. Rival Regiments. 2G1 



army. Traditional ideas and prejudices are not easily effaced, 

 and many of them are still to be traced even in the present 

 Prussian army ', and military chiefs who became officers when 

 the idea and word of ' constitution ' was still offensive, think 

 their maintenance not only beneficial but even absolutely 

 necessary. Civilians and young representatives of the people 

 will not admit that the position of officers is an exceptional one, 

 requiring a different treatment both from the laws of the country 

 and society, and assert that this idea is still a remnant of the 

 old bad regime, when officers prided themselves in being body- 

 servants to the King, and felt indignant when reminded that 

 they were servants of the State and people. I can only state 

 the fact that something of this feeling is still existing, and that 

 officers think themselves nearer connected with the King than 

 any officer of the civil service. This feeling will *remain in 

 existence as long as Prussia remains what is called a military 

 State, and as long as the King and all princes of his house 

 wear the military uniform. 



Another reminiscence of old traditions is the rivalry between 

 the officers of the Guards and those belonging to the Line, 

 the former imagining that they hold a higher rank, which again 

 is the feeling of the officers of the Line in reference to those of 

 the Landvvehr. Without examining the cause and justice of 

 this feeling, I will only state from experience that it is also still 

 existing, or at least was existing when my husband entered the 

 regiment ' Queen Augusta.' 



This regiment belonged to the Guards, and being garrisot^ed 

 out of its district, on account of the Queen's frequent residence 

 in Coblentz, it occupied in that garrison a separate, rather 

 independent position, its Colonel being its highest authority 

 there, for brigadier, division, and corps commanders were in 

 Berlin. The officers of this regiment mostly kept amongst 

 themselves ; an intimate intercourse between them and families 

 belonging to other regiments was exceptional and rare. The 

 families of a few of the highest civil officers residing in Coblentz, 

 as in the capital of a district, acted as it were as the only con- 

 necting links between the families of our regiment and tho^e 

 belonging to the troops of the Line. 



Many officers of the regiment ' Queen Augusta ' were mar- 

 ried, and these different families formed as it were only one. 

 I was received in this family with a readiness and cordiality 



