Lifeguard (military)
Leibgarde (also life-guard, or household troops[1]) has been, since the 15th century, the designation for the military security guards who protected Fürsten (royals and nobles) — usually members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of the Holy Roman Empire and later its former territory — from danger. The Leibgarde should not be mixed up with bodyguard (Leibwächter), which may refer also to a single private individual.[2]
Changing of the guard in Whitehall, London
In the Kingdom of France, the Garde du Corps was established (with reference to the sargeants d'arms) in 1440. It was abolished after the French Revolution, re-established in 1815, and finally dissolved in 1830. In addition, Napoleon III set up the Cent-gardes for his own protection.
Lifeguard elite units
- Germany
- Kingdom of Bavaria: Royal Bavarian Infantry Lifeguards Regiment - part of the Bavarian Army
- Imperial Germany: Prussian Life Guards - part of the Guards Corps of the Imperial German Army
- Nazi Germany: 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" - incorporated into the Waffen-SS during World War 2
- Kingdom of France: French Life Guards - part of the Maison Militaire du Roi de France of the French Royal Army
- Imperial Russia: Imperial Guard (Leibgarde) – regiments of lifeguards that evolved into many elite combat units in the Imperial Russian Army
- United Kingdom: Life Guards – part of the British Army
- Sweden: Life Guards – part of the Swedish Army
- Denmark: Royal Life Guards – part of the Danish Army
- United States: Washington's Life Guard - part of the Continental Army
See also
References
- Langenscheidt's Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the English and German language: "Der Große Muret-Sander", Part I German-English, First Volume A–K, 9th edition 2002, p. 1006 – «de: Leibgarde / en: mil. especially – lifeguard, Br. life-guard»
- Dictionary to the German Military History, 1st edition (Liz.5, P189/84, LSV:0547, B-Nr. 746 635 0), military publishing house of the GDR (VEB) – Berlin, 1985, Volume 1, page 223, definition: Garde, Leibgarde.
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