Frederick the Great felt like . . .
In our covering 1758 in this year of 2022, we run into the Russian takeover of Königsberg (Kaliningrad now) in 1758 which makes us look at Frederick the Great again, which then begs us to ask you this question.
Do you remember when you were Eighteen years old?
How would you feel if your father tyrannized you all day after day unceasingly, pushing you to be militaristic when all you loved were the arts, music, philosophy and science . . . and after such daily repression you decided to rebel by secretly leaving the country to go to another country, free to pursue your interests with a good friend of yours, and then, when your father finds out, he takes it out on your friend, like, as in deciding to accuse you both of being a traitor to your country and forces you to watch your friend be beheaded in front of you?
And you were spared.
By Royal Pardon.
Still got some Jail Time.
From your Dad the King.
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction known.
For 3 days, eighteen year old Frederick hid in the wilderness of misery, located in his room.
Other sources say he wasn't released from his cell until 18 Nov 1730, which was 12 days after the beheading of his dear friend.
Queue in Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen."
Our Frederick County VA is NOT named after this Frederick.
Nor is Fredericksburg VA named after this Frederick.
Nor is Frederick MD named after this Frederick.
They are named after two different Fredericks with different stories of woe.
See our Frederick of Frederick County Virginia story here and here and here.
Scroll down in this link until you see picture of Frederick, the son of King George II under the title Why Frederick?
See Frederick of Frederick Maryland story here.
But both Fredericks certainly knew of this Frederick the Great.
And Frederick the Great was related
to the Prince Frederick of Wales,
who was suppose to be King after King George II and who Frederick Co VA is named after.
The mother of Frederick the Great was Sophia Dorothea. Her father, George Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg, had succeeded to the British throne as King George I in 1714. Source is here and here.
That King George I sired King George II whose sons were our Frederick of Frederick Co VA, and Cumberland of Cumberland MD.
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Our Frederick Prince of Wales (who adorns the name of Frederick Co VA) was to become King but died 31 March 1751 allegedly stemming from a cricket accident but likely from some other health ailment. He was to become King but because of his death, his son became King - King George III.
At the beheading of his friend,
on 6 Nov 1730 Frederick cried out, in French:
"Veuillez pardonner mon cher Katte, au nom de Dieu, pardonne-moi!"
("Please forgive my dear Katte, in God's name, forgive me.")
And his friend replied.
His friend, Katte, called back in the same language,
"There is nothing to forgive, I die for you with joy in my heart!"
Were these words said?
Corroboration is scant.
But what is irrefutable?
Kattie did write a letter to his own Dad before his execution.
What else is irrefutable?
That execution did occur.
And 18 year old Frederick was ordered to watch his dear friend's head decapitated.
And then
that beheading,
years of war
and death ensue,
armies with hundreds of thousands
of soldiers,
of massive blood and horror
stamp their mark on the land,
amazing the entire world
of the army of Frederick the Great,
facing impossible odds
from every encircling direction,
and right along with all of this, coincides
the discoveries and the thoughts of the Age of the Enlightenment
of which Frederick the Great contributed.
Horror as a genre has its start here too.
One of his battles,
the Battle of Prague on 6 May1757,
was discussed by the Virginia Regiment in its letters.
This battle also inspired a writer to write one of the first horror stories.
That story, Lenore, is considered to be the father of all horror in the modern age.
Edgar Allan Poe's Lenore is just one example deriving from that original horror ballad.
Inevitably, larger than life people are a force multiplier of career jobs for writers, historians, researchers, teachers.
Larger than life this Frederick the Great was.
This picture was destroyed in 1945.
Frederick the Great is having dinner with Voltaire and the top scientists and artists of the world.
Frederick the Great was unable to keep Königsberg. (now Kalliningrad) from the Russians.
They kept it from 1758 to 1762 and then gave it back to Prussia when Russia switched to the side of Prussia during the Seven Years War.
Russia took it back in 1945 in WWII, and then kept it in an agreement held in the Potsdam Conference where Frederick the Great is buried now.
Königsberg is also the home of the Prussian Academy of Sciences greatly expanded by Frederick the Great. That is where the philosopher Immanuel Kant did some work.
Immanuel Kant paid great homage to Frederick the Great in the manner of Plato's Republic praising the enlightened ruler over any other form of government.
One more Story for this war in 1758
The Battle of Leuthen was fought on 5 December 1757 but London decided to celebrate it by turning their lights off for the night on 24 Jan 1758 which was the same day as the birthday anniversary of Frederick the Great and the same day the people of Konisburg including Immanuel Kant paid fealty to their new Russian masters who invaded it earlier that month.
Both the Battle of Rossback on 5 Nov 1757 and the Battle of Leuthen 5 Dec 1757 were both victories by Frederick the Great against overwhelming odds. Their opponents both had much larger armies.
The battle [of Leuthen ] also established beyond doubt Frederick's military reputation in European circles and was arguably his greatest tactical victory.
After the Battle of Rossbach on 5 November 1757 [one month before the victory in the Battle of Leuthen 5 Dec 1757], the French had refused to participate further in Austria's war with Prussia, and after Leuthen (5 December 1757), Austria could not continue the war by itself. [But Russia and Sweden were still fighting Prussia]
London turned off all its lights one night to celebrate a victory King of Prussia accomplished against overwhelming numbers.
Napoleon said that victory alone was enough to guarantee immortality. See source page 244 three fourths of the way down the page.
The war was grinding down. Opponents were stopping.
France stopped Hanover's forces under King George II's son, The Duke of Cumberland. Next time you are in Cumberland MD you will remember this story of Duke of Cumberland's shame.
Also, France had decided not to help Austria anymore. That left Austria unable to fight on its own. That in turn left two remaining opponents to Frederick the Great of Prussia: Sweden and Russia.
Our men in the Virginia Regiment weren't hearing it real time, but they were getting news of his victories and failures 3 to 4 months later.
Compiled and authored by Jim Moyer 3/13/2022, updated 3/14/2022
Enough?
Our story ends here.
We use the expedience of Wikipedia despite its flaws because its links do not disappear, although its footnote references do. We provide these as a start for further exploration and vetting.
We also use Founders Online and Archive.org and Hathitrust which are links rarely broken.
We welcome reader corrections and additions on our Facebook pages.
Sources and Notes:
All quotes are in italics.
There is not much extra corroboration of those words spoken at the execution , but what is irrefutable?
That execution of his dear friend occurred as did the ordering of Frederick to watch it.
Frederick the Great
For the quote of Kattie's letter to his father:
Theodor Fontane, Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg, Volume 2 "Jenseits der Oder" – Küstrin: Die Katte-Tragödie.
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The Kattie Affair
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It is not known when Frederick II and Katte met for the first time. However, when they both attended private mathematics and mechanics lessons in 1729, they became acquainted rapidly. Frederick, eight years younger than Katte, admired Katte for his cosmopolitan attitude. Both were interested in poetry and playing the flute. The pair had an intimate relationship, and due to the long-standing perception (even during his own lifetime[1]) of Frederick as homosexual, has led some historians to speculate that their relationship may have been romantic and/or sexual.
One day in June 1730, the King came earlier home than expected. For one hour Von Katte and Quantz hid in a small room behind the fire place. His father discovered his secret collection of books, and clothes which he threw in the fire. His books had to be sold or auctioned.[2]
Not long after Frederick revealed to Katte that he had a plan to flee to Great Britain as a way to leave his harsh and despotic father.
At first, Katte tried to hold Frederick back, yet at the end supported Frederick's plan to escape.
On 5 August 1730, while the royal retinue was near Mannheim in the Electorate of the Palatinate, Frederick tried to escape from his quarters. At that point Katte stayed in Potsdam.[3]
A compromising letter unmasked Katte as an accomplice and Frederick and Katte were subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Küstrin. Because they were army officers who had tried to flee Prussia for England, Frederick William I leveled an accusation of treason against the pair.
Katte's decapitation
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A court martial found Katte guilty of desertion and sentenced him to life imprisonment that would last until the King himself died, but Frederick Wilhelm ordered the sentence changed to beheading, declaring that "it would be better that Katte came to death than the justice out of the world." As Katte was an officer of the King's Guard, Frederick William argued that if Katte were let off lightly, the King's Guard could never be trusted again. All petitions of mercy for Katte, including one from Frederick, were ignored.
Katte was beheaded at the fortress of Küstrin where the king forced Frederick to watch the execution.
However, when he was brought up to be executed, Frederick shouted in French to Katte, "Veuillez pardonner mon cher Katte, au nom de Dieu, pardonne-moi!" ("Please forgive my dear Katte, in God's name, forgive me.") Katte called back in the same language, "There is nothing to forgive, I die for you with joy in my heart!" Frederick then fell to the floor in a dead faint. These were Katte's last words, yet not his last farewell.
Soon it was discovered that Katte had written a farewell letter to his father before his execution which states:
Into tears, my father, that's how I want to melt away, when thinking that this letter will cause the greatest grief to a faithful father's heart.
That all the hopes for my future welfare and its comfort in old age has to disappear at once; that all applied effort and diligence for my upbringing to the maturity of the desired happiness even have been in vain; yes – that I will have to bow in the prime of my years without presenting to you in this world the fruits of my efforts and my achieved sciences.
How didn't I think to ascend the world and make your conceived hope one satisfied; how didn't I think that I will not lack of happiness and well-being; how wasn't I occupied from the certainty of my reputation.
But all in vain!
How futile man's thoughts are:
At once everything is falling apart;
and how sadly is the scenery of my life coming to an end;
and how is my current state distinguished from that with which my thoughts have gone; I must – instead of promenading the way of honor and reputation – walk the path of disgrace and a shameful death. ... Get strong again my father, and believe me, God is with me in this game, without whose will nothing happens, not even a sparrow on the earth may fall! ... Meanwhile, I thank you with filial respect for all the father loyalty shown to me, from my childhood to the present hour ... Now nothing is left for me but to close with this consolation: Even though, my father, you haven't experienced anything high and distinguished from me in this world, oh! so please be assured that you will find even higher in heaven. Your faithful until death son. Hans Hermann[4]
[4] For the quote of Kattie's letter to his father:
Theodor Fontane, Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg, Volume 2 "Jenseits der Oder" – Küstrin: Die Katte-Tragödie.
Upon witnessing his death,
Frederick was plunged into deep despair
for three days.
After that,
he never spoke of Katte again
nor visited his grave.
Katte's remains rest in the crypt of the church in Wust.
Source:
For the quote of Kattie's letter to his father:
See just above for the English translation of that letter.
Theodor Fontane, Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg, Volume 2 "Jenseits der Oder" – Küstrin: Die Katte-Tragödie.
Back to Previous
Picture of the Execution of Katte:
Click here to return to story above.
Katt’s execution
Hans Hermann von Katte; friend of Frederick the Great; 1704–1730. “Katt’s execution” (Küstrin, Nov. 6, 1730, Katte is hanged for knowing about the escape plans of the Crown Prince). Lithograph, original colouring, unmarked. From: Friedrich Förster, Leben und Thaten Friedrich’s des Großen, Meissen (F.W. Goedsche) 1840, vol. 1, before p. 41. h Berlin, Sammlung Archiv für Kunst und Geschichte.
IDENTIFIER AKG193710
SOURCE AKG-IMAGES
CREDIT LINE akg-images
EVENT DATE 6.11.1730
Source:
Click here to return to story above.
A previous relationship Peter Keith
See also: Sexuality of Frederick the Great
At age 16, Frederick formed an attachment to the king's 17-year-old page, Peter Karl Christoph von Keith. Wilhelmine recorded that the two "soon became inseparable. Keith was intelligent, but without education. He served my brother from feelings of real devotion, and kept him informed of all the king's actions."[16] Wilhelmine would further record that "Though I had noticed that he was on more familiar terms with this page than was proper in his position, I did not know how intimate the friendship was." As Frederick was almost certainly homosexual,[17] his relationship with Keith may have been homoerotic, although the extent of their intimacy remains ambiguous.[18] When Frederick William heard rumours of their relationship, Keith was sent away to an unpopular regiment near the Dutch frontier.[19]
Source:
Another Wiki Take on the Katte Affair
Soon after his relationship with Keith ended, Frederick became close friends with Hans Hermann von Katte, a Prussian officer several years older than Frederick who became one of his boon companions and may have been his lover.[24] After the English marriages became impossible, Frederick plotted to flee to England with Katte and other junior army officers.[25]
While the royal retinue was near Mannheim in the Electorate of the Palatinate, Robert Keith, who was Peter Keith's brother and also one of Frederick's companions, had an attack of conscience when the conspirators were preparing to escape and begged Frederick William for forgiveness on 5 August 1730.[26]
Frederick and Katte were subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Küstrin.
Because they were army officers who had tried to flee Prussia for Great Britain, Frederick William levelled an accusation of treason against the pair.
The king briefly threatened the crown prince with execution, then considered forcing Frederick to renounce the succession in favour of his brother, Augustus William, although either option would have been difficult to justify to the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire.[27]
The king forced Frederick to watch the beheading of his confidant Katte at Küstrin on 6 November, leading the crown prince to faint just before the fatal blow.[28]
Frederick was granted a royal pardon and released from his cell on 18 November 1730, although he remained stripped of his military rank.[29]
Rather than being permitted to return to Berlin, he was forced to remain in Küstrin and began rigorous schooling in statecraft and administration for the War and Estates Departments.
Tensions eased slightly when Frederick William visited Küstrin a year later, and Frederick was allowed to visit Berlin on the occasion of his sister Wilhelmine's marriage to Margrave Frederick of Bayreuth on 20 November 1731.[30]
The crown prince returned to Berlin after finally being released from his tutelage at Küstrin on 26 February 1732 on condition that he marry Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern.[31]
Source
Pictures and credits:
Frederick the Great and Kant knew each other but did they ever meet?
Great short bio:
FREDERICK THE GREAT 1712 –1786
King of Prussia, one of the great military strategists, and an important figure of the Enlightenment.
His childhood
was largely defined by conflicts with his father. Frederick William I had worked hard to build up the army and might of Prussia, an underdog in Europe at the time, and he expected his son to carry on his work. But Frederick in his youth was more interested in literature, music, and philosophy, and spent his nights secretly reading in Latin and French. At 16, he began a relationship with the King’s page, and was punished when it was discovered. At 18, he made plans to run away to England with Hans Hermann von Katte, an officer and likely his lover, but when the treasonous plot was discovered, Frederick was forced to watch Katte’s execution.
This didn’t stop him from forming a new relationship
while he sat in prison, this time with Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf, the son of a peasant and member of the army. Fredersdorf would stay by his side as a valet for the next 27 years, with an adjoined bedroom in Frederick’s eventual palace.
Frederick was forced to marry
against his will in 1733, but kept his wife as far from him as possible for the duration of their union, and never had children.
Military
When Frederick took the throne in 1740, becoming Frederick II, his father’s fears about his leadership skills were swiftly proved false. Sensing an attack from Austria, Frederick almost immediately launched a preemptive invasion of the Austrian province Silesia. For the majority of his reign, Prussia would remain in almost constant conflict with superpowers such as Austria, France, Russia, and Sweden. The Prussian army was often vastly outnumbered in these battles, but Frederick had modernized his military with strict training and strategy. He outwitted and outmaneuvered his rivals, securing victory after victory, and became celebrated for protecting Prussia’s autonomy against all odds, and uniting his disconnected lands.
The Enlightened Autocrat:
Alongside his military accomplishments, Frederick also worked to bring Prussia into the Age of Enlightenment. He supported freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion, and repealed the death penalty for most crimes, including sodomy. He strengthened the economy, promoted education, increased agriculture and trade, and stored grain for times of hardship. He also re-opened the Prussian Academy of Sciences, which nurtured thinkers like Immanuel Kant. Frederick was close friends with Voltaire, met J.S. Bach, and himself was an accomplished flute player and composer. His homosexuality was not only a part of his identity, but it was also widely known (Voltaire wrote salaciously about it during their falling out). A great animal lover, Frederick mostly kept to the company of his greyhounds later in life. He died in an armchair in his palace, leaving a military record still admired, and a cultural legacy that shaped Europe.
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An excellent take on a possible TV Series:
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This world wide war during 1758:
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