In a number of cantons, training sessions were held on the town squares on individual days in others, such as the Canton of Lucerne, recruits were required to turn up for military training on 12 Sunday afternoons. So there was a wide array of different systems and philosophies – and the level of training varied accordingly. This meant the training of military personnel in Switzerland was a matter for the cantons. Zentralbibliothek Zürich Different from canton to canton The system of regional organisation lasted well into the 19th century. Military exercise on the Platzspitz in Zurich, 1758. In what was known as the Trüllerei, soldiers practiced the hand movements for their weapons and engaged in drills on the corresponding commands to enable them to master the handling of the weapons in formation. These exercises were organised on a regional basis. Ensuring that all participants on the field of battle could interact seamlessly required training and practice. For the first time, there was now an artillery unit which could support the infantry and the cavalry. Zentralbibliothek Zürich As the use of gunpowder became an increasingly significant factor on the battlefield, the utilisation of the various weapons had to be coordinated. They came home with the experience and the skills they’d gained, forming the core of the troops in their home country and sharing their knowledge. Those men who went into foreign service learned “on the job”, in the field. Archery and crossbow skills were practiced and showcased at traditional festivals or fairs featuring target shooting competitions. Young men learned the art of warfare at competitions and weaponry tournaments, or from itinerant fencing masters. Until well into the 17th century, there was no centrally organised system of military training. E-Mail: Although there was no formally organised Swiss army prior to 1798, the desire for a collective form of territorial defence had always been one of the chief motives for the forging of the various alliances that led, over a period of 500 years, to the formation of the Swiss federal state.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |