On 24 June 1812, Napoleon invaded Tsarist Russia with his Grande Armée. In September, its capital, Moscow, was ablaze. One and a half years later, in March 1814, Russian troops and their allies had taken Paris. Napoleon had been defeated and was forced to abdicate. The events were preceded by several bloody campaigns.
The Livonian Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly was the mastermind behind the Russian troops’ ultimately successful warfare. His contribution to Napoleon’s downfall was vital, his name, however, forgotten after his death. With his modest bearing and his Baltic German origin, he was not suitable for the role of a glorious national hero.
The Military History Museum was able to purchase a part of Barclay’s estate in the form of 200 documents and certificates. A selection of these items will be displayed in the exhibition.
The documents offer an in-depth look into the way military staffs functioned in the early 19th century. Subsistence lists, maps and movement plans attest to the daily planning work, ciphered secret documents tell of espionage operations, and the exchange of letters with Napoleon’s chief of staff, Berthier, reveals surprising communication channels.
The documents are complemented by numerous dioramas with tin soldiers, historical weapons, medals, and uniforms, including the tunic of a French marshal.
Picture: © akg-Images
Header: © MHM/Ulke
Educational offers & general informations
The exhibition’s texts are available in German, English and Czech.
CURATOR TOUR
with Erik Zimmermann | booking required | German
• 14 October 2024 at 6.00 pm
• 25 January 2025 at 11.00 am
• 7 April 2025 at 6.00 pm
• 1 July 2025 at 2.00 pm
LIVE SPEAKER
Quick tour and presentation of replicas | German + English
Touch and try on selected objects | daily from 3.00–5.00 pm
On weekends and during school holidays additionally 11.00 am–2.00 pm
GUIDED TOURS (BOOKING REQUIRED)
For visitor groups and the Bundeswehr | German + English + Russian + French
GUIDED EXPLORATION (BOOKING REQUIRED)
Guided tour and group work for students | German
IN STYLE AND FORMAL. WRITE LIKE IN NAPOLEONIC TIMES
Holiday workshop | booking required | German
During German school holidays on Thursdays 12 noon | 8 years +| German
YOUTH TOUR
During German school holidays on Thursdays 12 noon | 11 years +| German
INTERACTIVE SECTION German
Crack the secret code and discover the equipment soldiers used around 1813! | German
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY SHEETS
Available free of charge at the ticket counter | 6 years + | German
VISITOR SERVICE
Telefon: +49 (351) 823-2850, +49 (351) 823-2851
E-Mail: mhmfuehrungen@bundeswehr.org
GETTING HERE
Bus/Tram station Stauffenbergallee (tram route 7 and 8, bus route 64)
Motorway exit Dresden-Hellerau
Free parking
Free cloakroom
Museum fully accessible
OPENING HOURS
10.00 am–6.00 pm daily
Monday 10.00 am–9.00 pm
Closed on Wednesdays
TICKET PRICES
Permanent exhibition, special exhibition included:
regular 5€ | concession 3€
Free admission for members of the Bundeswehr as well as children and teenagers under the age of 18
