http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 7&t=181297Dieter Zinke skrev:The town of Koblenz/Rhein in germany, my hometown, has a fountain called Kastorbrunnen, which has a humorous comment referring to the Napoleonic wars, which also affected Koblenz:
Outside the church Basilica of St. Castor, on the great square, rises the Kastorbrunnen like a dark pillar. It consists of basalt blocks and two opposite semi-circular marble basin. The fountain was built in 1812 after a design by the officer Chauchet. At the time Koblenz had a French prefect, and that the wells would have preferred the victory column for the Napoleonic invasion of Russia.
In a cloak-and-dagger operation was Chauchet so secretly - and premature - a somewhat curious inscription chiseled into the column:
" 'A Napoleon le Grand' " on the one hand and on the side of the church
"MDCCCXII Memorable par la Campagne contre les Russes sous la Prefecture de Jules Doazan "- Translation:
On Napoleon the Great. In 1812 to commemorate the invasion of Russia in the prefecture of Jules Doazan.
However, it turned out differently. Napoleon lost, and after the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, Russian troops marched on New Year's Day 1814 in Koblenz. The Russian general was reading the inscription, and had to add in flawless French:
"Vu et approuvé par nous commandant Russe de la Ville de Coblentz"
(Seen and approved (by us), Russian commander of Koblenz).
Dieter Z.
/Marcus
