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Kürassier (Heavy Cavalry) and Sachsen (Saxon) Schweres Reiter.
1843 - 1914 |
| The white uniforms of the Kürassier can be traced back to 1808 when a Kollet (a waist-length jacket with tails) made from yellow-white (cream color) boiled wool known as kirsey with Swedish cuffs was introduced. The collar and cuffs were in Regimental facing colors and it was closed on the front with eight buttons. A leather helmet with gilt fittings was worn. This uniform was worn until the introduction of the M1843 Koller and Metalhelme (a helmet made from polished steel or Tombak). Like it's predeceser, the M1843 Koller was made of yellow-white kersey. |  | |
| The majority of Kürassier regiments wore polished steel helmets with gilt fittings. The following Regiments wore Tombak helmets with silver fittings with the exception of the chinscales, which were also Tombak: |
- Regt. der Gardes du Corps;
- Garde-Kürassier-Regiment ; and
- Kürassier-Regiment Kaiser Nikolas I. von Rußland (Brandenburgisches) Nr.6
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 | The high collar with its distinctive curve, the cuffs, seams, and piping on the front opening and rear skirt of the Koller were piped in the regimental facing color. Shoulder straps were white and also piped in the Regimental color, while officers wore epaulettes. The Koller border (Kollerborte) was white fabric edged in regimental facing colors, and ran the entire length of the front, collar, and cuffs. See the "Uniform Details for all Kürassier Regiments" at the top or bottom of this page for details. | |
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For the Gardes du Corps and the Garde Kürassier, both collar and cuffs were decorated with white Garde Litzen as is shown on this issued Koller for a Sergeant of the Garde Kürassier Regt Garde-Korps Berlin. Officers wore silver Litzen. The silver or gilt shoulder strap and rear skirt buttons matched the color of the metal fittings on the Metal Kürassier helmet. See the "Uniform Details for all Kürassier Regiments" at the top or bottom of this page for details. As the owner of this example was a Sergeant, there is bright silver Garde pattern NCO lace sewn directly over the white portion of the Kürassier Kollerborte on the collar and cuffs. This lace combined with the two silvered Prussian NCO buttons on the collar indicate the rank of Sergeant.
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A view of the Kürassier cuff pattern. As with the other Regiments of the Army, NCOs wore silver or gilt lace around the collar and cuffs from the rank of Unteroffizier and above. Similar to the collar, bright silver Garde pattern NCO lace is sewn directly over the white portion of the Kürassier Kollerborte. | |
| The front is closed with sixteen alternating hook and eyes the entire length of the front, plus two on the collar. There are only twelve buttons on the Koller; two on each cuff, two on the shoulder straps and six on the rear skirts. The two top rear buttons also serve as belt ramps |  | |
 | The Kürassier also wore a dark blue Waffenrock similar to other units which was worn primarily for walking-out dress and other unofficial duties. The daily wear uniform including field service, was the Koller. The Kürassier Waffenrock was Dunkelblau (dark blue) with the identical collar and cuffs as was found on the Koller. The Kollerborte (Koller border) in regimental facing colors, however, was only displayed on the collar and cuffs. The Kürassier Waffenrock evolved in line with the Waffenrock for all arms, which is discussed in detail on the Waffenrock page | |
| Sachsen (Saxon) Schweres Reiter also wore a Koller, but it was light blue color with collar, cuffs, and Kollerborte in the Regimental facing color. All ranks wore scaled gilt epaulettes with gilt metal helmets. Please see the "Uniform Details for all Kürassier Regiments" at the top or bottom of this page for details. |  |
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