1809 Gottscheer rebellion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 1809 Gottscheer rebellion
Part of War of the Fifth Coalition
Carlo Zucchi, Italian general
Date September 10; October 7–18, 1809 Location Gottschee County, modern day Slovenia 45°38′23″N 14°51′41″E / 45.63972°N 14.86139°E / 45.63972; 14.86139 Result Execution of rebel leaders Plundering of the City of Gottschee and burning of several peasant villages Scattered guerrilla attacks by Gottscheer farmers begin French occupation of Carniola is enforced
Belligerents
Gottschee Germans	First French Empire
Commanders and leaders
Mathias Dulzer  Johann Erker  Georg Eisenzopf  Bartholomäus Kusold  Johann Jonke	District Commissioner Gasparini  † General Carlo Zucchi Captain Luigi Tarducci
Strength
c. 2,000 Gottscheers c. 500 Slovenes Total: c. 2,500	- 2nd Italian Light Infantry Regiment - 8th Italian Infantry Regiment - Unknown Artillery Unit - Unknown Cavalry Regiment - Garrison troops Total: 1,300-1,500
Casualties and losses
Unknown, but more than the French	Unknown, but minimal

The 1809 Gottscheer rebellion was a revolt by the Gottschee Germans against the First French Empire. This happened when French forces occupied the Gottschee area during the War of the Fifth Coalition.

What Led to the Gottscheer Rebellion?

The War of the Fifth Coalition

In April 1809, the Austrian Empire started a war against Napoleon I and his French Empire. This conflict is known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. The French army, led by Napoleon, won important battles, like the Battle of Wagram. After this victory, French troops moved south. They took control of a region called Carniola, which included Gottschee County. This area had been settled by Austrians many centuries before.

Early Resistance and New Taxes

The German-speaking people of Gottschee did not want to be ruled by the French. They quickly formed a local group of fighters. These fighters marched north from the city of Gottschee to meet the French army. At a place called Kerndorf, about 900 Gottscheer farmers fought against the French. However, the Gottscheers were quickly defeated.

After this, the French took over the rest of the region. But on September 10, 1809, about 600 Gottscheer farmers protested against a new war tax. French troops had to step in to break up their protest. On October 14, 1809, a peace agreement called the Treaty of Schönbrunn was signed. This treaty officially gave Carniola, including Gottschee, and other lands to France.

The Rebellion Begins

The Spark in Kostel

The protest on September 10 in Gottschee showed how upset the people were. This anger spread to nearby Slovene areas too. On October 6, 18 French French soldiers went to a Slovene village called Kostel. They were looking for tax money. When they couldn't find any, they threatened to burn down the village.

The village mayor managed to get away. He gathered people from nearby villages, mostly Gottschee Germans. On the morning of October 7, they attacked the French soldiers in Kostel. After a short fight, the French officer gave up. The rebels then handed over the captured French soldiers to Austrian forces across the Kolpa River.

Victories in Pölland and Altenmarkt

Later that day, news of the Kostel attack spread. In the village of Pölland, Slovene villagers forced out a French group of 28 men. These French soldiers fled to Altenmarkt. The next morning, about 300 rebels, a mix of Gottschee Germans and Slovenes, surrounded them. The French surrendered. They were then taken to the Kolpa River and faced severe consequences.

Taking Back Gottschee Town

The news of these victories reached deep into Gottschee. In the early hours of October 9, hundreds of rebels from Gottscheer villages attacked the French troops in Gottschee town. Commissioner Gasparini, the French leader there, sent a messenger for help. But the Gottschee Germans quickly closed in.

All the French troops went back to Auersperg Castle. The rebels then surrounded the castle for several hours. Finally, the Gottschee Germans broke through the doors. They captured the French soldiers inside. Commissioner Gasparini was found hiding and was taken from the castle. He was treated harshly and eventually lost his life in a nearby village. It is said his last words were "Vive L'Empereur" (Long live the Emperor). About 42 French soldiers were captured and given to the Austrians, just like the prisoners from Kostel.

Ambushes and a Turning Point

In the days that followed, Gottschee German rebels continued to succeed across the region. They ambushed a French group between the villages of Schalkendorf and Seele. The French were forced into nearby caves, where they were either overpowered or surrendered. In the village of Malgern, Captain Chambelli was leading a group carrying tax money. Rebels attacked his group, and he and his lieutenant lost their lives.

However, the rebels' success did not last long. On October 15, the Gottschee Germans and some Slovene farmers attacked the French soldiers in Neustadt. They planned a surprise attack in the early morning. But after some delays, the French and Italian soldiers were ready. The rebels made some small gains at first. But they were eventually driven back by cannon fire from Neustadt's two artillery pieces. About 35 to 40 rebels lost their lives, and the rest scattered. The French had fewer losses. This battle was the turning point in the rebellion.

French Retaliation

The French quickly sent more soldiers into the area under General Zucchi. On October 16, they entered Gottschee town. They defeated the Gottschee German rebels and took back control. The French planned to destroy Gottschee as punishment. However, Father Georg Jonke, a Gottschee German priest, stepped in. He asked the French to spare the town. Because he had helped save many French prisoners earlier, the French listened to him. They decided to search the town and take goods instead of burning it down.

From October 16 to 18, 1809, Gottschee was searched by French troops. As a final punishment for the uprising, on October 18, five Gottschee German leaders of the rebellion were captured. They faced severe consequences in the churchyard of the town. Their names were Johann Jonke, Matthias Dulzer, Georg Eisenzopf, Johann Erker, and Bartholomäus Kusold.

What Happened Next?

After the rebellion, Gottschee and the rest of Carniola became part of the Illyrian Provinces. This was a territory directly controlled by Napoleon. Even though their rebellion was put down, the Gottscheers remained defiant.

It was written that "Fewer and fewer soldiers of the French patrols returned home because the peasants lay in waiting for them and a good many of them were killed." To stop this, the French took 200 Gottscheer citizens. They lined them up behind the main church, and every tenth person faced severe consequences. Even in 1947, mounds known as Franzosengräber (French graves) could be found in Gottschee. These graves were a source of pride for the Gottscheers. It was a tradition to throw a stone onto a mound when passing by.

In 1813, the War of the Sixth Coalition began. Austria invaded the Illyrian Provinces, freeing the Gottscheers from French rule. This ended the Franzosenzeit (time of the French) in Gottschee. The Gottscheers remained under Austrian rule for the next 105 years, until the end of the First World War.