Carl Friedrich Bleeke (born 1794) Military Service

His headstone mentions the battle of Waterloo. Do his military records exist?

Sources to consult: Good question—tracking down German military service records from the Napoleonic period can be tricky, but not impossible. Here’s how it works in your ancestor’s case:

1. Where records might exist

Since your ancestor was born in Leteln (today part of Porta Westfalica, Kreis Minden, North Rhine–Westphalia) and likely fought at Waterloo as a Prussian soldier:

  • Prussian Army records are the most likely source.

  • These are generally held today in the Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz (GStA PK) in Berlin, and in part in the Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv in Freiburg.

  • Local/regional recruiting and Landwehr rolls may also survive in the Landesarchiv NRW (North Rhine–Westphalia State Archive, Abteilung OWL in Detmold), since Minden fell under their jurisdiction.

2. What kinds of documents might exist

  • Stammrollen / Musterungslisten (muster rolls): registers listing men called up for service.

  • Kriegsteilnehmerlisten (campaign rolls): lists of those who served in specific campaigns (1813–1815).

  • Pension or veteran files: if he applied for benefits, but many emigrants did not.

  • Landwehr registers: after 1813, all able-bodied men were assigned to Landwehr units.

  • Local militia rolls: sometimes kept in parish or Amts archives.

3. Where to start searching

  1. Bundesarchiv (Freiburg) – Ask about Napoleonic-era army personnel records for the 1. Westfälisches Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment or Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 15/18, units from Minden region.

  2. Geheimes Staatsarchiv PK (Berlin) – They hold the central Prussian Army administration records.

  3. Landesarchiv NRW (Detmold branch) – They may have surviving district mustering rolls (Kreis Minden).

  4. FamilySearch / published regimental histories – Some muster rolls and Landwehr lists from 1813–15 have been microfilmed or transcribed.

  5. Waterloo Medal Rolls / casualty lists – Some were published, especially for British units, but there are also lists of Prussian fallen and decorated soldiers.

4. Practical challenges

  • Not all records survive. Napoleonic campaigns were chaotic, and many local muster lists were lost.

  • Prussian records are not centralized online. Requests must often be made by mail/email to the archives.

  • Name variants matter. "Bleeke" vs. "Bleke" vs. "Bliecke" might all appear.

Step-by-Step Research Plan

1) Likely unit to cite in your requests

Men from Leteln (Kreis Minden) who fought in 1815 are most often found in the Minden-Ravensberg Landwehr. Contemporary/order-of-battle sources list a “2nd [Minden-Ravensberg] Westphalian Landwehr Regiment” in 1815. Use that exact phrasing when you write to archives. (The Napoleon Series)

2) Start local: Landesarchiv NRW – Abt. Ostwestfalen-Lippe (Detmold)

This branch holds government records for the Regierungsbezirk Minden (from 1816) and often has Landwehr/conscription material (taxes for outfitting, musters, exemptions, etc.). Ask them to search these series for Landwehr (1813–1815) rolls/lists specific to Kreis Minden / Leteln:

  • M 1 I*C – Regierung Minden, Militaria (military matters). Cite this series in your inquiry. (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen)

  • L 77 C – Lippische Regierung – Militärdepartement und -kollegium; includes “Landwehr, Landsturm 1813–1851.” (useful because Minden’s Regierungsbezirk interacted with Lippe and some lists cross over). (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen)

  • Example item that proves such records exist in the Minden government holdings: “Heberegister der ausgeschriebenen Nachsteuer zur Ausrüstung der Landwehr” (register of levy/extra tax for outfitting the Landwehr) under Regierung Minden—helpful keywording when staff search. (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen)

Contact (Detmold/OWL): Willi-Hofmann-Straße 2, 32756 Detmold • [email protected] • +49 5231 766-0 • Reader hours on page. (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen) General intro to the NRW archives and their holdings pages: (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen)

3) Central Prussian records: GStA PK (Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin)

If a central muster, Landwehr roll, or administrative file survives, it’s often here under the Prussian military/administrative fonds. Use the archive database (“Archivdatenbank”) first, then ask staff to check Landwehr 1813–1815 for Minden/Minden-Ravensberg. (Many finding aids are still only in the reading room, so staff help is normal.)

  • Archive database & research guidance (English): start here. (GStA)

  • About/Institution page: confirms scope; good to cite when writing. (Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz)

  • Address: Archivstraße 12–14, 14195 Berlin-Dahlem (phones/emails via institutional listings). (GStA)

What to ask them to check: central Prussian military administration series for Landwehr Stamm-/Musterrollen (1813–1815), campaign participant lists (Waterloo), or veteran/pension files referencing Minden-Ravensberg Landwehr.

4) Bundesarchiv – Militärarchiv (Freiburg)

The Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv holds older Prussian military materials (esp. if they were consolidated later). While much of Napoleonic personnel detail is sparse, it’s worth a targeted query—they may have regimental or corps files, returns, casualty summaries, or lists that mention Landwehr battalions from Westphalia.

What to ask them to check: any 1813–1815 Landwehr files for Minden/Minden-Ravensberg, unit returns for the Waterloo campaign (IV Corps etc.), and regimental paperwork touching 2. Westfälisches Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment (Minden-Ravensberg).

5) A handy secondary source to cite in your letters

Citing a published regimental study helps archivists zero in:

  • Dirk Ziesing, Das Minden-Ravensberger Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment (2. Westfälisches) in den Befreiungskriegen 1813–1815 (Agenda Verlag). Libraries list this; it documents the unit you likely need. (NYPL)

Email templates you can paste (German & English)

To Landesarchiv NRW – Abt. OWL (Detmold)

Betreff: Anfrage: Landwehr-Unterlagen 1813–1815 für Leteln / Kreis Minden (Waterloo-Teilnahme)

Text (Deutsch): Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich recherchiere zur Militärdienstzeit eines Vorfahren aus Leteln (Kreis Minden), geb. 1794, der laut Grabstein in den USA an der Schlacht bei Waterloo (1815) teilgenommen hat. Könnten Sie bitte in den Beständen der Regierung Minden nach einschlägigen Unterlagen zur Landwehr 1813–1815 suchen (z. B. Stamm-/Musterrollen, Aushebungs-/Musterungslisten, Steuer-/Ausrüstungsakten)? Mir bekannt sind u. a. folgende Signaturgruppen:

  • M 1 IC – Regierung Minden, Militaria

  • L 77 C – Lippische Regierung – Militärdepartement/-kollegium (u. a. Landwehr, Landsturm 1813–1851) Sowie Einträge wie „Heberegister der ausgeschriebenen Nachsteuer zur Ausrüstung der Landwehr“ im Kontext Regierung Minden. Gesuchte Person(en): [Name, Varianten], Wohnort: Leteln, Zeitraum: 1813–1815. Ich wäre für Signaturen, Kopien/Scans, Benutzungsmöglichkeiten und evtl. Gebührenhinweise dankbar. Mit freundlichen Grüßen, [Ihr Name, Kontakt] (Detmold Kontakt/Seite: (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen))

To GStA PK (Berlin-Dahlem)

Subject: Prussian Landwehr records 1813–1815 (Minden-Ravensberg / Waterloo)

Body (English): Dear Sir or Madam, I’m researching an ancestor from Leteln (Kreis Minden), born 1794, whose U.S. headstone states “Battle of Waterloo.” Would you please check your holdings for Prussian Landwehr records (1813–1815) relating to Minden/Minden-Ravensberg, including muster/stamm rolls, campaign participation lists, and any central administrative files for the Minden-Ravensberg (2nd Westphalian) Landwehr Infantry Regiment? I have consulted your online research guidance and archive database but understand many finding aids are only available on site. Any shelfmarks, digitized items, or copying options would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, [Your Name] (GStA PK research page & institution info: (GStA))

To Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv (Freiburg)

Subject: Inquiry: Prussian Landwehr (Minden-Ravensberg) 1813–1815 — Waterloo campaign references

Body: Dear Sir or Madam, I seek Prussian Landwehr records (1813–1815) concerning Minden/Minden-Ravensberg, especially any unit returns, campaign rolls, or regimental files that might identify men from Leteln who fought in 1815 (Waterloo campaign). The likely unit is the Minden-Ravensberg (2nd Westphalian) Landwehr Infantry Regiment. Could you advise whether relevant files exist at the Militärarchiv and how to request copies or a search? Best regards, [Your Name] (Contact/location details: (Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv))

Tips to improve hit-rate

  • Name variants: search Bleeke/Bleke/Bliecke, Schwier/Schweer etc. You know the drill.

  • Keywords for staff/search forms: Landwehr, Minden-Ravensberg, Stammrolle, Musterung, Aushebung, Kanton/Bezirk Minden, Waterloo 1815, IV. Armeekorps Bülow (context).

  • Cite the unit: archivists respond fastest when you give them a concrete unit—the Minden-Ravensberg Landwehr note above gives them that. (The Napoleon Series)

  • Be open to alternates: Some Westphalian men served in other Westphalian Landwehr regiments; archivists will usually check neighboring units if you ask.

If you want, I can adapt the letters with your ancestor’s full name + known spellings and drop them in German only (often speeds things up in Detmold/Berlin).