Frederick the Great was never the type of Monarch to flaunt his royal status...for example, he said a crown was merely a hat that let the rain in....and he never wore any royal regalia. What he did wear was a soldiers tunic and one decoration, the Order of the Black Eagle Breast Star. The motto… Continue reading This Black Eagle Breast Star is the only decoration Frederick ever wore on his uniform.
If a nobleman wanted a woman, he simply took possession of her...that is how it was in the first half of the Middle Ages... from the 5th to 11th centuries. The concept of love and chivalry were unknown. But, by the end of the 12th century, leaders such as the German Kaiser Heinrich VI and… Continue reading The Codex Manesse documented the new concept of love and chivalry, especially that a man should conquer his woman’s heart.
This is an artist’s rendering of Breslau’s Old City Hall, from an early 20th century series of prints used by the Norddeutscher Lloyd (North German Lloyd) ship company, operating out of Bremen, Germany. The city of Breslau in Silesia has a long German history, but it is no longer part of Germany. It’s the same… Continue reading The city of Breslau in Silesia has a long German history, but it is no longer part of Germany
Russian Empress Catherine the Great was actually German. Before she became Empress of Russia and renamed Catherine, her real name was Sophie Friederike von Anhalt-Zerbst-Domburg. She was born in 1729 in Stettin in Pommerania, Prussia. After she ascended to the throne, she wanted industrious and skilled Germans to colonize her vast Russian Empire. In 1763,… Continue reading Germans were enticed to emigrate into the Russian Empire in 1763 by Catherine the Great
"Dinner at the Ball" captures a moment in time during the high point of peace and prosperity in the German Empire. It was 7 years after the German unification of 1871 and was the era of Kaiser Wilhelm I and his Chancellor Bismarck, who created a booming economy and a foreign policy that produced 43… Continue reading “Dinner at the Ball” captures a moment in time during the high point of peace and prosperity in the German Empire
My message with this image is that today's Germans should remember and honor the history of East Prussia. This relatively small part of old Germany, the easternmost part of Germany once mentioned in the national anthem, played an oversized role in history. But the descendants of these East Prussians are now dispersed all over the… Continue reading If the East Prussian moose antler symbol could speak it would say: Germany, forget me not!
1871...Crown Prince Friedrich with his father Kaiser Wilhelm I at Versailles Palace As the Crown Prince of Prussia, Friedrich was popular with the British royal family and in return he was fond of them and their more liberal policies. It makes me wonder what would have happened in 1914 if Friedrich had lived to be… Continue reading The story of Kaiser Friedrich III is a tale that ended sadly in 1888, “The year of three Emperors”
Jörg Rugen, master of ceremonies at Jousting Tournaments https://www.redbubble.com/people/edsimoneit/works/40594795-bavarian-herald-landshuter-hochzeit-1475?p=canvas-print&ref=similar_products The wand held by Jörg Rugen was an important tool, used by Heralds to gain attention and make grand gestures. His tabard with the white-and-blue lozenges design, was originally the coat of arms of the Counts of Bogen, adopted in 1247 by the House of Wittelsbach, rulers… Continue reading Heralds were the MC’s at Tournaments and experts in military matters, diplomacy, coats of arms and genealogy
This image of Conrad Weiser is from a vintage cigar box and portrays Weiser along with his home in Reading, an old Pennsylvania crest, a scene with Indians and the coat of arms of the Duchy of Württemberg in Germany where he was born and raised. Conrad Weiser image from a vintage cigar box From… Continue reading Living with Mohawk Indians in America was only one adventure in the life of this German-American
Berlin in 1939 Current map of Germany with Berlin at eastern border On a map of the German Empire in 1871, you can see that Berlin was once located in the center of Germany. The location of Berlin within German borders is the most glaring difference between old and modern Germany. When you look at… Continue reading Berlin was once located in the center of Germany…now the German capital is oddly situated right next to the eastern border.
