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Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam
Posted (edited)

In May 1842, thunderstorms broke out during military exercise manoeuvres near the Prussian city of Koninsberg result in scores of troops being injured or killed by lightning.

King Frederick William IV of Prussia was so shocked by what had happened that he ordered the Prussian Military Academy in Berlin to investigate how such a tragedy could be avoided in future.

In October of 1842, the Academy reported to the King that lightning conductors were the best and obvious solution but that they should be portable and therefore it was concluded that they should be fixed to the helmets of the soldiers.

In 1877, the great German Chancellor Bismarck himself in an address to the Prussian Military Academy

"...one of the proudest Prussian military achievements was the development of the portable lightning conductor for the fighting soldier on the battlefield..."

And so that is how the German helmet (pickelhaube) got its spike.

bavariacolonel.pickelhaube.jpg.w300h352.jpg

Edited by Mr_Data
  • Replies 8
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Posted
  • Location: Cheddar Valley, 20mtrs asl
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and lots of it or warm and sunny, no mediocre dross
  • Location: Cheddar Valley, 20mtrs asl
Posted

:doh: :lol:

Good effort Mr. D

Posted
  • Location: St. Albans, Herts
  • Location: St. Albans, Herts
Posted
And so that is how the German helmet (pickelhaube) got its spike.

And I thought it was to aid with opening coconuts when on foreign expeditions.....

You live and learn, eh?

Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
Posted

i knew it was an april fool in the 1st line..when you mispelt koenigsberg...koninsberg...school boy error.

Posted
  • Location: Irlam
  • Location: Irlam
Posted (edited)
i knew it was an april fool in the 1st line..when you mispelt koenigsberg...koninsberg...school boy error.

Its actually spelt Konigsberg without an e! With umlaut over the o

Edited by Mr_Data
Posted
  • Location: Lindum Colonia
  • Location: Lindum Colonia
Posted
i knew it was an april fool in the 1st line..when you mispelt koenigsberg...koninsberg...school boy error.

So spelling errors equal April Fools jokes? Well that's done for half the posts on here then.

Posted
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
  • Weather Preferences: Sunshine and 15-25c
  • Location: Edmonton Alberta(via Chelmsford, Exeter & Calgary)
Posted
Its actually spelt Konigsberg without an e! With umlaut over the o

we dont have umlauts on the key board..so without it, it is spelt with an e thats is how it is pronounced in german..academic really as it is now part of russia and called kaliningrad

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