Maß- und Rangierbücher des Leibgarderegiments und seiner Vorgänger (Regiment Garde, Mai 1793) is a set of detailed military administrative records for the Guard Regiment of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, preserved in the Hessisches Staatsarchiv Marburg under Bestand 10 c, Nr. 86.
These Maß- und Rangierbücher combine two key types of military documentation: measurement registers (“Maß”) and order-of-rank or organization books (“Rangierbücher”). Together, they record both the physical and organizational characteristics of soldiers within the regiment. The “Maß” component typically includes physical measurements of soldiers—such as height and sometimes body proportions—used for uniform allocation and selection standards. The “Rangier” component records the internal arrangement of personnel, including rank, company assignment, seniority, and unit structure.
The Leibgarderegiment (Life Guard Regiment) was an elite formation serving directly under the landgrave, and its documentation reflects the high level of regulation and precision expected of guard units. These records show how soldiers were carefully classified and assigned, ensuring uniformity and discipline within one of the most prestigious formations in the Hessian military system.
The date May 1793 places the document in a period of major European upheaval during the early phase of the Revolutionary Wars, when German states were beginning to respond to the conflicts emerging from revolutionary France. Although Hesse-Kassel’s major overseas deployments (such as those to America) had already concluded, its military system remained highly structured and active in European defense preparations.
