French order at Christmas 1813: All poor people must leave Hamburg
News News blog
In 1813, during the French occupation under Napoleon, a dark chapter of history manifested itself in Hamburg. In the face of the approaching allied troops, the French occupiers tightened their defence measures with an order that would profoundly change the city. This decision forced all of Hamburg's poor inhabitants, categorised as "useless eaters", to leave the city.
Hamburg, part of the French Empire since 1811, faced a siege at that time. The French forces planned to expel 30,000 people from the city by New Year's Day in order to strengthen its defences against the advancing Allied forces. Suburbs were systematically burned down and entire neighbourhoods had to be evacuated.
The escalation had already begun in October 1813, shortly after the lost Battle of Leipzig. The French occupiers published an order in the newspaper that all residents who could not prove that they had six months' worth of food in stock had to leave Hamburg. Most citizens initially ignored this order; many poor people were illiterate and unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
The drastic ultimatum followed in December: anyone who could not produce the required food supplies had to leave the city on 20 and 21 December. The plight of Hamburg's population was precarious; for many it was simply impossible to stockpile supplies. Contemporary witnesses, such as a milk merchant who thanked God if his family had enough to eat each day, paint a picture of poverty.
The ultimatum was extended until 24 December. On Christmas Eve, the rigorous implementation of the order began. The poor were taken from their homes and led out of the city, left to fend for themselves in the cold winter. The weeks that followed bore witness to a tragedy: more than 1,000 people died of cold and malnutrition on the way to Altona, which was still part of Denmark at the time. Others tried to make their way to Lübeck, but many only reached Barmbek, where their lives ended.
By the end of March 1814, more than 30,000 people had left Hamburg, almost a quarter of the population. This dark period only ended on 30 May 1814 with the withdrawal of the French. The arrival of Russian troops under General Bennigsen on 31 May was celebrated by the citizens of Hamburg as a sign of hope and a new beginning. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 finally secured Hamburg's sovereignty, a significant step towards the restoration of the city.
