Königgrätzer Marsch
The Königgrätzer Marsch (Armeemarschsammlung II, 134 (Armeemarschsammlung II, 195)) is a famous German military march composed by Johann Gottfried Piefke commemorating the Battle of Königgrätz, 1866, the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire. In a later arrangement Piefke made, Der Hohenfriedberger, commemorating the Battle of Hohenfriedberg, was used as a trio.
It was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite marches and was often played during his public appearances. Despite the connotations this has caused, the Königgrätzer March continues to be very popular and is a staple of any modern German military parade, whereas in Austria it is heard very rarely, because the march is often associated with the military failure of Austria. Like many German marches it is also used by the Chilean Army and the Russian Army. The "Königgrätzer" is the regimental march of the 2nd Battalion, The Jamaica Regiment and the gallop march (with the addition of a French fanfare) of the 1st Armored Cavalry Regiment "Granaderos" of Chile. It was the march of the 91st Oldenburg Infantry Regiment of the Imperial German Army.
In popular culture
- The "Königgrätzer Marsch" is heard at the beginning of the massive revue parade in Leni Riefenstahl's Nuremberg Rally propaganda film, Triumph of the Will when Viktor Lutze leads SA honor guards in their march past.
- In Call of Duty: World at War's multiplayer mode, if the Wehrmacht faction wins the "Königgrätzer Marsch" plays. Also, in the final mission of the game's campaign mode, the song can be heard within and outside of the Reichstag while fighting a SS unit. It can also be heard in the minigame Nazi Zombies on the map Nacht Der Untoten.
- Before the Source release of Day of Defeat, the "Königgrätzer Marsch" played if the Wehrmacht faction won.
- Today it is used by the Mounted Band of the Armored Cavalry Regiment Nº1 "Granaderos", of the Chilean Army, under the name "Granaderos al Galope" as the official gallop march.
- The march was featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, when Jones attends a Nazi "book-burning" ceremony to get back his fathers diary.