In the Grip of the Army

“In the Grip of the Army” presents the history of Prussian soldiers who served in the fortress. It focuses on the individual in the army: the process of entering service and the equipment issued to a member of the garrison. Scenes depict successive stages of recruitment. Rather than opening with a battle, the account follows the admission of recruits and the procedures preceding their service.

A separate armoury introduces military weapons alongside the recruitment process. The uniform display presents the clothing of different military formations. These differences complement the account of equipment: soldiers from different units did not all look alike. The Great Pincers were built during the fortress’s 18th-century expansion under Prussian rule. Their casemates were vaulted rooms within a defensive structure; today they house the story of the former garrison.