The jubilee year of one of the greatest battles of the 19th century attracted not only military history associations from the Czech Republic, but also from Poland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Denmark, Hungary, Italy and the USA. They are sending military combat units, riders and military bands to the battle demonstrations.
At the battle demonstration sites and at separate concerts, participants will see for example the Czech Band of the 6th Field Rifle Battalion from Náchod, Spielmannszug 1. Garde Regiment zu Fuss, the German musical groups Bläsergruppe Langeln from Wernigerode, Heidedragoner Uetzingen e.V. Berittenes Trompeterkorps from Walsrode, Spielmannszug Radeberg, and the Austrian band Artillerie Traditionskapelle Von der Groeben from Vienna.
The number of uniformed participants from military associations will this year be the highest in the entire history of the commemorative events of the Battle of Hradec Králové 1866. Around 70 historical units, including cavalry formations, will take part in the battle and military demonstrations. Visitors will see the greatest number of infantry units, but also cavalry in the form of uhlans, dragoons and hussars. There will also be 23 historic cannons available. It will certainly also be attractive for visitors that the historical units will have their camp directly on the battlefield. They will sleep in period tents, and their horses will also be stabled nearby in enclosures. It is estimated that the military camp will have about 200 tents.
'In those military camps of the time there were still no field kitchens, soldiers cooked for themselves in groups of four, using something like a large mess tin in which they prepared food. They received bread, meat and ingredients for cooking centrally. They obtained food from local inhabitants by requisitions, but unfortunately also by looting,' said Radek Balcárek, director of the Königgrätz 1866 project.