought between the two powers over the issue of the succession to the Spanish throne that had been vacant since 1868. A Hohenzollern prince, Leopold was a candidate for the rather shaky Spanish throne, but was opposed by the French, who saw political intrigue by Bismarck as being behind the move. Bitter diplomatic manoeuvres took place and eventually the candidate withdrew but not before war had become inevitable. Popular feelings were aroused and on July 15 1870 both sides began to mobilise their troops. Troop movements in 1866 during the Prussian - Austrian War were still uppermost in the Saxon people's minds:

Moving out of the troops based in Leipzig
" What a difference between the departure of our garrison in 1866 and that of today. Their grief was a burden on all our spirits as cruel fate has it about that the sons of the German people had to shoot deadly seed at each other. Now triumphant joy over the unity of our large and beautiful Germany. Even the departure of the first battalion in spite of the early hour was accompanied to the station by an exceptionally large crowd of people. The crowd for the departure of the second battalion was even larger. It is to be hoped that the French will be taught a lesson and that not too many will be wounded in battle. Since yesterday the local stations have been continuously filled by the endless military trains, exactly at the appointed time each train arrives, smoothly under the orders of their superiors, and efficiently yet without rushing the soldiers go to tables where food is served."

Within two and half weeks over one million troops were on the move within Germany and 462,000 had been transported to France by train.

" The humour shown towards the enemy is evident here and there. Some particularly jovial infantry men from the 58th regiment said for example that they wanted to bring a few Frenchmen back with them, stuffed of course! We also saw on one carriage the words scrawled in chalk 'Express direct nach Paris'."

The passage of Silesian nurses through Leipzig
" Yesterday at 6 o'clock 165 nuns (acting as nurses to the wounded) arrived on the Leipzig to Dresden Railway.

Arrival of the wounded in Leipzig
Besides those who arrived during yesterday afternoon, a further 560 Saxon, Prussian and French wounded soldiers arrived in Leipzig, where they were met by the Standing Committee of International Aid with refreshments of all kinds. The very badly wounded among them, of which there was quite a number, had their wounds rebandaged by the many doctors who were present. There were about 60 Frenchmen among them, many with sun tanned haggard faces - 2 of the French were officers who were covered with decorations and medals. Two long railway trains arrived during yesterday afternoon with about 650 wounded, mainly Prussians, also Saxons and about 100 French."

Saxony had been declared an army corps area in 1868 when the army of the North German Confederation had been created from the nucleus of the victorious Prussian Army. The Saxon XII Corp played an important part in the war, once Frederick Charles's distrust of them had been overcome. The decisive battle was fought at Sedan, where the French troops had attempted to regroup after a series of demoralising defeats. The first German troops at Sedan were the Saxon Corps on 1 September. The gathering troops and the battle was watched by the King of Prussia, Bismarck and a whole collection of foreign army officers: a British colonel, Russian and American generals along with a bevy of German princelings and a reporter from the Times of London. After the white flag had been flown by the French, 104,000 French prisoners had been captured including Emperor Napoleon. While Napoleon was taken to Wilhelmshöhe near Cassel, the Empress fled to Hastings in Britain. The Emperor's defeated troops were taken by train to various locations in Saxony, and elsewhere in Germany.:

"During today, three large special trains arrived with 1800, 2000 and 1300 French prisoners who were captured near Sedan. Here they were given a hot meal before continuing their journeys to the fortresses of Glogau and Neisse. The troops are completely exhausted because of the long marches and the journeys by rail ( without other suitable transport they are frequently carried in open carriages.)"

After the Emperor's capitulation, the French fought on under Gambetta, most of the remaining French professional army were at the fortress of Metz. On 19 August 1870, the Germans started the siege of around Metz. It was not until 29 October that the defending troops capitulated and where taken into captivity:

"Early this morning between 5 and 6 the long expected train arrived with 900 captured French officers with 800 officers' servants from Metz. The officers represented all ranks from second lieutenant to Colonel and upwards. They proceeded in 3 units to the Dresdener Station, Thüringer Station and Eldorado, where a copious and tasty Table d' Hôte meal was served with wine.
The arrival of 150 French prisoners of war captured in the storming of Dijôn. Some of them were mere boys standing next to old men of between 50 and 60, who stood shivering in the frost. A long train arrived in the night with about 1300 POWs (from the Loire Army). After eating they proceeded to Dresden."

By the start of 1871, the French army of National Defence had been defeated and on 26 February a Peace was signed. This was almost exactly a month after the King of Prussia had been acclaimed Emperor by the Princelings of Germany in the Galerie des Glaces at Versailles on 18 January. Although distant from the main battlegrounds, the Leipzig -Dresden railway line had again played a part in moves towards unification. In its thirty five year history it had promoted economic growth in the so-called middle state of Saxony. This state that through its support for Napoleon and later Austria had been forced to play a minor role in the political unification process led ultimately by Prussia. However, Saxony and its railway line had been the only economic growth area outside Prussia. Without a railway line, and crucially one built so early in German history, the Saxony state would have been unable to have progressed. Although List's grandiose plans were not directly backed by the Leipzig - Dresden Company, it was an important link in that grand design proposed by List for unity through transport and economic development. Saxony was swallowed up by the ultimate victor, Prussia, before German united in a ceremony conducted in the defeated country of France. The railway continued to play a role in economic development as German industrial power outstripped most of the European countries and it became the leading industrial nation in Europe by 1900. This economic supremacy and the creation of a newly united German Empire appeared to bring further conflict nearer.