3-016-769 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The War in Schleswig: burial of sixty Austrian and Danish soldiers at Flensburg - from a sketch by our special artist, 1864. 'The burial of Austrian and Danish soldiers who died of the wounds received at the battle of Oversee was a very impressive ceremony. The coffins had been placed in a large grave, the name and regiment being roughly chalked at the head of each coffin. Many of the dead had wreaths placed on their heads, and most of them had some evergreens at their feet; two of them...had white ribbons. There were sixty altogether, one coffin above another...The ceremony was commenced by the German priest...speaking of the services which the Austrian fallen had rendered to their Emperor and country. The Jägers on the right then saluted, the band playing the Austrian Hymn. The Danish priest then went through the same ceremony, the band playing and the soldiers saluting...The soldiers then threw some earth over their comrades and gave one last look...The effect of the scene was very picturesque - the dull black of the coffins looking more so by the contrast of the snow. The small building in the background is the chapel of the cemetery; the lion...was erected in commemoration of those who fell at the battle of Idstedt in the last war.' From "Illustrated London News", 1864.