Origins and establishment

The Bundeswehr’s combat engineers, also known as Pioniere, developed from three historical predecessors: the Sappeur (who built trenches and other types of cover), the Mineur (who handled explosives and mines) and the Pontonier (who built bridges).

The armies of ancient Rome already had specialized soldiers, skilled craftsmen known as fabri. The first engineers, by today’s standards, were trained and employed as entrenchment builders in France and Germany from around 1500. In the Prussian Army, the term Pionier , or pioneer, first appeared in the Regiment Pionniers. By royal decree, this regiment was formed on 8 January 1742 by General Gerhard Cornelius von Walrawe, King Frederick the Great’s master military architect.

The term Pionier in its modern military sense of combat engineer was used for the first time in 1810. At the suggestion of General Gerhard von Scharnhorst, the already existing Mineur and Pontonier companies were combined to form a corps of pioneers, or combat engineers. Due to the rapid pace of technological development, engineering equipment was continuously updated. At the same time, the personnel strength of the combat engineer force continued to increase, and from 1860, it had its own combat engineer battalions and colours.