History

Biggest battle on Mecklenburg´ ground near Gadebusch between
the Swedish Royal Forces and the Danish Royal Army on December 20, 1712

The battle near Gadebusch

After Mecklenburg had barely overcome the consequences of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), it again became a battleground of foreign forces at the beginning of the 18^th Century.
Fightings of the Great Nordic War took place between 1700 and 1721 and were aimed at securing the powerful position of Sweden in the region of the Baltic Sea. Sweden primarily fought against Denmark which was allied with Saxonia, Russia and Poland, later also with Prussia and Hannover. After initial successes against coalition forces, the Swedish suffered a decisive defeat in 1709 in the battle of Poltava through the Russian army under the leadership of Czar Peter I.
After they had lost their territories in Germany's northwest, in 1712 the Swedish moved from the isle of Rügen through Pommerania, reached Mecklenburg near Ribnitz and occupied Schwaan and Rostock. The Danish gave up Wismar which they had occupied and moved back to Holstein under the leadership of their King Frederick IV., where they gathered their forces.
On December 13, 1712 the Danish deployed their troups near Wakenstadt and occupied Gadebusch. One day later, Frederick IV. made the castle of Gadebusch his headquarter.
Despite the advice of Czar Peter I. not to engage in a battle before unifying the Danish army with the Russian forces, Frederick of Denmark offered his and the Saxonian troups to the Swedish for a battle in Wakenstadt. Swedish forces under the leadership of General Stenbock had marched there, Coming from the direction of Eulenkrug and Kaselow.
The battle started in the morning hours of December 20, 1712 and was fought bitterly on both sides. The superior artillery of the Swedish army covered the infantry's approach which prepared the terrain for the cavalry. The Danish cavalry underestimated the swampy area surrounding Wakenstadt and partly sunk into the morass. Eventually, the Danish withdrew under Sweden's fireforce to Wakenstadt and then via Roggendorf to Molln and Ratzeburg.While among the Swedish forces 200 men were killed and 400 wounded, the Danish lost about 2000 soldiers. 4000 Danes were taken prisoner. Most of the dead of both parties were buried directly on the battleground. Some officers, however, found their grave within and near the church of Gadebusch.

The memorial stone on the battleground of 1712 as well as information boards are meant to keep the memory of the battle alive. They shall also become a focal point of historical and touristical interest within the northwestern region of Mecklenburg.

The association looked for and established connections with Swedish and Danish historically interested societies dealing with the battle near Gadebusch. These contacts are constantly deepened regarding touristical activities of the town of Gadebusch and its environs.

With this webpage, the ,,Cultural-Historical Association 1712" does not want to cherish glorifying war memories but instead to corroborate the old wisdom that

About us
The ,,Kulturhistorischer Verein 1712 e.V." (Cultural-Historical Association 1712) has made it its task to locate the battleground near Wakenstadt as exactly as possible, to register possibly existing historical remnants in collaboration with the appropriate authorities and to present them in museums.