Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did Gerhard von Scharnhorst reform the Prussian army?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Historical map showing the unification of Germany by Prussia in the late 19th century. The map highlights in green the Kingdom of Prussia as of 1866, and in yellow the additional territories that formed the German Empire by 1871-1918, encompassing most of north-central Europe. Neighboring countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Switzerland are labeled, with major regions and states within the empire clearly marked. — Prussia The unification of Germany by Prussia, which brought most of north-central Europe into one kingdom.

Following Prussia's defeat by Napoleon in 1806, Gerhard von Scharnhorst led the effort to modernize the Prussian military. Recognizing that the era of small, professional mercenary forces had passed, he advocated for the transition to a conscripted citizen army, believing that national military service required accompanying political reform.1

As head of the Army Reform Commission, Scharnhorst implemented several key changes:

The Krümpersystem: To circumvent the 42,000-man limit imposed on the standing army by the Treaty of Tilsit, he and August von Gneisenau devised the "shrinkage system." This allowed recruits to be trained quickly and moved into the reserves, enabling the state to build a large pool of trained soldiers and officers without exceeding Napoleon's restrictions.1
General Staff System: Scharnhorst was instrumental in developing the modern general staff system, which became a cornerstone of Prussian military organization.1
Professional Development: He emphasized rigorous training, notably at the war academy in Berlin, where he mentored future strategic thinkers like Karl von Clausewitz.1