Frederick the Great and the Enigma of Prussia 1/5
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- Frederick the Great and the Enigma of Prussia is an Aenon & Fresh one Production for BBC. Presented by professor Christopher Clark.
If you want to know more about the History of Prussia, i recommend to read: "Iron Kingdom. The Rise and Downfall of Prussia."
On visiting the grave of Friedrich der Große, after conquering Prussia, Napoleon made his generals take off their hats and said "If he were still alive, we would not be here today." Speaks volumes for the type of man, tactician and respect he demanded, even upon Germany's all-time enemy, France.
Thanks for posting this. Christopher Clark's extraordinary book, Iron Kingdom. The Rise and Downfall of Prussia is a great read from a magnificent historian. Having him narrate this is phenomenal. Prussia, at least under Frederick the Great became a major European power encompassing most of Northeast Germany and Poland. Following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1, Prussia became the epicenter of Bismarck's new German Empire. Unfortunately, the Prussian monarchy was abolished following WW1.
The Kaiser fled to Holland instead of doing his duty and facing the consequences of his actions. After what the Bolsheviks did to the Tsar, that was understandable, but maybe the monarchy could have forestalled Nazism. Or maybe not, as Hitler was a brilliantly evil politician who could have engineered the assassination of a King who stood in his way.
I watched this documentary as a kid and it changed my interests forever
How
Me too!
I feel exactly the same way. Clark is so interesting and easy to listen to.
Fascinating series of videos on a too often (and sadly so)-misunderstood nation and culture. As a mechanical engineer, I am tremendously fascinated by German history, as its culture would come to make the greatest contribution to the systematic development of my field... among countless other tremendously valuable contributions to humanity in the arts and sciences, which helped define our modern age.
Name of the song at the start is Handel's Sarabande
+l0Vindw0rld I can't hear it without thinking of Barry Lyndon.
Christopher Clark is a great historian, I encourage all to read his "Iron Kingdom"
Christopher Clark is not a great historian, he is a bigot obsessed with Nazis. Why else would he inject Hitler into a documentary on this incredible 18th c. Prussian king.
Thank god we have UA-cam that the historians may share their knowledge with us
Ivan Toshev 32
Tiocfaidh Ar La PRUSSIA
Tiocfaidh Ar La. ERIN
ERIN GO BRAGH
my favorite European leaders.....
-Napoleon Bonaparte
-Frederick ll
-Joseph ll
-Prince Albert
Eric Kinney my I ask why Napoleon? I'm currently a Military History student and I so far only see him as hero-worshipped, while yes he had some master strokes I believe for the most part and on the bigger picture he was actually rather poor.
1.) Ended the Revolution: Napoleon gradually rose in rank from an Artillery Commander to a Major General, but the coup d'etat of 1799 ended the reign of the Directory which had plunged France into economic and political turmoil. As first Consul, Napoleon centralized the government, restored the economy by creating a national bank, expanded education and supported the arts and sciences.
2.) Napoleonic Code: Napoleon is credited with improving civil law in France by creating a more modern justice system and social structure. For example, every citizen had rights to a lawyer and trial by jury, and there were laws to protect people from religious persecution and discrimination. Napoleon was also a great advocate of meritocracy. He personally believed in promoting and advancing people from all ranks of society regardless of wealth or family background and he implemented this philosophy in both his government and the military.
3.) Military Innovator: Napoleon's ability to organize and maneuver large armies from one corner of Europe to another astounds historians to this day and his tactics of mobile warfare and utilizing swift counter attacks revolutionized military campaigns. As well, many of Napoleon's top commanders obtained their rank through education and combat experience and not necessarily nobility as was the trend throughout much of Europe.
Very good argument, thanks for replying :) I like how our actually give me examples instead of just going defensive :)
I agree with you on all your points, but I also see weaknesses, he failed to pay social issues enough attention and thus while the military succeeded, the simple citizen was largely ignored.
Additionally while he was superb tactically, eg; Austerlitz I think he failed in seeing the grand scheme of things, he repeated failed to consider the issue of resupply, this best being seen with the 1812 Russian campaign (a huge undertaking, not taking that away from him) but he did lose 750,000 men.
That aside I do agree with the promoting from the ranks etc, but to me Prussia will always be the leader in officer and organisation reform ;)
I agree with you, Napoleon was far from perfect. One of his key weaknesses was sustaining a long-term campaign including his invasion of Russia. He was the type of General accustomed to short-term engagements and fewer, decisive battles. However, in all fairness, this was the type of strategy that defined much if not all of Napoleon's prior success and one of the reasons why European armies could barely keep up with him! The Russian Invasion, The Peninsular War, and Egypt are all examples of disastrous military campaigns, but how Napoleon personally led his armies in battle is remarkable to say the least.
Eric Kinney What about Catherine the Great?
it is sad that they Abolished Prussia.
Germans today, themselves have abolished Prussia with their soft, apologetic, overly left wing leanings!
yes, but i cannot help what my ancestors did. but but i still think it is they should kept Prussia and maybe asked Prussia if they wanted to become allies with Germany.
No, the allies did In Law No. 46 of 25 February 1947 the Allied Control Council formally proclaimed the dissolution of Prussia.
Prussia/eastern Germany was ethnically cleansed of it's 14 million German inhabitants which resulted in 2.600.000 mostly women, children and elderly Germans death's.
Thomas Fuck you. The Brits abolished Prussia because they couldn't stand a powerful Germany, and they still cannot. 😡
He's the best ruler in Eu4 6/6 Admin 6/6 Diplo 6/6 and militarily 6/6 Shock 6/6 Fire 6/6 Maneuver and 1/6 siege amazing
Silly Name 6 siege does not exist, you can technically get 5, but definitely no 6.
Silly Name true, true, It's in the game
No the best general without mods doc or hacking is 6,6,6,6 not 6,6,6,5
Nobody likes a clinger
Frederick the Great of Prussia
Fought side by side in battle with his Soldiers.
what a coincidence, i'm on the verge of finishing Iron Kingdom today when i happen across this video.
My god after watching this my respect for Prussia solidified my god I don't even care about Julius Caesar anymore Fredrick earned my undivided respect as a truly "Great" man in history
Ok that comment is nine years old sorry hope you stopped being obsessed with historical autocrats and/or recognized it as supressed homossexual desires ❤
"Sarabande" by Georg Friedrich Handel. Famously used in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "Barrry Lyondon".
thank you for I am a prussian im a clouse and a von reader I married a Scotsman...thank you for your video...
I'm just now reading for the 1st time, by Robert B Asprey, a book on this GREAT Prussian. Awfull father, but schooled appropriately. United Germany may have never happened with all the untimely alliances going on with Austria, France, Hungary, Britain, and Spain. He is becoming one of my all time favorite men of history as I am German, Italian and French. I love history...
Frederick's relationship with Katte is underplayed seriously here. They were lovers; which is why it was so much more horrific.
@Rick2010100 There was a polish king on the lithuanian and polish thrones, eventually the two countries combinded into poland-lithuania.
Whatever lithuanians or polish people think this did happen.
@raab155 That's a very commendable attitude. I wish more Germans thought that way. And my blessings to your dear grandmother. And hey, I've been studying German history now for over a year. It's been a hell of ride. The term German is mostly 2000ish years old. Anyway, I think this draws the end of our discussion. Auf wiedersehen.
_Gilbert Beilschmidt brought me here_
me too 😆
same lol
erb brought me here
+polkarrty me to
Yep, learning so much about Gilbert and cosplaying him in less than a month. ^__^
Anyone knows the song at the beginning of the video 00.10 ? It sounds awesome with atmosphere of a great empire falling into dusts and ashes
Handel - Sarabande
fascinating
@madshaolin it was an incredible book
We should finally start to rethink both Austria-Hungary and Kaiser's Germany. Warmongers? Not really and surely not more than others. More likely societies in rather successful modernization process. During 1870-1913 Germany had GDP growth per capita about 1.5% annually and Austria-Hungary 1.7%. And claim that only German population in Austria-Hungary was benefiting is utter nonsense. In fact before WW1 Slavic and Hungarian parts of Empire had clearly faster economic and social growth than that in German speaking Austria.
Well this is a well thought-out answer. But let me counter: What perspective SHOULD I be looking at it? The common people? The nobles? The Bavarians? The Thuringians? The Saxons? Each are from a different dialect of German, and have some differences of their own.
Pardon my lack of familiarity with classical music, but what's that music playing behind the narration at the start of the clip?
Georg Friedrich Händel - Sarabande
Poland was still concerning itself with the Great Northern War. It was basically crippled afterwards. I'm fairly sure an outbreak of the plague affected some of Western Poland at the time as well.
beautiful violin....
Alles Gute zum 300., Fritz !
Iron Kingdom almost felt more like an encyclopedia though, rather than a history :L interesting, but the structure never really appealed as much as this documentary or a Carlyle history
@bazzatheblue thats exactely my point. History is build on facts not on the ommisions, even if ommissions make up a better story. For Brandenburg/Prussia the existence of Poland is crucial. First as a master (prussian lords appointed by King of Poland, second as an economical parasite (toll on wisla river; money forged by Frederic, etc.). Ommitting facts make up a better story but this is not history.
Bach's Brandenburg Concert, no.3 - if I remember well
No, the fifth
6:44 a Asian playing a flute?! I am sure you wouldn't see that in Prussia during the late 1700's!
Hi Sizar, I wanted to message you but can't see how on your chanel. There are some very informative lectures on line by Dr Carla Hesse (Berkely) about Frederick and all the accompanying history. Fred was in reality gay and it was his gay lover who the father had executed in front of him. That did not come out in this vid though it was implied slightly. Of importance to me is the "Edict of Tolerance" which emancipated Jews in 1712 in Prussia (continued)
Once you remove the murderous wars, the militarism, the glorification of miltarism above every other societal endeavour, and the central control over the people, everything was great. The documentary is ommitting a militaristic culture that resulted in many events that were terrible.
Dont forget general religious intolerance too
It's funny to see people complain about this documentary being 'liberal propaganda' when it actually exonerates and white washes Fredrick's ugly history in Poland. There was nothing 'great' about him or his reign.
Always my favorite nation to play in total war games. Yeah, thanks to video games, it made me want to learn more of the history. Heh.
@Rick2010100 Of course there is such a thing as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth! Merely look up Norman Davies' book on Polish history. When the first aristocratic-democratic government of Poland and Lithuania was founded, in the late 15th century, after the Teutonic War. It was an establishment under King Ladislaus I Jagiellon; who was also the King of Lithuania. It was his involvement that paved the way for Polish democracy, aka "The Polish Golden Age". What part of wikipedia have you read??
The Musical Offering for the win!
at 4.37 we hear that Brandenburg was surrounded by "predatory powers" and from the East bordered with "vast empire of Russa".
PLEASE check wikipedia what country was at eastern border of Brandenburgia? How many british historians takie to change the lightbulb?
In the 17 hundreds Poland was in full decline due to corruption of the ruling upper aristocracy. So the Russian army could occupy and cross Poland without resistance.
@raab155 Well, that really depends, (And you have me at a disadvantage, since I haven't studied the 30 yrs war well enough), what side was the Emperor on? Remember that the Empire was split in two. Northern Protestant and Southern Catholic. And Napoleon was another matter altogether, let's stick to the 30yrs war, for now.
One day, Prussia adn Germany shall rise again!
I think Frau Merkel has killed off that idea for once and for all !
Like the Swedes ; the Germans decided to abolish their own culture . Inexplicable really.
@driverofsound It was Napoleon Bonaparte who championed the idea of unified Germany. But he lost and history is being written by winners.
This actually is a little more about Frederick than it seems at the beginning.
As a Prussian I appreciate the documentary, but he left out the most important facts about his father. His father was not just an authoritarian and aggressive father. He was the pioneer for meritocracy and pragmatism. He was the first king in europe. and possibly the world, who was against luxury and money wastage.
It is indeed amusing to learn from a PROFESSOR (!) Clark that the State of Branendenburg was neighboured from the east by Russia. I always thought a historian should have at least some rudimentary geographical knowledge before he starts telling stories. The other thing is he does not bother to mention why actually Hohenzollerns dropped the name Brandenburg in favour of Prussia, a stolen identity.
@madshaolin
Sounds like really interesting read. Just bought the book ;)
Have to say I am really facinated of German, or Prussian history.
I don't mean to quibble with you, but all Prof. Clark is saying is that Prussia was wedged in on all sides by potentially hostile great powers.
Opening music: Handel - Sarabande
Great people like Frederick, Napoleon, Peter of Russia created the modern world as we know it today....fast forward a couple of centuries and all people can talk about is 1. gay and 2. hetalia. truly a depressing era to be born in.
He says "to the east was Russia". What is wrong with that?
They had Brandenburg Prussia though. I don't see your point.
It is indeed amusing that someone choosing to criticize a professor chooses to be so contrived in his argument.
what is the song at about 3:00
Prussian army allowed black soldier in they army up to sargent
Kurt Schlesinger hm, that interesting. Can you mentioned any name?
So they couldn't be officers. Why would you bring that up as a good thing? Just don't mention it at all.
Most likely Bach's Brandenburg Concerto's.
I started watching a "documentary" on Frederick the Great and ended up with the typical anti German clap trap that is all too prevelant today!
Specially when you consider that fredrick the great died in 1786!!!!
It's funny to see people complain about this documentary being 'liberal propaganda' or 'anti German' when it actually exonerates and white washes Fredrick's ugly history in Poland. If anything it's the typical anti slavic stuff that pours out from anglo & jewish Germophiles.
Poland has always been very unfortunate, being located between Russia, Prussia and the Austrian Empire. The weaker one always gets taken advantage of and, even though not an excuse, it has always been this way throughout history.
Um.. you've heard of BOOKS right? That is how historians share their knowledge with us.
Even good documentaries like this are simply light entertainment in comparison.
PRUSSIA
Of course, you're right. Bach comes later, right after the title :)
Christopher Clark is simply a remarkable historian. Another book I'd recommend if you really like Prussian and German history is The Arms of Krupp by William Manchester. Just let me know if you are interested in further recommendations. I am a historian by education and German history is an area of expertise for me. Although I must confess that I learn something new almost daily. Right now I am tackling Robert Citino's book, The German Way of War: From the Thirty Years' War to the Third Reich.
He's a remarkable bigot. Why tie Hitler into this? What on earth does Hitler have to do with a legendary, revered 18 c. Prussisn king?? Clark is a Deutschephobic nazi-obsessed blockhead.
anyone else doing this for school?
what's the beginning song?
Handel's Sarabande
Thanks
Is it The Birdie Song ?
I may be wrong.?
What's the name of the piece that starts playing at 3:18?
Brandenburg concerto 5 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Best recording of it- ua-cam.com/video/iOsP5gCq3j4/v-deo.html
Bach's 3rd Brandenburg concert
Brandenburg-Prussia is the historiographic denomination for the Early Modern realm of the Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701.
I don't see why you think mentioning the dropping of Brandenburg (which is still a state in Prussia) as a name has any significance to the Hohenzollerns. This is about Frederick the Great, not how the Teutons turned into the Prussians by emancipating the Baltic Prussians. Stop spewing irrelevant facts. Read Iron Kingdom. Clark talks about all of this.
So, they forgot to mention Katte was his lover.
Whyyyyyy is Friedrich called Frederick in english.... this sounds so ridiculous :(
Does anybody know how that musical piece at 2:50 is called?
Darude Sandstorm
Lord Bronzong
pls no
if you still haven't found it i believe it's called "Sarabande".
*****
Thaks! :D
This is less of a documentary and more like Christopher Clark's personal journey as he rediscovers Friedrich. This current style of the narrator/presenter being in front of the camera for most of the time and going around interviewing historians is not to my liking. Just cut to the chase and present the facts instead of showing yourself travelling here and there and taking in the sights. The gradually decreasing number of viewers with each subsequent part of this 'documentary' bears out my opinion.
Also, while this so called documentary may be fine for people who don't know anything about Old Fritz, it is too basic and lacks depth, considering his genius and achievements.
Prof. Clark teached Prussian history for years at a Berlin University and he is a verry profound histrorian with a respected knowlwdege above the Prussian history. But at least this is a TV series wich is also TV customer related and not a academic lecture. I be shure that his history lessons be more detaild at the Cambridge University.
Rick2010100 That is exactly what I am talking about. As a professor who specialises in Prussian history, the documentary should have shown more detail and shared his vast knowledge on the subject rather than talking to other people to get their views. Why couldn't he give the facts straight to the viewer instead of using the longwinded approach?
There was not much meat in this documentary, I am sad to say.
Julian Cheah Because it is made and designed for a mass TV audience without a historical background. So if you visit a fast food restaurant, you should knew wehre you are and don´t complain about the quality.
Better read that books:
www.amazon.de/Germany-Holy-Roman-Empire-Maximilian/dp/0199688826
and
www.amazon.de/Germany-Holy-Roman-Empire-Maximilian/dp/B01JXUDBG2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Wich are written on a academic level..
Rick2010100 ????? You mean the mass audience are only interested in and satisfied with scraps? And I would hardly compare watching this documentary to eating at a fast food joint since even one burger has more meat than this so called documentary. I have seen many documentaries and this one is particularly poor.
Also, obviously there is more detail in books. When I said there was not much meat in this documentary, I was obviously not comparing it to a book and judging it as a television documentary.
Julian Cheah I have talked to a lot of people in Britain who have not been history experts but liked this BBC4 series.
@000000AEA000000 If you are not entire german, did not go through the process of first hating your nation, getting taught about the holocaust before you even know you are german, and then later asking questions and denouncing collective guilt (which non of your countries does, nor does it apply its rules on themselves)...... then you do not know how hard EVERY german struggles.
Very good ,however, I don't hear any mention of Frederick's friend being his lover ???? as he was a homosexual and that is why he was forced to watch the love of his life being executed ??? sending Frederick into and catatonic breakdown after which he emerged a psychopath???? Yes ????? Am I wrong ????
Well, really nothing. North of Mexico is Canada.
No need. This professor is not writing science - just his own version of alternative history. One can't argue with that sort of fiction.
@redrugright No, you're absolutely right. These days, Prussian culture is often associated with Nazi's. It's all very unfortunate, but the fact that this so-called "German" state takes its place, is just downright displeasing. Especially since the term German is referred more to ethnicity than to nation or state. Germany should truly be called The United Gernan States, or The German United States or whatever. But there is still much being left out about German history. It's wrong.
Professor is eloquently making a point how great der Alte Fritz was. Unfortunately there was no mention of one of the greatest thefts in the history, which this Übermensch committed. When he attacked the Silesia, his group of clever Jews were counterfeiting already polish money and circulating them to pay for his military genius. After his troops took Leipzig and Dresden in Saxony, they also took those cities' mints with the minting dies, which were used to produce the money for Saxony and Poland, which was at that time ruled by the Saxon Friedrich August II. When this happened, minting debased money was a breeze. This was going on even after the war was long over. Last Prussian counterfeits were minted around 1769. I guess, this interesting twist in this brilliant king campaign was probably not befitting the great vision of that remarkable ruler. Even dr. Goebbels would be proud.
So... he printed money with the mints of the cities he conquered? It seems the arrangement he made with the Saxon is more important than any clever folk.
Holy shit I read this guys book :|
Instead of carving circles in the sand, you should have shown some maps. I mean seriously, how amateur.
Sandouras ...and he forgot Poland.
@raab155 If the German people continue to use the term German, they'll never be able to grow healthily again. They'll be plagued with the sins of the past until the very end of time. Such a thing is too horrible to imagine. There has to be something more. Something in which will give them the inspiration, the glories, of the past.
come on ! nobody knows ?
his "friend's" execution. yeah okay. they were obviously more than friends...
projecting?
That's nice, but my previous comment was sarcasm
@000000AEA000000 You are not entitled to look down on the people who do not STAND OPEN AND PROUD to their country. They never learned it, and most of you would go the easy way aswell.
@raab155
i can only see my 2 comments, and your reply.
@theshadowbehindme No I mean Rzeczpospolita (the Republic) before partitions.
Fredrick was a brilliant general but I think Napoleon was better. I mean you don't win a bunch of European countries for a decade just like that. Well Frederick won the Austrians and the French but I doubt if the empress of Russia would've lived to the end of the 7 years war, I doubt Prussia would've survived.
Yes, Napoleon was responsible for
the deaths of more Frenchmen than any other great general so I suppose that makes him The Greatest ? Napoleon : Robespierre on a horse.
isn't Clark Australian? doesn't sound like it
He is Australian but actually teaches at Oxford.
wanted accurate info on subject, notice it's made buy BBC lol, the search continues.
Needy Fred XD
His "friend" Von Katte? Lol, they were lovers, say what they were dammit.
There's no evidence that Frederick II was gay, except for rumors.
Nice mean
reason for prussia wars ,winning always,is,army has full stomach,,some armies surrender from their own Lords bcz hunger frontlines,,like russia,,upon seeing fodd supply of ukraine fighters,,surrendered,its OK,dont gv hard time,,before gong to war,,exercse and be healthy first,,routes of food,weapon supply,carefully planned,,potatoes and corned beef,canned seafood,soup,lamb,beef,chicken curry,biscuits,coffee,energy drinks,medical supply,,
SARABANDE!
the most repellent regime is the soviet union
I guess Fredrick was thick
There was no such thing like Brandenburg Prussia. Hohenzollerns, rulers of insignificant then Brandenburg inherited Polish dependancy - well governed and relatively rich province called Prussia, named after Prussians, a Baltic tribe wiped out in Middle Ages by Teutonic Knights. Poland foolishly gave up sovereignty over that land in XVII-th century which boosted Hohenzollerns who started calling themelves first Princes in Prussia, later Kings in Prussia, finally Kings of Prussia.
Is it true that Frederick was gay?
He was gayer than Gaylord McGayerson in a pair of spandex buttless chaps, in a pink hot tub in a gays-only bathhouse at Gayland during the gayest day of Gay Pride Week.
Reputedly he had a collection of
Judy Garland records ?
We must draw out own conclusions ....
One word:
Hetalia
*Bisexual
~Draw A Circle~That's The Earth~ Draw A Circle~ That's The Earth ~ We Are Hetalia~~~~~😊😆😉
Way too much of the narrator. Uninteresting
Yeah, why couldn't have Frederick the Great spoken for himself?