Enthusiasts re-enact bloody 19th-century Battle of Leipzig

LEIPZIG, GERMANY >> Hundreds of history buffs have re-enacted the 19th-century Battle of Leipzig, which saw the defeat of Napoleon I’s army by combined forces from Prussia, Austria, Russia and Sweden.

Enthusiasts from across Europe, dressed in period costumes, fired muskets and cannons at each other Saturday as spectators looked on near Germany’s eastern city of Leipzig.

The Battle of Leipzig took place from Oct. 16-19, 1813. It pitted hundreds of thousands of soldiers against each other and is considered one of the bloodiest battles in European history.

AP PHOTO/JENS MEYER The battle decided that Napoleon had to retreat to France, the beginning of his downfall.