ROUTE

The journey in short:
with the most important places and dates

5th december 1812:
Smorgoni (Russia): Departure at 10 o’clock in the evening
6th december 1812
Oschmaina: midnight (00.00 hours)
Miedniki: 7 o’clock
Wilna (Vilnius) (Lithuania) from 10.15 until 11.30
7th december 1812
Kowno (Kaunas) 5 o’clock
Mariampol
8/9th december 1812
Augustowo (Poland)
10th december 1812
Pultusk 5 o’clock
Sierock
Praga (a suburb of Varsovie)
Varsovie (Warsaw) Arrival at 11 o’clock in the morning, departure at 8 o’clock in the evening
11th december 1812
Lowicz
Kutno
12th december 1812
Posen (Poznan): Before dawn arrival in Posen
Glogau (Glogow): Arrival in the evening
12 /13th december 1812
During the night stop at a stage (for a coach)
13th december 1812
Buntzlau (Boleslawiec) In the morning
Vistule
Bautzen (Saksen)

Napoleon's journey from Russia to Paris in December 1812

Introduction
In 1812, Emperor Napoleon sought to conquer Russia by means of a campaign. He started this campaign on the 24 th of June that year. Initially, things went prosperously and they invaded Moscow on September 14th. However, the Russians didn't surrender. The winter set in, forcing Napoleon and his army to withdraw in October.
Around November 25 th , during the retreat, they crossed the river Berezina . This was accompanied by dramatic losses. Napoleon and his heavily depleted army then moved on through the bitter cold in the direction of Lithuania .

Then, on December 4 th , upon arrival in Smorgoni, the emperor decides to leave his army behind. Napoleon was worried by a coup attempt in France and he wanted to call a second army and send them to Russia . He called all of his marshals together, informed them briefly of his decision and appointed the command to marshal Murat.

Journey
On December 5th, he left by sleigh and carriage in order to return to Paris as quickly as possible. He was accompanied by only a few faithfuls. The most important of these was General Armand de Caulaincourt, who made detailed reports of the exciting journey that was made in record time and under harsh conditions in his memoirs. Eventually, the company would arrive in Paris after 13 days, on December 18 th .

The Plan

  1. Re-enacting the journey

An actual re-enactment of this journey. This means, travelling along the same route with a horse and carriage. This according the Caulaincourt's diary.
The cities that we will be passing through during the journey will be involved in the preparations and the implementation of the journey.
State of Affairs : The journey will be taking place in the summer. Two experienced coachmen will be accompanying undersigned on this journey.

2. A new edition of the travel-report

Caulaincourt wrote over 150 pages about this trip, yet a separate book has never been published. Since the publication of the scholarly annotated edition of Caulaincourt's memoirs in 1934, no research has been done on the trip, even though there's a lot of new material waiting in archives in various countries that lay along the route.
The plan is to write a new annotated edition of those memoirs on the trip, based upon the memoirs from 1934 (by Jean Hanoteau). In this book, the new found information will be included. To find this information, research will need to be done along the way. We will be asking historians and other experts along the route for help.

State of Affairs : At the moment, (there is consultation with potential publishers) we are looking for a publisher for this book.

3. Creating a multi-part documentary on this journey
Making a documentary along the route of this journey. The idea is to film important places that we pass through on this journey in cooperation with local historians. Well known historians, other experts or descendants of people that played a role during this journey will give input.

Movie/Play

A movie can also be made with reference to this documentary. The travel report offers plenty of dramatic material for this purpose. In any case, the travel report can be used to create a play.

State of Affairs : At the moment, we are looking for a suitable co-producer and director for this documentary.

Finances

The implementation/success of this project depends on financial contributions from those interested. This project is meant to become a European project in which the cities and countries that lay along the route will play an active role. This is why I plan to promote the project along the route in order to obtain sponsorship from the businesses there for the project financing. I am aware of the fact that along the route, there is a lot of interest regarding co-operation in the scientific field, Napoleon ‘re-enactment clubs, horse and carriage clubs, etc. Over the years, I have gained quite a few useful contacts from Belarus , Lithuania , Poland , Germany and all the way down to France .

Promotion for cities and their local businesses
For the cities and the local business there, participation of the success of this project is a way to provide the city, town or business with national and international awareness.

Signed

Joost van Hövell tot Westervlier
The Netherlands
e-mail: van.hovell@planet.nl
Tel +31.6.11252314