A terrible Christmas took place in the Hanseatic city, which went down in history as “Creepy Christmas Hamburg 1813” or “Christmas 1813” and is considered a very memorable event.In 1813 Napoleon’s troops occupied all of Hamburg and defended them drastically against the advancing Russian army, which was doing everything to conquer the Hanseatic city.Under Napoleon’s command, all “useless eaters” and thus 30,000 people were to be driven out of the city by January 1, 1814.An expansion to the fortress was planned and everything should be stamped in order to have a free field of fire on the attackers.
What happened in Hamburg in Christmas 1813?
The French occupiers passed a sharp ultimatum a few days before Christmas 1813:nevery resident who has no food supplies for half a year must have left Hamburg by December 21, 1813 at the latest. Craftsmen, apprentices and beggars were also included in the decision, who should also look for space. The city gates were open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the “useless eaters” to move out. All who dared to come back to Hamburg were considered spies and shot.
Napoleon’s troops asked residents to provide written evidence of their food supplies. Numerous Hamburgers were unable to create emergency rations because they simply lacked the money to do so and lived from “hand to mouth”. Not only the citizens, but also small traders were hardly able to feed themselves.
According to the requirements of the French, the stock should consist of the following foods:
250 grams of grain or flourn- 170 grams of meat (3/8 pounds)n- 125 grams of vegetables or legumesn- A small glass of wine or brandyn- a little saltn- Fuel (wood or peat)
The French ultimatum was observed and a number of citizens also left the city, but the majority of the “useless eaters” remained in Hamburg. The newspaper “Mercur” wrote in its morning edition of Christmas Eve 1813 about an extension of the ultimatum. On the evening of December 24, 1813, all citizens should leave the Hanseatic City without sufficient food supplies, otherwise they would be evicted. Anyone who did not walk on his own exposes himself to the risk of blows and his furniture was confiscated.
30,000 hamburgers were driven out of their homeland
Christmas Eve 1813 was characterized by military activities against the Hamburg population during the day. Half a dozen prominent Hamburgers were ordered to visit the houses in turn together with the soldiers of Napoleon. The aim of this action was to find out those citizens who did not have the required amount of food in stock. In the evening the soldiers started their work, knocked on the doors, threw the residents out of bed on Christmas night and drove them in droves through the streets. The goal was the bitterly cold St. Petri Church, which was used as a stable and had no benches.
The soldiers led people from the church to the city gates and left them to their fate. Old people, children, adults and young people were among the displaced who, due to the shortage of time, were not dressed properly and had to endure in the freezing cold. Most of the displaced citizens went back to church to have at least a little protection. Some French soldiers also disagreed with their Marshall Louis-Nicolas Davout’s orders and are extremely outraged. From today’s perspective, the French action was rushed and the timing was not deliberately chosen, but was born of the threat posed by the Russian army, which was just outside Hamburg with its soldiers.
According to the report of the French commander, a total of more than 15,300 people left the Hanseatic city on Christmas Eve and on the first and second Christmas day. By March 1814, 30,000 residents had left their homes, which corresponded to half of the Hamburg population. Over a thousand refugees did not survive in the cold and were buried in mass graves.
Napoleon’s rule in Hamburg ended on May 31, 1814 after he abdicated on April 6, 1814 and King Louis XVIII took his throne. Numerous memorial stones in Hamburg and neighbouring cities still commemorate Christmas 1813.
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