The Garrison in the 19th Century @museum.de

F: From 1816 onwards, major changes took place in Ludwigsburg. The town finally lost its status as a ducal seat with a resident court. What emerged was a purely military town. A kind of "Swabian Potsdam".

M: Barracks were built, a large parade ground was laid out, and a military school set up. All branches of the armed forces were represented in the town: two regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, the Kingdom of Württemberg’s entire field artillery, and the quartermaster general's staff. In the 1820s, a third of Ludwigsburg's residents were members of the military – and anyone who wasn’t a member, worked for the military. Like many craftsmen.

F: In the showcase, we have a model of an ammunition wagon from 1832 on display. There’s a story that goes with it:

M: The Württemberg military had invited tenders for a new ammunition wagon. Any wainwright or carpenter who wanted to apply for the contract had to make and submit a model.

F: What was unusual about the Württemberg artillery’s ammunition wagons was that they were hauled via a limber. That’s the single-axle section at the front. It was a versatile piece of kit that could be attached to the front of an ammunition wagon or a gun carriage. If need be, the limber could even be exchanged between the artillery and the infantry. The man who came up with the idea was the artillery officer Karl von Kernen, right here in Ludwigsburg.

M: On the left hand side you see a shako, jokingly nicknamed "hurratüte" – hooray bag – locally, though they were called “stovepipes” in Britain. This cylindrical headgear originated in Hungary. At first, shakos were made of felt, later of black lacquered leather. The French army under Napoleon introduced them in 1806 – to replace the tricorn hat previously worn by the infantry. Later, the shako itself was replaced by the spiked helmet, which offered better protection against sabre cuts.

F: This shako with its red pompom once belonged to a cavalry officer. The edge trim and the crown are made of leather, as is the visor. The plate and badge were unfortunately lost at some point.