Battle of Breslau (1757)

Battle of Breslau
Part of the Seven Years' War
Date 22 November 1757 Location Breslau, modern-day Poland Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Prussia	Austria
Commanders and leaders
August Wilhelm, Duke of Brunswick-Bevern	Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
Strength
28,000 men	84,000 men
Casualties and losses
6,000 men	5,000 men

The Battle of Breslau (also known as the Battle on the Lohe) was a battle fought on 22 November 1757 during the Seven Years' War. A Prussian army of 28,000 men fought an Austrian army of 84,000 men. The Prussians held off the Austrian attack, losing 6,000 men to the Austrians 5,000 men. But one day later the Prussians beat a retreat. Breslau's garrison surrendered on 25 November 1757.

In 1757 the Prussian king, Fredrick II, was still active in Saxony. During this time, the duke of Brunswick-Bevern was supposed to cover Silesia with a force of 32,000 troops. This soon turned out to be a difficult task as he had to face the superior Austrian forces, whose main army of 54,000 troops was led by Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine and Count Leopold Joseph von Daun. The corps of 28,000 troops under Franz Leopold von Nádasdy was also able to advance to the front. Despite their overwhelming superiority, the Austrians wanted to initially avoid a battle. The main army's role was supposed to be tying up the Prussians thereby allowing Nádasdy’s forces to take the fortress of Schweidnitz, which was a key position ensuring the flow of supplies Bohemia to Silesia.

After Nádasdy’s corps had been reinforced bringing its strength up to 43,000 troops, the Austrians surrounded Schweidnitz on 14 October. The handover then took place on 13 November. Until then, Bevern had managed to keep the main Austrian army engaged in battle. However, after joining Nádasdy’s corps it had been considerably strengthened.

As a direct result of the additional reinforcements, the Austrian army command gave up their position and decided to launch an immediate attack on the Prussians; their intention was to take Breslau should before the arrival of the main Prussian forces so that they would be unable to winter in Silesia.

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