Grenadier-Regiment „Kronprinz“ (1. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 1

17th century

The regiment was established on December 20th 1655 in Pomerania and Neumark by Bogislaw von Schwerin at the order of Elector Friedrich Wilhelm and later took part in the 1656 Battle of Warsaw. The regiment then was quartered in East Prussia (Rastenburg and Gerdauen) in 1657. The regiment then fought against the Swedes in the 1674-1679 Nordic War. As a part of the Reichsarmee of the Holy Roman Emperor the regiment fought at the 1697 Battle of Zenta during the Great Turkish War.

18th century

The regiment took part in the War of Spanish Succession, Polish Succession, First and Second Silesian Wars, and the Seven Years’ War, and was present at the battles of Hohenfriedberg(1745), Groß-Jägersdorf(1757), Zorndorf(1759), Kay(1759), Kunersdorf(1759), Torgau(1760), and Reichenbach(1762).

19th century

By 1806, the Regiment was designated Nr.2 under the command of Ernst von Rüchel.

Following the defeat at the Battle of Jena in 1806, Prussia was forced to reorganize and downsize its army. Six of the remaining infantry regiments were chosen to be reformed, and were each given a light infantry battalion to complete them. The No.2 with its new 3rd battalion became the 1st East Prussian Infantry Regiment. The new army was organized into six peace-time brigades, and the 1st East Prussian Infantry Regiment was put into the East Prussian Brigade.

When Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 there were 14,000 Prussian infantry attached to the auxiliary corps of the Grand Army. The six regiments were assembled from assorted battalions of multiple Prussian army regiments. The No.1 infantry regiment of the Prussian forces in Russia was made up of the 2nd battalion/1st East Prussian Regiment, the 1st Battalion/2nd East Prussian Regiment, and the Fusilier battalion of the 1st East Prussian regiment. Unlike most of Napoleon's army the Prussian forces returned home mostly unharmed, saved by the Convention of Tauroggen.

In 1813, with the start of the war of the 6th coalition, and Prussia mobilized its army for war. During the first battle of the campaign the 1st East Prussian Regiment had just returned from combat in Russia, and had two of its battalions (2nd battalion and fusilier battalion) in the "1st Combined Infantry Regiment". At Lützen they were on the left flank under Generalmajor von Hünerbein, but were driven back with the rest of the army.

After Lützen the 1st East Prussian Infantry battalions were reunited in Generallieutenant von Yorck's Korps. They were within Yorck's right wing as part of Oberst von Zielinsky's Infantry brigade. The regiment was in the center of the Prussian line, and was mauled by the from the artillery barrage of the Grand Battery. In the successive French assault, the regiment was in the thick of the fighting for the entire day, but was beaten back from the village of Bautzen.

During the brief truce that followed the Battle of Bautzen, the First East Prussian Regiment was placed under the command of Duke Carl of Mecklenburg, still within Yorck's Korps. They saw heavy fighting at the Combat of Goldberg where the East Prussian Infantry were briefly surrounded by French cavalry. After being rescued by the Mecklenburg-Strelitz Hussars, Mecklenburg personally led a counterattack of the Regiment's 2nd battalion, and buying time for the rest of his brigade to withdraw and reorganize. Mecklenburg's brigade again distinguished itself at the Battle of Katzbach, in which it held off strong assaults by the French Army.

20th century

The regiment was part of the 1st Division in World War One fighting on the Eastern Front at The Battle of Tannenberg. And was finally demobilized in 1918. Even so, the traditions of the regiment were inheirited by several units of the new Reichswehr.