Prussian Socialism Episode 12: Frederick the Great, the Autiste King

Prussian Socialism Episode 12: Frederick the Great, the Autiste King

Over the course of nearly 50 years, Frederick II (1712-86) made Prussia from a minor German state into a European power to rival Austria, France and Russia.

After snatching the rich region of Silesia from Austria, Frederick embarked on a series of legal and administrative reforms that made Prussia into the world's most enlightened state. His work was almost destroyed in the Seven Years War (1756-63) when his small and territorially divided country was invaded by Russia, Austria, France and even Sweden. Leading the army, usually in person, Frederick inflicted major defeats like Rossbach and Leuthen on his enemies, and, with a bit of luck, forced his arch-rival Maria Theresa of Austria to make peace.

Frederick is known as a man of many talents. He was a world-class flute-player, a good composer, and a prolific writer and reader. With the help of eight daily cups of coffee and many nose-fulls of snorting tobacco, Frederick packed many lifetimes of accomplishment into his 74 years. Despite his love of music and learning, he always placed his duty to his land and people first. As a military leader and man of culture, he was an inspiration to many great Europeans, including Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler.

This episode is a discussion between Greg Conte and William.

Intro music: from the third movement of Frederick the Great's Flute Concerto No. 3 in C Major
Outro music: Großer Friedrich by Landser

Books mentioned:
Iron Kingdom by Christopher Clark
The Solider Kings by Walter Henry Nelson
On the Art of War by Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great movies:
Fridericus Rex (1937)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVm8wMdE4rQ&ab_channel=KarelVohat

Der große König (1942)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOa-mtEabFg&ab_channel=AndreasG%C3%B6ransson