The Good Soldier Švejk

Imperial manoeuvres

Svět zvířat,1.10.1909

Kaisermanövern were annual large-scale military exercises at which the emperor was usually present, often joined by other members of the upper echelons of society. Foreign heads of state were sometimes invited as well. The manoeuvres involved various branches of the armed forces and almost always took place in September. They usually lasted four days.

In The Good Soldier Švejk, at least three manoeuvres are mentioned, and Švejk takes part in all of them. These are, in the order in which they appear in the novel: Písek in 1910, Veszprém (undated) and Velké Meziříčí (undated).

In addition, the author mentions a large exercise near Sopron in 1908, but the historical circumstances suggest that this refers to the same manoeuvres as those at Veszprém. The exercises at Velké Meziříčí took place in 1909 and were even reported in Svět zvířat.

Despite what Švejk told Wachtmeister Flanderka, there were no imperial exercises at Písek in 1910. That year, the Imperial Manoeuvres were planned for Upper Hungary (Slovakia) but were cancelled owing to a regional outbreak of equine disease. South Bohemia hosted Kaisermanövern twice, partly involving the Písek region: in 1905 and 1913.

In 1910 South Bohemia did, however, host the manoeuvres of 8. Korps, centred on Týn nad Vltavou, with activities also taking place around Písek. In these exercises, the 4th battalion of Infanterieregiment Nr. 91 participated, so Švejk could hypothetically have taken part.

Švejk also took part in other manoeuvres, for example one near Mníšek, Hořovice and Drahenice (undated).

Kaisermanövern 1905-1913

Literature

• Letošní velké císařské manévry, Svět zvířat,1.10.1909
• Ein Zwischenfall, Illustrirtes Wiener Extrablatt,6.9.1905