Lützowsche Freikorps

Prussian army corp

Also known as: Schwarze Schar

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

The Lützow Free Corps, also known as the "Black Band," was a Prussian army corps formed during the Napoleonic Wars of 1813–15. Led by Major General Adolf von Lützow, this corps was composed primarily of non-Prussian volunteers. Their black uniforms symbolized mourning for a subjugated Germany. The corps aimed to operate behind French lines as a guerrilla force. Although it numbered around 3,000 men, the Lützow Free Corps was nearly annihilated after an armistice caught them on the wrong side of a demarcation line. Despite this setback, Lützow reorganized the unit and continued partisan actions, even fighting in later battles of the war. A "free corps" is generally a unit of volunteer soldiers, often German.12

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

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Adolf, baron von Lützow
…mounted free corps (called the Lützowsche Freikorps), composed mainly of non-Prussian volunteers, to operate behind the French lines. The formation eventually numbered about 3,000 and became popularly known as the Schwarze Schar (“Black Band”) after its uniform, which was a symbol of mourning for enslaved Germany. The armistice of June…
Read More
…mounted free corps (called the Lützowsche Freikorps), composed mainly of non-Prussian volunteers, to operate behind the French lines. The formation eventually numbered about 3,000 and became popularly known as the Schwarze Schar (“Black Band”) after its uniform, which was a symbol of mourning for enslaved Germany. The armistice of June…
Read More