Der Hohenfriedberger

The Hohenfriedberger (AM I, 21 (Army March I, 1c and Army march III, 1b)), also called Hohenfriedberger March, is one of the best known German military marches. It takes its name from the victory of the Prussians over the allied Austrians and Saxons on June 4th, 1745 during the Second Silesian War at the Battle of Hohenfriedberg, near Striegau.

There are many legends surrounding the origins of the march. Supposedly, the Bayreuther dragoon regiment, which was crucial in securing a Prussian victory, reported to its quarters the day after the battle while the march was played. Whether the march was actually played then is just as questionable as the claim that Frederick II of Prussia was the composer of the piece. It is understood that the king issued to the Bayreuther dragoon regiment a "Gnadenbrief", or letter of grace, that authorized it to play both grenadier marches of the foot soldiers (with flutes and drums) and the cuirassier marches of the cavalry (with kettledrums and trumpet fanfare).

The first outline (piano rendition) was written in 1795. For the first time in 1845, in celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the battle, the march was given lyrics, "Auf, Ansbach-Dragoner! Auf, Ansbach-Bayreuth!...." because the regiment by then had been renamed "Ansbach-Bayreuth". In the time of the German Kaiser the title "Hohenfriedberger" was symbolic both on the basis of its connection with the great military victories of Friedrich II and because of the authorship of the House of Hohenzollern.

In the year 1866, in commemoration of the victories of Friedrich II against the Austrians, Johann Gottfried Piefke added Der Hohenfriedberger as a trio to his "Königgrätzer Marsch" written after the victorious Battle of Königgrätz.

In popular culture

 * In the film Barry Lyndon, it was used during the montage scenes depicting Lydon's service with the Prussian Army during the Seven Years' War.
 * The march was used at the beginning of the film Stalingrad (1993) during the rally in Italy before they were sent East.
 * Since it is used in parts of the Königgrätzer Marsch, it can be heard in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade during parts of the book-burning scene in Berlin.
 * In the film "Victory", the march is played by the German Army band prior to "Deutschland Über Alles".