The Flotsam of History
In early February 1807, in Prussian Silesia, French Field Marshal Michel Ney’s cavalry clashed with mounted elements of Russian Lt. Gen. Karl Gustav von Baggovut’s column in the snow outside of the small village of Waltersmühl, causing Gen. Pyotr Bagration to send reinforcements to Bagavout’s aid, and a constant running combat was kept up until nightfall when the Russians withdrew in good order.
It was a nightmarish day of cavalry charge and counter-charge, sans the boorish interference of artillery and infantry. A day of lances and sabers. Horses, steel, and leather. Death the old-fashioned way, with lots of elan and honor.
The indecisive skirmish, which left Baggovut seriously wounded with a French lance splinter in his chest, was one of the opening actions of what would be remembered as the great pyrrhic Battle of Eylau— which itself saw some of the greatest massed cavalry charges in history.
Fast forward to 1945 and the Russians were back during the tail-end of WWII, this time under a Red Banner, and occupied Waltersmühl. Soon after the war, the region became part of Poland and today Waltersmühl is known as Konradowo.
Last week, during the renovation of an old building in the village, workers discovered three firearms and 403 assorted cartridges concealed inside an attic floor. The guns included a bolt-action Mauser 98K, a Beretta 38 submachine gun, and a Sturmgewehr 44, the latter with three magazines.
Cue the “Jesus, I’ve seen what you’ve done for other people” memes:
The guns were likely stashed “just in case” near the tail-end of WWII when the Soviet Red Army was steamrolling through the area on its way to Berlin.
The fact that the guns were never retrieved although Russian troops only left Poland after 1993, may point to the possibility that the individual who created the cache did not survive the initial stages of the occupation, or was deported soon after the change in flags.
Odds are, if you dig in the garden behind the house, you may find a saber or lance points.
