Bearskin
LINK https://tiurll.com/2tlyjM
A green-coated man with a cloven hoof appeared to him and offered to make him rich if he would for seven years not cut his hair, clip his nails, bathe, or pray; and wear a coat and cloak that he would give him. At the end, if he survived, he would be rich and free. If he died during the time, the devil would have him. The desperate soldier agreed, and the devil gave him the green coat - telling him he would find its pockets always full of limitless money - and then a bearskin, telling him that he must sleep in it and would be known as \"Bearskin\" because of it.
A bearskin is a tall fur cap, usually worn as part of a ceremonial military uniform. Traditionally, the bearskin was the headgear of grenadiers, and remains in use by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies.
The cloth caps worn by the original grenadiers in European armies during the seventeenth century were frequently trimmed with fur. The earliest record of a bearskin cap being worn by soldiers in Europe was during the mid-17th century.[1]
The practice fell into disuse until the second half of the eighteenth century, when grenadiers in the British, Spanish, and French armies began wearing high fur hats with cloth tops, and, sometimes, ornamental front plates. Imitating their Prussian counterparts, French grenadiers are described as wearing bearskins as early as 1761.[2] The purpose appears to have been to add to the apparent height and impressive appearance of these troops both on the parade ground and the battlefield.[3]
During the nineteenth century, the expense of bearskin caps, and difficulty of maintaining them in good condition on active service led to this form of headdress becoming generally limited to guardsmen, bands, or other units having a ceremonial role. The British Foot Guards and Royal Scots Greys did however wear bearskins in battle during the Crimean War, and on peacetime manoeuvres until the introduction of khaki service dress in 1902.[4]
Immediately prior to the outbreak of World War I in 1914, bearskins were still worn by guard, ceremonial palace, or other units in the British, Belgian, Danish, Dutch, Imperial German, Russian, and Swedish armies.[5] The Italian Sardinian Grenadiers had discarded bearskins in the nineteenth century, but were to readopt them for limited ceremonial wear in modern times.
In 1970, the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City retired the use of its bearskin, with the unit's ceremonial uniform being taken out of service in 1970, after Pope Paul VI demilitarised the gendarmerie and reorganized law enforcement under the Central Security Office (later reverting its name to the Corps of Gendarmerie in 2002). Before its retirement, the bearskin was worn by select members of the corps, and included a red plume.
As of 2020, there were 14 countries whose militaries used bearskin as a part of their ceremonial uniforms. Italy and Sweden are the only two countries that use bearskins made out of synthetic materials instead of real fur.[1]
The bearskin caps used by the Canadian Armed Forces are of black fur and include a coloured plume on the side of the bearskin and a gold-coloured chin strap. The Canadian Forces Dress Instructions authorise the use of bearskins for all its foot guards and fusilier regiments.[10]
In addition to foot guards and fusiliers, two line infantry regiments are also authorised to wear a bearskin cap with their ceremonial full-dress uniform: the Royal 22e Régiment (R22eR) and the Royal Regiment of Canada (RRegtC).[10] Usage of the bearskin cap by the R22eR is attributed to its historical regimental alliance with the British Army's Royal Welch Fusiliers,[11] while the use of bearskins by the RRegtC is attributed to the regiment's historical lineage from The Royal Grenadiers of the Canadian Militia.[12]
Additionally, the military band of a unit that is authorised to wear the bearskin cap is also allowed to wear it as a part of their ceremonial uniform. These bands include The Band of The Royal Regiment of Canada, La Musique du Royal 22e Régiment, and the Governor General's Foot Guards Band. In addition to these units, the drum major of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada Band[note 2] are also authorised to wear the bearskin.
Two units within the Italian Army's Granatieri di Sardegna Mechanised Brigade use the bearskin cap as a part of its ceremonial uniform, the 1st Granatieri di Sardegna Regiment, and the 8th Cavalry Regiment Lancieri di Montebello. As opposed to real bearskin, the bearskin caps of both regiments uses artificial fur.[1]
Usage of the bearskin by the Life Guards originates with its predecessor unit, Svea Life Guards. The unit was eventually merged with the Swedish Life Guard Dragoons in 2000 to form the present Life Guards unit. Usage of the bearskin with the Svea Life Guards dates back to 1823, when Alexander I of Russia presented Charles XIV of Sweden a bearskin cap as a gift to be used by the Svea Life Guards.
In 1768, the long cloth caps worn by grenadiers were discontinued, and bearskin caps introduced.[16] Following the Battle of Waterloo, all members of the newly named Grenadier Guards were permitted to wear the bearskin.[17] This privilege had previously been restricted to the grenadier company of the regiment.[18] In 1831, this distinction was extended to the other two regiments of foot guards (Coldstream and Scots) in existence at that date.[19] Bearskins were subsequently adopted by the Irish Guards and the Welsh Guards when raised in 1900 and 1915 respectively.[20] Members of the following units are currently authorised to wear the bearskin cap with their full dress:
Along with these units, officers of fusilier regiments are also authorised to wear the bearskin as part of their ceremonial uniform. Additionally the members of the regimental bands for the five regiments of foot guards, the Honourable Artillery Company, and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are also authorised to wear the headdress. The drum major of the band for the Royal Highland Fusiliers is also authorised to wear the bearskin.
The standard bearskin for the British foot guards is 11 inches (280 millimetres) tall at the front, 16 inches (410 millimetres) to the rear, weighs 1.5 pounds (0.68 kilograms), and is made from the fur of the Canadian black bear.[21] However, an officer's bearskin is made from the fur of the Canadian brown bear, as the female brown bear has thicker, fuller fur; officers' caps are dyed black. An entire skin is used for each head-dress.[22] The British Army purchase the head-dresses, which are known as caps, from a British hatmaker which sources its pelts from an international auction. The hatmakers purchase between 50 and 100 black bear skins each year at a cost of about 650 each.[23] If properly maintained, the caps last for decades.
In 2005, the Ministry of Defence began a two-year test of artificial fur for the hats. The army has already replaced beaverskin caps and leopard skins, worn by some of its soldiers, with artificial materials.[28] In March 2005, Labour MP Chris Mullin called for an immediate ban on bearskins stating that they \"have no military significance and involve unnecessary cruelty.\"[29]
Presently one military unit in the United States uses a bearskin cap as a part of their ceremonial uniform, the Second Company Governor's Foot Guard of the Connecticut State Guard, a state defence force.
In addition to the Governor's Guard, bearskin caps are also worn by the drum majors of various United States Armed Forces military bands. Bands whose drum majors are authorised to wear the bearskin cap include the United States Air Force Band, the United States Army Band, United States Army Field Band, United States Coast Guard Band, United States Marine Band, the United States Navy Band, bands of the service academies, and a variety of other divisional and fleet bands.
In addition to military units, a number of civilian marching bands also adorn their drum majors with these headpieces as opposed to their synthetic counterparts. University marching bands which were established through military means typically follow this style of dress for their drum majors. There are also several secondary school bands that use real bearskin hats.
A busby is a military headdress made of fur that appears similar to a bearskin cap. Busbies are used by a variety of hussar and artillery units. Busbies are used by hussar regiments of the Royal Netherlands Army. Busbies are also used as the full-dress headgear for the British Army's Royal Horse Artillery and hussar regiments. Similarly, the Canadian Army uses the busby as its full-dress headgear for artillery, hussar and rifle regiments.[32] In addition to hussar and artillery regiments, the First Company of the First Company Governor's Foot Guard of the Connecticut State Militia also include a bearskin (known as a \"busby\") as a part of their ceremonial uniform.
A number of units within the King's Guard of the Royal Thai Armed Forces wear a pith helmet with heavy plumes, making it broadly resemble a bearskin cap. The pith helmets are used with the unit's ceremonial full dress uniform, for occasions including the Thai Royal Guards parade held every year in December, royal coronations, funerals, and anniversaries. The colours of the plumes vary from black to pink and blue, depending on the units of the wearers, similar to the uniform facings in the Commonwealth. The majority of the units entitled to wear these headdresses are from the Army and Air Force, with two Royal Thai Marine Corps battalions also maintaining this privilege. In addition, the Royal Security Command's two guards regiments wear the pith helmet with black plums in their full dress.
The soldier put on the jacket, immediately reached into the pocket, andfound that the promise was really true. Then he put on the bearskin and wentforth into the world. He did whatever he pleased, refraining from nothing thatdid him good and his money harm.
translated and/or edited byD. L. Ashliman 1999-2020ContentsBearskin (Hans Jakob Christoph vonGrimmelshausen). Bearskin (Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm). The Devil asPartner (Switzerland). Hell's Gatekeeper (Austria). Never-Wash (Russia). Don Giovanni de laFortuna (Sicily). The Reward of Kindness (Philippines). The King's Tabernacle (Wales). Return to D. L. Ashliman's folktexts, a library of folktales, folklore, fairy tales, and mythology.Bearskin Hans Jakob Christoph von Grimmelshausen In the year 1396 when Sigismundus, the former King of Hungary, was defeated by the Turkish emperor Celapino, a German soldier deserted his regiment in the thick of battle and took refuge in the woods. The foes of war were soon replaced by the enemies cold,thirst, and hunger. With nowhere to turn for help, he was about tosurrender to the powers of despair, when without warning an awful spiritappeared before him. He offered the poor soldier great wealth, if he wouldbut serve this uncanny master for seven years. Seeing no other escape fromhis misery, the soldier agreed. The terms of the pact were quickly stated: For seven years the soldier was to wear only a bearskin robe, both day and night. He was to say no prayers. Neither comb nor shears were to touch his hair and beard. He was not to wash, nor cut his nails, nor blow his nose, nor even wipe his behind. In return, the spirit would providehim with tobacco, food, drink, and an endless supply of money. The soldier, who by his very nature was not especially fond of either prayersor of cleanliness, entered into the agreement. He took lodgings in avillage inn, and discovered soon enough that his great wealth was amplecompensation for his strange looks and ill smell. A nobleman frequented this inn. Impressed by Bearskin's lavish and generous expenditures, he presented him with a proposal. \"I have three beautiful daughters,\" he said. \"If the terms are right, you may choose any one of them for abride.\" Bearskin named a sum that was acceptable to the nobleman, andthe two set forth to the palace to make the selection. The two olderdaughters made no attempt to hide their repugnance of the strange suitor,but the youngest unhesitatingly accepted her father's will. Bearskinformalized the betrothal by removing a ring from his own finger andtwisting it into two pieces. One piece he gave to his future bride; theother he kept. Saying that soon he would return, he departed. The seven years were nearly finished, so a short time later Bearskin did indeed comeback for his bride. Now freshly bathed, neatly shorn, elegantly dressed,and riding in a luxurious carriage, he was a suitor worthy of a princess.Identifying himself with his half of the twisted ring, he claimed hisbride. Beside themselves with envy, and furious that they hadsquandered their rights to this handsome nobleman, one of the bride'solder sisters hanged herself from a tree and the other one drowned herselfin a well. Thus the devil gained two souls for the one that he had lost. Source: Abstracted from Hans Jakob Christoph vonGrimmelshausen, \"Vom Ursprung des Namens Bärnhäuter\" (1670). I used this edition: Hans Jacob Christoph von Grimmelshausen, Simplicianische Schriften, edited by Julius Tittmann, vol. 1 (Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1877), pp. 247-53. Return to the table of contents. BearskinJacob and Wilhelm GrimmOnce upon a time there was a young fellow who enlisted as a soldier, conducted himself bravely, and was always at the very front when it was raining bullets. As long as the war lasted all went well, but when peace was made he wasdismissed, and the captain said he could go wherever he wanted to. 59ce067264