The Museum

At this point we would like to cordially invite you to join us on a small tour of the Blüchermuseum in Kaub, which was renovated and renovated in 2013.

The museum building, Metzgergasse 6, the former inn "Zur Stadt Mannheim", a simple baroque building with a courtyard built in 1780, was Blücher's headquarters. In the New Year's Week of 1814, Blücher went across the Rhine as Prussian Field Marshal and Commander-in-Chief of the Silesian Army with its 50,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses and 182 guns on a Russian pontoon bridge - with the "Palatinate" as bridgehead - in order to be able to pursue Napoleon further in his own country. This Rhine crossing was Blücher's tactically decisive step in the fight against Napoleon. It is the main theme of the museum.

In the museum rooms, the luxury that is quite unusual for a community centre is surprising. Fine furniture in the austere Empire and early Biedermeier styles show us an example of Middle Rhine living culture at the beginning of the 19th century. In contrast to this, lavishly painted canvas wallpapers are unique in Germany for the time before 1780, as are tapestries with artistically very fine landscape watercolours, an old grand piano from 1790, a clavichord from 1786 with the handwritten Nassauusing choral book from 1805, old cheek chairs (1753), magnificent walnut wing doors with beautiful brass fittings from the 80s of the 18th century, magnificent chandeliers from that time, crockery, glasses and other utensils from the old "City of Mannheim", beautiful tiled stoves testify to the former prosperity of the house owners.

His tobacco box, a right glove, a writing case, several letters from him, his war chest and the Empire stud watch from his castle Krieblowitz, which is shown in engravings and photographs, are reminiscent of Blücher himself.

Over the years, all of this was supplemented, maintained and presented to the visitors in sacrificial work by our long-time museum director Bruno Dreier († 2004).

Gneisenau, Blücher's chief of general staff, is represented with a bust, the only movable one still in Germany, and original letters; York, the commanding general of the I. Prussian Army Corps, with whom he was the first to cross the Rhine at Kaub, with some portraits and an original letter. A short biography of the Russian corps commander Langeron brings the display "The Russians at Kaub".

The Silesian Army, the Prussian Corps York, the Russian Corps Langeron, and the Russian Army in general, especially the Cossacks, are brought closer to the observer by display boards, outline overviews, maps, and uniform panels. The Cossacks, who were represented with 6 regiments in Kaub, also with their typical armament.

The museum's militaria collection from the time of the wars of liberation is of European standing. The museum, with its historical rooms and furnishings, its multi-faceted collection and an interesting collection of illustrative material that meets the requirements of the present, offers all the prerequisites for a visual impression of the decisive historical events of 1813 and the Wars of Liberation.

Over the years, all this has been collected, maintained and presented to the visitors by our long-time museum director Bruno Dreier.

Discover our museum in a virtual 3D tour