Section 25 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland Read for LibriVox.org by Alan Mapstone Germany Part 5 From the Reformation to the Death of Frederick the Great Historical Note Charles V was Emperor of Germany when Luther raised the banner of spiritual revolt. He had little desire to embroil himself in a religious war with the Protestant states of Germany and the new doctrine spread over the land with little hindrance until the preponderance of power was in the hands of the Protestant princes. The religious war so long delayed broke out with terrible fury in 1618 and speedily resolved itself into a struggle for supremacy between the Protestant and Catholic states of Germany. For 30 years armies marched back and forth through the land. Agriculture and industry were neglected, villages and cities were burned, pestilence and famine swept over the country. Lawlessness and cruelty were everywhere. At the close of the war, Germany was merely a group of states each looking out for its own interests as best it might and Austria came to be looked upon as a foreign country. In 1701 Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg, was crowned as the First King of Prussia. He was succeeded by Frederick William I who by the strictest economy was able to maintain a standing army of 83,000 men with a population of only two and a half million and who laid the foundation for Prussia's future greatness. His son Frederick II, afterwards known as Frederick the Great came to the throne in 1740 at the age of 28. By the First Silesian War he won the province of Silesia from Austria. The desire of Maria Theresa, the Austrian Queen to regain her territory led in 1756 to the Seven Years' War wherein the great states of Russia, Austria, France and Sweden united to crush the little Prussian monarchy. For Seven Years there was wage one of the most terrible wars of modern history but the vigor and military genius of Frederick and the devotion of his people more than counterbalanced the power of his enemies and in the end Austria was forced to conclude a peace that left matters unchanged. Before his death in 1786, Frederick had Prussia placed on unequal footing with the greatest powers of Europe. End of Section 25. This recording is in the public domain. Section 26 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. The World's Story Volume 7, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland edited by Eva March-Tappen, Section 26. Martin Luther as a boy, about 1500 by Mrs. Elizabeth R. Charles. Martin Luther was the son of a slate cutter with little money to spare for the education of his son and the boy student often won a meal by singing at the door of some hospitable house. At Eisenach, where he went to school, he lived with Frau Ursula Kader who appears in the Schoenberg Kader family the story from which the following selection is taken. He decided to become a monk and entered the Augustine monastery. At the age of 24, he became a priest. Then a professor of philosophy in the University of Wittenberg and in 1512 he was made a doctor of theology. Before this he had become dissatisfied with the church system of penance and indulgence and in 1517 he nailed to the church door in Wittenberg 95 theses on this subject. Other publications to the same effect followed. Luther was excommunicated by the pope and his writings were publicly burned. Thereupon he burned with equal publicity the pope's bull of excommunication. On the appeal of the pope, the emperor draws the fit as protector of the church, summoned Luther to a diet or meeting of German nobles, princes and clergy at the city of Worms. Here he explained and defended his views ending with the famous declaration, there I take my stand, I can do not else. So help me God. Amen. To save him from danger his friend the elector of Saxony seized him as he was passing through the Thuringian forest and carried him to the castle of the Wurtburg at Eisenach. Here he remained for 10 months translating the New Testament into German. He laid aside his cowl and married a nun who also had renounced her vows. Every effort was made to suppress the teachings of Luther, but they spread rapidly and led to the establishment of the Protestant churches. The editor. These are nearly all the people I know well except indeed Martin Luther, the minor son to whom Aunt Ursula Cotter has been so kind. He is due to us all as one of our own family. He is about the same age as Fritz who thinks there is no one like him and he has such a voice and is so religious and yet so married with all, at least at times. There was his voice and his devout ways which first drew Aunt Ursula's attention to him. She has seen him often at the daily prayers of church. He used to sing as a chorister with the voice of the Latin school of the parish of St. George where Fritz and he studied. The ringing tones of his voice so clear and true often attracted Aunt Ursula's attention and he always seemed so devout. But we knew little about him. He was very poor and had a pinched half-starved look when first we noticed him. Often I've seen him on the cold winter evenings singing about the streets for alms and thankfully received a few pieces of broken bread and meat at the doors of the citizens. For he was never a bold and impudent beggar as some of the scholars are. Our acquaintance with him however began one day which I remember well. I was at Aunt Ursula's house which is in George Street near the church and school. I had watched the choir of boys singing from door to door through the street. No one had given them anything. They looked disappointed and hungry.  That clear high ringing voice was there again. Aunt Ursula went to the door and called Martin in and then she went herself to the kitchen and after giving him a good meal himself sent him away with his wallet full and told him to come again very soon. After that I suppose she consulted with cousin Conrad Carter and the result was that Martin Luther became an inmate of their house and has lived among us familiarly since then like one of our own cousins. He has wonderfully changed since that day scarcely anyone would have thought then what a joyous nature his is. The only thing in which it seemed then to flow out was in his clear true voice. He was subdued and timid like a creature that had been brought up without love. Especially he used to be shy with young maidens and seemed afraid to look into a woman's face. I think they must have been very severe with him at home. Indeed he confessed to Fritz that he had often as a job and beaten till the blood came for trifling offenses such as taking a nut and that he was afraid to play in his parents presence. And yet he would not bear a word reflecting on his parents. He says his mother is the most pious woman in Manspell where his family lived and his father denied himself in every way to maintain and educate his children, especially Martin who is to be the learned man of the family. His parents are near to hardship themselves and believe it to be the best early discipline for boys. Certainly poor Martin had enough of hardship here, but that may be the fault of his mother's relations at Eisenach who they hoped would have been kind to him but who do not seem to have cared for him at all. At one time he told Fritz he was so pinched and discouraged by the extreme poverty he suffered that he thought of giving up study in despair and returning to Manspell to work with his father at the smelting furnaces or in the mines under the mountains. Yet indignant tears start to his eyes if anyone ventures to hint that his father might have done more for him. He was a poor digger in the mines he told Fritz and often he had seen his mother carrying firewood on her shoulders from the pine woods near Manspell. But it was in the monastic schools no doubt that he learned to be so shy and brave. He had been taught to look on married life as a low and evil thing and of course we all know it cannot be so high and pure as the life in the convent. I remember now his look of wonder when Aunt Ursula who is not fond of monks said to him one day there is nothing on earth more lovely than the love of husband and wife when it is in the fear of God. In the warmth of her bright and sunny heart his whole nature seemed to open like the flowers in summer and now there is none in our circle so popular and sociable as he is. He plays on the lute and sings as we think no one else can and our children all love him. He tells them such strange beautiful stories about enchanted gardens and crusaders and about his own childhood among the pine forests and the mines. It is from Martin Luther indeed that I have heard more than from anyone else except from our grandmother of the great world beyond Isomac. He has lived already in three other towns so that he is quite a traveler and knows a great deal of the world although he is not yet twenty. Our father has certainly told us wonderful things about the great islands beyond the seas which the Admiral Columbus discovered and which will one day he assured be found to be only the other side of the Indies and Toque and Arabia. Already the Spaniards have found gold in those islands and our father has little doubt that they are the oaf from which King Solomon's ships brought the gold for the temple. Also he has told us about the strange lands in the south in Africa where the dwarfs live and the black giants and the great hairy men who climb the trees and make nests there and the dreadful men eaters and the people who have had their heads between their shoulders but we have not yet met with anyone who has seen all these wonders so that Martin Luther and our grandmother are the greatest travelers for it's an eye are acquainted with. Martin was born at Isle-Ben his mother's is a burger family three of her brothers with here at Isenot and here she was married but his father came of a peasant race his grandfather had a little farm of his own at Mora among the Thuringian pine forests but Martin's father was the second son the little property went to the eldest and he became a miner went to Isle-Ben and then settled at Mansfield near the heart's mountains where the silver and copper lie buried in the earth at Mansfield Martin Luther lived until he was 19 I should like to see the place it must be so strange to watch the great furnaces where they fuse the copper and smelt the precious silver gleaming through the pine woods for they burn all through the night in the clearings of the forest when Martin was a little boy he may have watched by them with his father who now has furnaces and the foundry of his own then there are the deep pits under the hills out of which come from time to time troops of grim looking miners Martin is fond of the miners they are such a brave and hearty race and they have find both songs and choruses of their own which he can sing and wild original pastimes chess is a favorite game with them they are thoughtful too as men may well be who dive into the secrets of the earth Martin when a boy had often gone into the dark mysterious pits and winding caverns with them and seen the veins of precious ore is also often seen foreigners of various nations they come from all parts of the world to Mansfield for silver from Bavaria and Switzerland and even from the beautiful Venice which is a city of palaces where the streets are canals built by the blue sea and instead of wagons they use boats from which people land on the marble steps of the palaces all these things Martin has heard described by those who have really seen them besides what he has seen himself his father also frequently used to have the school masters and learned men at his house that his sons might profit by their wise conversation but I doubt if he can have enjoyed this so much it must have been difficult to forget the rod with which he was beaten 14 times in one morning so as to feel sufficiently at ease to enjoy their conversation old Count Gunther of Mansfield thinks much of Martin's father and often used to send for him to consult him about the mines their house at Mansfield stood at some distance from the school house which was on the hill so that when he was little an older boy used to be kind to him and carry him in his arms to school I dare say that was in winter when his little feet were swollen with jillblains and his poor mother used to go up to the woods to gather faggots for the hearth his mother must be a very good and holy woman but not I fancy quite like our mother rather more like Aunt Agnes I think I should have been rather afraid of her Martin says she's very religious he honors and loves her very much although she was very strict with him and once he told Fritz beat him for taking a nut from their stores until the blood came she must be a brave truthful woman who would not spare herself or others but I think I should have felt more at home with his father who used so often to kneel beside Martin's bed at night and pray God to make him a good and useful man Martin's father however does not seem so fond of the monks and nuns and is therefore I suppose not so religious as his mother is he does not at all wish Martin to become a priest or a monk but to be a great lawyer or doctor or professor at some university man's spell however is a very holy place there are many monasteries and nunneries there and in one of them two of the countesses were nuns there's also a castle there and our Saint Elizabeth's work miracles there as well as here the devil also is not idle at man's spell a wicked old witch lived close to Martin's house and used to frighten and distress his mother much bewitching the children so they nearly cried themselves to death once even it is said the devil himself got up into the pulpit and preached of course in disguise but in all the legends it is the same the devil never seemed so busy as where the saints are which is another reason why I feel how difficult it would be to be religious Martin had a sweet voice and loved music as a child and he used often to sing at people's doors as he did here once at Christmas time he was singing carols from village to village among the woods with other boys when a peasant came to the door of his hut where they were singing and said in a loud graph voice where are you boys the children were so frightened that they scampered away as fast as they could and only found out afterwards that the man with a rough voice had a kind heart and had brought them out some sausages poor Martin was used to blows in those days and had good reason to dread them it must have been pleasant however to hear the boys' voices caroling through the woods about Jesus born at Bethlehem voices echo so strangely among the silent pine forests when Martin was 13 he left Mansfield and went to Magdeburg where the Archbishop Ernest lives the brother of our elector who has a beautiful palace and 12 trumpeters to play to him always when he is at dinner Magdeburg must be a magnificent city very nearly we think as grand as Rome itself there is a great cathedral there and knights and princes and many soldiers who prance about the streets and tournaments and splendid festivals but our Martin heard more than he saw of all this he and John Rhineck of Mansfield a boy older than himself who is one of his greatest friends went to the school of the Franciscan cloister and had to spend their time with the monks or sing about the streets from bread or in the church yard when the Franciscans in their grey robes went there to fulfill their office of bearing the dead but it was not for him the miner's son to complain when as he says he used to see a prince of unhalt going about the streets in a cow begging bread with a sack on his shoulders like a beast of burden in so much that he was bowed to the ground the poor prince Martin said had fasted and watched and mortified his flesh until he looked like an image of death with only skin and bones indeed shortly after he died at Magdeburg also Martin saw the picture of which he has often told us a great ship was painted meant to signify the church wherein there was no layman not even a king or prince there were none but the pope with his cardinals and bishops in the prow with the holy ghost hovering over them the priests and monks with their oars at the side and thus they were sailing on heavenward the layman were swimming along in the water around the ship some of them were drowning some were drawing themselves up to the ship by means of ropes which the monks moved with pity and making over their own good works did cast out to them to keep them from drowning and to enable them to cleave to the vessel and to go with the others to heaven there was no pope nor cardinal nor bishop nor priest nor monk in the water but layman only it must have been a very dreadful picture and enough to make anyone afraid of not being religious or else to make one feel how useless it is for anyone except the monks and nuns to try to be religious at all because however little merit anyone had acquired some kind monk might still be found to throw a rope out of the ship and help him in and however many good works any layman might do they would be of no avail to help him out of the flood or even to keep him from drowning unless he had some friends in a cloister I said Martin was merry and so he is with the children or when he is cheered with music or singing and yet on the whole I think he is rather grey and often he looks very thoughtful and even melancholy his merriment does not seem to be so much from carelessness as from earnestness of heart so that whether he is telling a story to the little ones or singing a lively song his whole heart is in it in his play as well as in his work in his studies Fritz says there is no one at Eisenach near him whether in reciting or writing prose or verse or translating or church music Master Treboni is the head of St. George's school he is a very learned man and very polite he takes off his hat Fritz says and bows to his scholars when he enters the school for he says that one of these boys are burgomasters, chancellors doctors and magistrates this must be very different from the masters at Mansfield Master Treboni thinks very much of Martin I wonder if he and Fritz will be burgomasters or doctors one day Martin is certainly very religious for a boy and so is Fritz they attend Mass very regularly and confession and keep the fasts I've heard Martin say however I think he is as much afraid of God in Christ and the dreadful day of wrath and judgment as I am indeed I'm sure he feels as everyone must there would be no hope for us we're not for the blessed mother of God who may remind her son how she nursed and cared for him and moved him to have some pity but Martin has been at the University of Irfurt and Fritz has now left us to study there with him and we shall have no more music and the children no more stories until no one knows when end of section 26 this recording is in the public domain section 27 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland this is a LibriVox recording the recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the world's story volume 7 Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland edited by Eva March Tappen section 27 the Sacking of Magburg 1631 by Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller in the earlier part of the 30 years war the emperor had by far the best generals and as a result the Protestant Union was beaten in almost every battle the friends of the League long hoped that Gustavus Adolphus king of Sweden would come to its aid but his hands were full in guarding his own country I think the emperor became so strong that even in defense of Sweden it seemed necessary to oppose him Gustavus led his army into Germany the German princes were not at all inclined to follow a foreign leader but after all the horrors of Magburg they forgot everything except that their only hope was in Union the editor on the 30th of March 1631 Tilly returned to push the siege with vigor the artworks were soon carried and Falkenburg after withdrawing the garrisons from the points which he could no longer hold destroyed the bridge over the Elbe as his troops were barely sufficient to defend the extensive fortifications the suburbs of Sudenberg and Neutstadt were abandoned to the enemy who immediately laid them in ashes Poppenheim now separated from Tilly crossed the Elbe at Schonenbeck and attacked the town from the opposite side the garrison reduced by the defense of the artworks scarcely exceeded 2,000 infantry and a few hundred horse to supply this deficiency the citizens were armed a desperate expedient which produced more evils than those it prevented the citizens at best but indifferent soldiers by their disunion through the town into confusion the poor complained that they were exposed to every hardship and danger which by hiring substitutes remained at home in safety these rumors broke out at last in an open mutiny indifference succeeded to zeal weariness and negligence took the place of vigilance and foresight dissension combined with growing scarcity gradually produced a feeling of despondence many began to tremble at the desperate nature of their undertaking and the magnitude of the power was reduced but religious zeal an ardent love of liberty an invincible hatred to the Austrian yoke and the expectation of speedy relief banished as yet the idea of surrender and divided as they were in everything else they were united in the resolve to defend themselves to the last extremity their hopes of succor were apparently well founded they knew that the Confederacy of Leipzig was arming they were aware of the near approach to establish the dofus both were like interested in that preservation of Magsburg and a few days might bring the king of Sweden before its walls all this was also known to Tilly who therefore was anxious to make himself speedily master of the place with this view he had dispatched a trumpeter with letters to the administrator the commandant and the magistrates offering terms of capitulation but he received for answer that they would rather die than surrender a spirited Sally of the citizens also convinced him that their courage was as earnest as their words while the king's arrival at Potsdam with the incursions of the Swedes as far as Zerps filled him with uneasiness but raised the hopes of the garrison a second trumpeter was now dispatched but the more moderate tone of his demands increased the confidence of the besieged and unfortunately their negligence also the besiegers had now pushed their approaches as far as the ditch and vigorously cannonated the fortifications from the abandoned batteries one tower was entirely overthrown but this did not facilitate and assault as it fell sidewise upon the wall and not into the ditch not withstanding the continual bombardment the walls had not suffered much in the fireballs which were intended to set the town in flames were prevented of their effect by the excellent precautions adopted against them but the ammunition of the besieged was nearly expended and the cannon of the town gradually ceased to answer the fire of the imperialists before a new supply could be obtained Majberg would be either relieved or taken the hopes of the besieged were on the stretch and all eyes anxiously directed toward the quarter in which the Swedish banners were expected to appear Gustavus Adolphus was near enough to reach Majberg within three days security grew with hope which all things contributed to augment on the 9th of May the fire of the imperialists was suddenly stopped and the cannon withdrawn from several of the batteries a death-like stillness reigned in the imperial camp the besieged were convinced that deliverance was at hand both citizens and soldiers left their posts upon the ramparts early in the morning to indulge themselves after their long toils with the refreshment of sleep but it was indeed a dear sleep and a frightful awakening Tilly had abandoned the hope of taking the town before the arrival of the Swedes by the means which he had hitherto adopted he therefore determined to raise the siege but first to hazard a general assault this plan however was attended with great difficulties as no breach had been affected and the works were scarcely injured but the council of war assembled on this occasion declared for an assault citing the example of Maistricht which had been taken early in the morning while the citizens and soldiers were reposing themselves the attack was to be made simultaneously on four points the night betwixt the 9th and 10th of May was employed in the necessary preparations everything was ready and awaiting the signal which was to be given by cannon at five o'clock in the morning the signal however was not given for two hours later during which Tilly who was still doubtful of success again consulted the council of war Poppenheim was ordered to attack the works of the new town where the attempt was favored by a sloping rampart and a dry ditch of moderate depth the citizens and soldiers had mostly left the walls and the few who remained were overcome with sleep this general therefore found little difficulty in mounting the wall at the head of his troops Valkenburg roused by the report of musketry hastened from the townhouse where he was employed in dispatching Tilly's second trumpeter he venerated with all the force he could hastily assemble towards the gate of the new town which was already in the possession of the enemy beaten back this intrepid general flew to another quarter where a second party of the enemy were preparing to scale the walls after an ineffectual resistance he fell in the commencement of the action the roaring of musketry, the peeling of the alarm bells and the growing tumult apprised the awakening citizens of their danger hastily arming themselves in the direction against the enemy still some hope of repulsing the besiegers remained but the governor being killed their efforts were without plan and cooperation and at last their ammunition began to fail them in the meanwhile two other gates hitherto unattacked were stripped of their defenders to meet the urgent danger within the town the enemy quickly availed themselves of this confusion to attack these posts the resistance was nevertheless spirited and obstinate until a four imperial regiments masters of the ramparts fell upon the garrison in the rear and completed their route amidst the general tumult a brave captain named Schmidt who still headed a few of the more resolute against the enemy succeeded in driving them to the gates here he fell mortally wounded and with him expired the hopes of Madsburg before noon all the works were carried and the town was in the enemy's hands two gates were now opened by the storming party for the main body until he marched in with part of his infantry immediately occupying the principal streets he drove the citizens with pointed cannon into their dwellings there to await their destiny they were not long held in suspense a word from tilly decided the fate of Madsburg even a more humane general would in vain have recommended mercy to such soldiers but tilly never made the attempt left by their general silence masters of the lives of all the citizens the soldier broke into the houses to satiate their most brutal appetites the prayers of innocence excited some compassion in the hearts of the Germans but none in the rude breaths of Poppenheim's Walloons scarcely had the savage cruelty commenced when the other gates were thrown open in the cavalry with the fearful hordes of the Croats poured in upon the devoted inhabitants here commenced a scene of horrors for which history has no language poetry no pencil neither innocent childhood nor helpless old age neither youth, sex, rank, nor beauty could disarm the fury of the conquerors wives were abused in the arms of their husbands daughters at the feet of their parents and the defenseless sex exposed to the double sacrifice of virtue and light no situation however obscure or however sacred escaped the rapacity of the enemy in a single church 53 women were found beheaded the Croats amused themselves with throwing children into the flames Poppenheim's Walloons with stabbing infants at the mother's breast some officers of the league horrors struck at this dreadful scene a venture to remind Tilly that he had it in his power to stop the carnage return in an hour was his answer I will see what I can do the soldier must have some reward for his danger and toils these horrors lasted with unabated fury till at last the smoke and flames proved a check to the plunderers to augment the confusion and to divert the resistance of the inhabitants the imperialists had in the commencement of the assault fired the town in several places the wind rising rapidly spread the flames the blaze became universal fearful indeed was the two ultimate clouds of smoke heaps of dead bodies the clash of swords the crash of falling ruins and streams of blood the atmosphere glowed and the intolerable heat forced at last even the murderers to take refuge in their camp in less than 12 hours this strong populace and flourishing city one of the finest in Germany was reduced to ashes with the exception of two churches and a few houses the administrator Christian William serving several wounds was taken prisoner with three of the burgo masters most of the officers and magistrates had already met an enviable death the average of the officers had saved 400 of the richest citizens in the hope of extorting from them an exorbitant ransom but this humanity was confined to the officers of the league whom the ruthless barbarity of the imperialists caused to be regarded as guardian angels scarcely had the fury of the flames abated when the imperialists returned they knew the police amid the ruins and ashes of the town many were suffocated by the smoke many found rich booty in the cellars where the citizens had concealed their more valuable effects on the 13th of May telling himself appeared in the town after the streets have been cleared of ashes and dead bodies horrible and revolting to humanity was the scene that presented itself the living calling from under the dead children wandering about with heart-rending cries calling for their parents sucking the breast of their lifeless mothers more than 6,000 bodies were thrown into the Elbe to clear the streets a much greater number had been consumed by the flames the whole number of this name was reckoned at not less than 30,000 the entrance of the general which took place on the 14th put a stop to the plunder and save a few who had hitherto contrived to escape about a thousand people were taken out of the cathedral where they had remained three days and two nights without food and in momentary fear of death till he promised them quarter and commanded bread to be distributed among them the next day a solemn mass was performed in the cathedral and the te deum sang amidst the discharge of artillery the imperial general wrote through the streets that he might be able as an eyewitness to inform his master that no such conquest had been made since the destruction of Troy and Jerusalem there was this an exaggeration whether we consider the greatness importance and prosperity of the city raised by the fury of its ravagers in of section 27 this recording is in the public domain section 28 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland this is a Libravox recording all Libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Libravox.org recording by Greg Giordano the world's story volume 7 Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland edited by Ava March Tappen section 28 the giant regiment of Frederick William I of Prussia 1713 and 1740 by Thomas Carlisle truly they are men supreme in discipline in beauty of equipment and the shortest man of them rises I think, toward seven feet some are nearly nine feet high men from all countries a hundred and odd come annually as we saw from Russia a very precious windfall best have been collected crimped, purchased out of every European country at enormous expense not to speak of other trouble to his majesty James Kirkman an Irish recruit of good inches cost him twelve hundred pounds before he could be invade shipped and brought safe to hand the documents are yet in existence and the portrait of this Irish fellow citizen himself who is by no means a beautiful man indeed they are all portrayed all the privates of this distinguished regiment are if anybody cared to look at them ridden them off from Moscow seems a far better bone than Kirkman though still more solid of aspect one homin, a born Prussian was so tall you could not, though you yourself tall touches bare crown with your hand I'll goose the strong of Poland tried on one occasion and could not before homin turned up there had been Jonas the Norwegian blacksmith also a dreadfully tall monster giant McDahl who was to be married no consent asked on either side to the tall young woman which latter turned out to be a decrepit old woman all jest books know the truth footnote refers to the story that the king ordered a very tall woman to carry a note to the colonel of the guard tall folk had to look out for themselves in the days of Frederick William and she shrewdly guessed what was in it namely a command for the tallest unmarried guardsman to become her husband on the instant she induced a tiny little old woman to deliver the note the colonel was obedient and the marriage took place but the despotic sovereign was outwitted for once and a footnote he also was an Irish giant his name probably McDahl this homin was now Fugluman Fugluman as we have named it leader of the file the tallest of the regiment a very mountain of pipe-clade flesh and bone tall men not for this regiment only had become necessary for life to Frederick Wilhelm indispensable to him almost as his daily bread to his heart there is no road so ready is that of presenting a tall man or two Frederick Wilhelm's regiments are now by his exact new regulations levied and recruited each in its own canton or specific district they are all males as soon as born are enrolled liable to serve when they have grown to years in strength all grown men under certain exceptions as of a widows eldest son or of the like evidently ruinous cases are liable to serve captain of the regiment and entman of the canton settled between them which grown man it shall be better for you not to be tall in fact it is almost a kindness of heaven to be gifted with some safe impediment of body slightly crooked back or the like if you much dislike the career of honor under Frederick Wilhelm a general shadow of unquiet apprehension we can well fancy hanging over those rural populations and much unpleasant haggling now and then nothing but the king's justice that can be appealed to king's justice very great indeed but heavily checked by the king's value for handsome soldiers at any rate enrollment in time of peace cannot fall on many three or four recruits of the year to replace vacancies will carry the canton through its crisis but we are to note with all the third part of every regiment can and should by rule consist of foreigners men not born Prussians these are generally men levied in the imperial free towns in the Reich or empire as they term it in the countries of Germany that are not Austrian or Prussian for this four and third part too the recruits must be got excuses not immiscible for captain and colonel supporting their enterprise on frugal adequate perquisites hinted of above have to be on the outlook vigilantly eagerly and must contrive to have them nay we can take supernumerary recruits and have in fact on hand attached to each regiment a stock of such any number of recruits that stand well on their legs are welcome and for a tall man there is joy in Potsdam almost as if he were a wise man or a good man the consequence is all countries especially all German countries are infested with the new species of predatory to legged animals Prussian recruiters they glide about under the skies if necessary better not to be too tall in any country at present Irish Kirkman cannot be protected by the ages of the British constitution itself in general however the Prussian recruiter on British ground reports that the people are too well off that there is little to be done in those parts a tall British sailor if we pick him up strolling about Memel or the Baltic ports horribly claimed by the diplomats no business doable till after restoration of him and he proves a mere loss to us Germany, Holland Switzerland, the Netherlands these are the fruitful fields for us and there we do hunt with some vigor for example in the town of Ulrich they're lived and worked a tall young carpenter one day a well dressed positive looking gentleman in the house the records name him enters the shop once a stout chest with lock on it for household purposes must be of such and such dimensions six feet six in length especially and that it is an indispensable point in fact it'll be no longer than yourself I think Herr Zimmermann what is the cost and can it be ready end quote cost time and the rest are settled a right stout chest then and see you don't forget the size if too short it will be of no use to me mind end quote Yavor device and the positive looking well-clad gentleman goes his ways at the appointed day he reappears the chest is ready we hope in an exceptional article quote too short as I dreaded end quote says the positive gentleman quote nay your honor says the carpenter I am certain it is six feet six and takes out his foot rule Pasha it was to be longer than yourself end quote quote well so it is end quote quote no it isn't end quote the carpenter to end the matter gets into his chest and will convince any and all mortals no sooner is he in rightly flat and the positive gentleman a Prussian recruiting officer in disguise slams the lid down upon him box it whistles in three stout fellows who pick up the chest gravely walk through the streets with it open in a safe place and find horrible to relate the poor carpenter dead choked by want of air and his frightful middle passage of his name of the town is given you look as above date not and if the thing had been only a popular myth is it not a significant one but it is too true the tall carpenter lay dead and Homs got imprisoned for life by the business burger maesters of small towns have been carried off in one case a rich merchant in Magdeburg whom it cost a large sum to get free again Prussian recruiters hover about barracks parade grounds in foreign countries and if they are a tall soldier the Dutch have had instances and are indignant at them will persuade him to desert to make for the country where soldier merit is understood and until fellow parts will get his pair of colors in no time but the highest stretch of their art was probably that done on the Austrian ambassador tall hair of on Benton raider tallest of diplomatists whom Vossman to the fair of St. Germain and considered the tallest of men Benton raider was on his road as Kaiser's ambassador to George the first in those Congress of Canberra times serenely journeying on when nearby Halberstadt his carriage broke carriage takes some time in mending the tall diplomatic care walks on will stretch his long legs catch a glimpse of the town with all till they get it ready again and now at some guard house of the place a Prussian officer inquires not too reverently of a nobleman without carriage who are you well answered he smiling I am but Schafter message bearer from his Imperial Majesty and who may you be that ask to the guard house with us with if he is marched accordingly Kaiser's messenger why not being a most tall handsome man Kaiser but Schafter striding along on foot here the guard house officials have decided to keep him teach impression drill exercise and are thrown into a singular quandary when his valets and sweet come up full of alarm dissolving into joy and call him excellence and of section 28 this recording is in the public domain recording by Greg Giordano from Newport Richie, Florida section 29 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the world's story volume 7 Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland edited by Eva March-Tappen section 29 the childhood of Frederick the Great about 1720 by Thomas Carlisle already a year before this time there had been instituted for Express Behoof of Little Fritz a miniature soldier company above a hundred strong which grew afterward to be near 300 and indeed rose to be a permanent institution by degrees called Company der Kronprinz Licken Cadet Company of Kronprinz Cadets 110 boys about his own age sons of noble families who had been selected from the three military schools then extant as a kind of tiny regiment for him where if he was by no means commander at once he might learn his exercise and fellowship with others Tsar Peter it is likely took a glance at this tiny regiment just getting into rank and file there which would remind the Tsar of his own young days and experienced Lieutenant Colonel was appointed to command a certain handy and correct young fellow rancel by name about 17 who already knew his fugling to a hare's breath was drill master and exercise them all Fritz especially would do strictness still in the course of time and attainments Fritz could himself take the head charge which he did in a year or two a little soldier then sport properly strict though of small dimensions in tight blue bit of coat and cocked hat and a miniature image of papa it is fondly hoped and expected resembling him as a sixpence does a half crown in 1721 the assiduous papa set up a little arsenal for him in the orange hall of the palace there let him with perhaps a chosen comrade or two mount batteries far exceedingly small brass ordinance his engineer teacher one major Von Senning limping about on cork lig and super intending if needful rancel it is known proved an excellent drill sergeant had good talents every way and was a man of property and sense he played beautifully on the flute too and had a cheerful conversable turn which naturally commended him still farther to fritz and evoke or encouraged among other faculties the musical faculty in the little boy rancel continued about him or inside of him through life advancing gradually not too fast moving to real merit and service colonel in 1759 and never did discredit to the choice Frederick Wilhelm had made of him of sending to engineer major Von Senning who gave fritz his lessons in mathematics fortification and the kinder branches the like or better can be said he was of graver years had lost a leg in the small borough campaigns poor gentlemen but had abundant sense native worth very rational talk in him so that he too could never be parted with by Frederick but was kept on hand to the last a prominent and variously serviceable acquisition thus at least is the military education of our crown prince cared for and we are too fancy the little fellow from his tenth year or earlier going about in miniature soldier figure for most part in strict spartan brandenburg costume of body and arms of mind costume little flattering to his own private taste for finery yet by no means unwholesome to him as he came afterward to know in October 1723 it is on record when George the first came to visit his son-in-law and daughter at Berlin his Britannic majesty looking out from his new quarters on the morrow saw fritz chin drilling his cadet company a very pretty little phenomenon clear voice military sharpness and the precision of clockwork on the Esplanade last garden there and doubtless the Britannic majesty gave some grunt of acquiescence perhaps even a smile rare on that square heavy laden countenance of his that is the record and truly it forms for us by far the liveliest little picture we have got from those dull old years of European history years already sunk or sinking into lonesome unpeopled dusk for all men and fast verging toward vacant oblivion and eternal night which if some few articles were once saved out of them is there just an inevitable portion from afflicted human nature of writing masters fencing masters swimming masters much less of dancing masters celebrated gone on organ with song tunes we cannot speak but the reader may be satisfied they were all there good of their kind and pushing on at a fair rate nor is there like anywhere of paternal supervision to our young apprentice from an early age papa took the crown prince with him on his annual reviews from utmost memo on the Russian border down to vessel on the French all pressure in every nook of it garrison marching regiment board of management is rigorously reviewed by majesty once a year their travels middle military fritz beside the military majesty amid the generals and official persons in their hearty Spartan manner and learns to look into everything like a rather man fine Argus and how the eye of the master more than all other appliances battens the cattle on his hunts to papa took him for papa was a famous hunter when at Worcester housing in the season hot beagle chase hot stag hunt your chief game do huge force hunt par force jagged the woods all beaten and your wild beast driven into streets and called dine forks for you for hunting sell hats salvating as the Germans call it partridge shooting fox and wolf hunting on all grand expeditions of such sort little fritz shall ride with papa and party rough furious writing now on swift steed now at places on worst wagon worst wagon sausage car so-called most Spartan vehicles a mere stuffed pole or sausage with wheels to it in which you sit astride a dozen or so of you and career regardless of the summer heat and sandy dust of the winter's frost storms and muddy rain all this the little crown prince is bound to do but likes it less than less some of us are sorry to observe in fact he could not take to hunting at all or find the least in shooting partridges and baiting cells with such an expenditure of industry and such damage to the seed fields he would sometimes allege in extenuation in later years he has been known to retire and do some glade of the thickets and hold a little flute hold concert with his musical comrades while the cells were getting baited or he would converse with mama and her ladies there for a majesty chance to be there in a day for open which things by no means increases favor with papa a sworn hater of effeminate practices he was nourished on beer soup as we said before for gallery activity exacted to the lessons daily and I only brought home to him and everything he did and saw his very sleep was stingily needed out to him too much sleep stupid visor fellow Frederick Wilhelm was want to say so that the very doctors had to interfere in this matter for a little fritz frugal enough hearty enough birds in every way to look with indeference on hardship and take a Spartan view of life money allowance completely his own he does not seem to have had till he was 17 exegguous pocket money counted in grossion English pens or hardly more only his caulk stein and pink and stein could grant as they saw good about 18 pence in that month to start with as would appear the other small incidental monies necessary for his use were likewise all laid out under sanction of his tutors and accurately entered in day books by them audited by Frederick Wilhelm of which some specimens remain and one whole month September 1719 the boys eight year has been published very singular to contemplate in these days of gold nuggets and irrational man mountains batten by mankind at such a price the monthly amount appears to have been some three pounds ten shillings and has gone all but the 18 pence of sovereign pocket money for small furnishings and very minute necessary luxuries as does to putting his highness's shoes on the last for stretching them to the little feet and only one last as we proceed to 12 yards of hair tape hard bond for our little key which becomes visible here for drink money to the post billions for the house maids at booster housing don't I pay them myself objects the auto team papa at that letter kind of items no more of that for mending the flute for grossing or pence two boxes of colors 16 ditto for a live snipe tophans for grinding the hanger little sword can to a boy whom the dog bit and chiefly of all to the Queen Battelle collection plate or bagged church which comes on us once made twice and even thrice a week 18 pence each time and eats deep into our straightened means on such terms cannot little fritz be nourished into Frederick the great while irrational man mountains of the beaverish or beaverish ball pine sort take such a pride to fat them into monstrosity the art manufacturer of your Frederick can come very cheap it would appear if once nature have a part of the bystanders the Samuel Johnson to cost next to nothing in the way of board and entertainment in this world and the Robert Burns remarkable modern for a peasant God of those sunk ages with a touch of melodious runes in him since all else lay underband for the poor fellow was raised on frugal oatmeal at an expense of perhaps half a crown a week nuggets and duck it's a divine but they will have the lion share of them at once and not circuitously as now it would be an unspeakable advantage to the bewildered sons of Adam in this effort but with regard to our little crown Prince's intellectual culture there's another document specially from Papa's hand which if we can read back adjust and abridged as in the former case may be worth the reader's notice and elucidate some things for him we'll booster housing third September 1721 little fritz now in his 10th year and out there with his do hands and thinkin' Steins while Papa is rusticating for a few weeks the essential title is or might be to head governor van thinkin' Steins sub-governor van caulk Steins preceptor Jacques E.G. Duhan de Jodin and others whom it may concern regulations for schooling at 3rd September 1721 in greatly abridged form Sunday on Sunday he is to rise at 7 and as soon as he has got his slippers on shall kneel down at his bedside and pray to God so as all in the room may hear it that there be no deception or short measure palmed upon us in these words Lord God Blessed Father I thank thee from my heart that thou hast so graciously preserved me through this night fit me for what thy holy will is that I do nothing this day nor all the days of my life which can divide me from thee for the Lord Jesus my Redeemer's sake amen after which the Lord's prayer then rapidly and vigorously Gesh, Vinda, Unt, Hirtig wash himself clean dress some powder and comb himself we forget to say that while they are combing and queuing him he breakfast with brevity on tea prayer with washing breakfast and the rest to be done pointedly as that is at a quarter past seven this finished all his domestics and Duhann shall come in and do family worship Dasgrossa, Gebbet, Zoo, Halton prayer on their knees Duhann with all to read a chapter of the Bible and sing some proper psalm or hymn as practiced in well regulated families it will then be a quarter to eight all the domestics then withdraw again and Duhann now reads with my son the gospel of the Sunday expounded a little in the main points of Christianity questioning from no ten seers catechism which Fritz knows by heart it will then be nine at nine he brings my son down to me who goes to church and dines along with me dinner at the stroke of noon the rest of the day is then his own Fritz is then to Hans at half past nine in the evening he shall come and bid me good night shall then directly go to his room very rapidly Gesh, Vint get off his clothes wash his hands get into some tiny dressing gown or cast a quinn no doubt and so soon as that is done Duhann makes a prayer on his knees and sings a hymn all the servants being again there instantly after which my son shall get into bed shall be in bed at half past ten and fall asleep how soon your majesty this is very strict work Monday or Monday as on all weekdays he is to be called at six and so soon as called he is derised you are to stand to him unhalting that he do not loiter or turn in bed but briskly and at once give up and say his prayers the same as on Sunday morning this done he shall as rapidly as he can get on his shoes and spattered dashes also wash his face and hands but not the soap farther shall put on his cast a quinn short dressing gown have his hair combed out and cued he shall at the same time take breakfast of tea so that both jobs grow on at once all this shall be ended before half past six then enter Duhann and the domestics with worship Bible hymn all as on Sunday this is done by seven and the servants grow again from seven to nine Duhann takes him on history at nine comes now ten years a sublime caracal gentleman from Berlin with the Christian religion till a quarter to eleven then fritz rapidly gesh dint washes his face with water hands with soap and water clean shirt powders and puts on his coat about eleven comes to the king stays with the king till two perhaps promenading a little dining always at noon after riches majesty is apt to be slumbers and light amusements are over directly at two he goes back to his room Duhann is there ready takes him upon the maps and geography from two to three giving account gradually of all the European kingdoms their strength and weakness size riches and poverty of their towns before Duhann treats a morality so the eight moral factor and from four to five Duhann shall write German letters with him and see that he gets a good stylin which he never in the least did about five Fritz wash his hands and go to the king right out divert himself in the air and not in his room and do what he likes if it is not against God there then is a Sunday and there is one weekday which latter may serve for all the other five strictly specified in the royal monograph and every hour of them marked out how and at what points of time besides this of history or morality and writing in German of maps and geography with the strength and weakness of kingdoms you ought to take up a arithmetic more than once writing a French letter so as to acquire a good stylin in what you may intercalate a little getting by heart of something in order to strengthen the memory how instead of notaneous fine Reverend gentlemen from Berlin who comes out express gives the clerical drill on Tuesday morning with which two on slots of an hour and a half each the clerical gentlemen seem to withdraw for the week and we hear no more of them till Monday and Tuesday come round again on Wednesday we are happy to observe a liberal slice of holiday come in after half past nine having done his history and got something by heart to strengthen the memory very little it is to be feared Fritz shall rapidly dress himself and come to the king and the rest of the day belongs to little Fritz Gehert Vor Fritzchen on Saturday there is some fair chance of half holiday Saturday for noon till half past ten come history writing and cyphering especially repetition of what was done through the week and immorality as well adds the rapid majesty to see whether he has profited and General Graf von Finkenstein with Colonel von Kalkstein shall be present during this the Fritz has profited the afternoon shall be his own if he has not profited he shall from two to six repeat and learn rightly what he has forgotten on the past days and so the laboring week winds itself up here however is one general rule which cannot be too much impressed upon you with which we conclude in undressing and dressing you must accustom him to get out of and into his clothes as fast as is humanly possible her tigs so veal I'll mention mogulikist you will also look that he learned to put on and put off his clothes himself without help from others and that he be clean and neat and not so dirty next so Schmottzig not so dirty that is my last word and here is my sign manual Frederick Wilhelm in of section 29 this recording is in the public domain section 30 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the world's story volume 7 Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland edited by Eva March Tappen section 30 Frederick the Great and the first Sylesian war 1740 to 1745 Thomas Babington Macaulay a few months after his Frederick's accession died Charles the sixth Emperor of Germany the last descendant in the male line of the house of Austria Charles left no son and had long before his death relinquished all hopes of male issue during the latter part of his life his principal object have been to secure to his descendants in the female line the many crowns of the house of Habsburg with this view he had promulgated a new law of succession widely celebrated throughout Europe under the name of the pragmatic sanction by virtue of this degree his daughter the Archduchess Maria Teresa wife of Francis of Lorraine succeeded to the dominions of her ancestors no sovereign has ever taken possession of a throne by a clearer title all the politics of the Austrian cabinet had during 20 years been directed to one single end the settlement of this succession from every person whose rights could be considered as injuriously affected renunciations in the most solemn form had been obtained the new law had been ratified by the states of all the kingdoms and principalities which made up the great Austrian monarchy England France Spain Russia Poland Prussia Sweden Denmark the Germanic body had bound themselves by treaty to maintain the pragmatic sanction that instrument was placed under the protection of the public faith of the whole civilized world even if no positive stipulations on this subject had existed the arrangement was one which no good man would have been willing to disturb it was a peaceable arrangement it was an arrangement acceptable to the great population whose happiness was chiefly concerned it was an arrangement which made no change in the distribution of power among the states of Christendom it was an arrangement which could be set aside only by means of a general war and if it were set aside the effect would be that the equilibrium of Europe would be deranged that the loyal and patriotic feelings of millions would be cruelly outraged and that great provinces which have been united for centuries would be torn from each other by the main force the sovereigns of Europe were therefore bound by every obligation which those who are interested with power over their fellow creatures ought to hold most sacred to respect and defend the rights of the arch duchess her situation and her personal qualities were such as might be expected to move the mind of any generous man to pity admiration and chivalrous tenderness she was in her twenty fourth year her form was majestic her features beautiful her countenance sweet and animated her voice musical her deportment gracious and dignified in all domestic relations she was without reproach she was married to a husband whom she loved and was on the point of giving birth to a child when death deprived her of her father the loss of a parent and the new cares of the empire much for her in the delicate state of her health her spirits were depressed and her cheek lost its bloom yet it seemed that she had little cause for anxiety it seemed that justice humanity and the faith of treaties would have their due weight and that the settlement so solemnly guaranteed would be quietly carried into effect England Russia Poland and Holland declared in form their intention to adhere to their engagements the French ministers made a verbal declaration to the same effect but from no quarter did the young queen of Hungary receive stronger assurances of friendship and support than from the king of Prussia yet the king of Prussia the anti Machiavelle had already fully determined to commit the great crime of violating his plighted faith of robbing the ally and he was bound to defend and the plunging all Europe into a long bloody and desolating war and all this for no end whatever except that he might extend his dominions and see his name in the gazettes he determined to assemble a great army with speed and secrecy to invade Silesia before Maria Teresa should be apprised of his design and to add that rich province to his kingdom he knew the king justice he pretended to know more virtue than he had and manifestos he might for form's sake insert some idle stories about his antiquated claim on Silesia but in his conversations and memoirs he took a very different tone to quote his own words ambition, interest the desire of making people talk about me carried the day and I decided for war having resolved on his course he acted with ability and vigor it was impossible wholly to conceal his preparations for throughout the Prussian territories regiments, guns and baggage were in motion the Austrian envoy at Berlin apprised his court of these facts and expressed a suspicion of Frederick's designs but the ministers of Maria Teresa refused to give credit to so black an imputation on a young prince who was known chiefly by his high professions of integrity and philanthropy we will not they wrote we cannot believe it in the meantime the Prussian forces had been assembled without any declaration of war without any demand for reparation in the very act of pouring forth compliments and assurances of good will Frederick commenced hostilities many thousands of his troops were actually in Silesia before the queen of Hungary knew that he had set up any claim as part of her territories I think he sent her a message which could be regarded only as an insult if she would let him have Silesia he would he said stand by her against any power which should try to deprive her of her other dominions and if he was not already bound to stand by her or as if his new promise could be of more value than the old one it was the depth of winter the cold was severe and the roads deep in mire the Prussians passed on resistance was impossible the Austrian army was then neither numerous nor efficient the small portion of that army which lay in Silesia was unprepared for hostilities Glo Gal was blockaded Breslau opened its gates Olau was evacuated a few scattered garrisons still held up but the whole open country was subjugated no enemy ventured to encounter the king in the field and before the end of January 1741 he returned to receive the congratulations of his subjects at Berlin had this Silesian question been merely a question between Frederick and Maria Teresa it would be impossible to equip the Prussian king of gross perfidy but when we consider the effects which his policy produced and could not fail to produce on the whole community of civilized nations compelled to pronounce a condemnation still more severe till he began the war it seemed possible even probable that the peace of the world would be preserved the plunder of the great Austrian heritage was indeed a strong temptation and in more than one cabinet ambitious schemes were already meditated but the treaties by which the pragmatic sanction had been guaranteed were expressed and recent to throw all Europe into confusion for purpose clearly unjust was no light matter England was true to her engagements the voice of Lurie footnote chief minister of Louis the 15th of France in the footnote had always been for peace he had a conscience he was now in extreme old age and was unwilling after a life which when his situation was considered must be pronounced singularly pure to carry the fresh stain of the tribunal of his God even the vain and unprincipled bell aisle whose whole life was one wild day dream of conquest and spoliation felt that France bound as she was by solemn stipulations could not without disgrace make a direct attack on the Austrian dominions Charles the elector of Bavaria pretended that he had a right to a large part of the inheritance which the pragmatic sanction gave to the queen of Hungary but he was not sufficiently moved without support it might therefore not unreasonably be expected that after a short period of restlessness all the potentates of Christendom would acquiesce in the arrangements made by the late emperor but the selfish rapacity of the king of Prussia gave the signal to his neighbors his example quieted their sense of shame his success led them to underrate the difficulty of dismembering the Austrian monarchy the whole world sprang to arms on the head of Frederick is all the blood which was shed in a war which raged during many years and in every quarter of the globe the blood of the column of Fontenot the blood of the brave mountaineers who were slaughtered at Cullivan the evils produced by this wickedness were felt in lands where the name of Prussia was unknown and in order that he might rob a neighbor whom he had promised to defend black men fought on the coast of El and red men scalped each other by the great lakes of North America Silesia had been occupied without a battle but the Austrian troops were advancing to the relief of the fortresses which still held out in the spring Frederick rejoined his army he'd seen little of war and had never commanded any great body of men in the field it is not therefore strange that his first military operations showed little of that skill which at a later period was the admiration of Europe what connoisseurs say of some pictures painted by Raphael and his youth may be said of this campaign it was in Frederick's early bad manner fortunately for him the generals to whom he was opposed were men of small capacity the discipline of his own troops particularly of the infantry was unequaled in that age and some able and experienced officers were at hand to assist him with their advice these the most distinguished the old marshal Slaren a brave adventure of Pomeranian extraction who had served half the governments in Europe had borne the commissions of the state's general of Holland and fought under Marlboro at Blenheim and had been with Charles the 12th at Bender Frederick's first battle was fought at Maulwitz and never did the career of a great commander open in a more in auspicious manner his army was victorious he did not establish his title to the character of an able general but he was so unfortunate as to make it doubtful whether he possessed the vulgar courage of a soldier the cavalry which he commanded in person was put to flight and accustomed to the tumult and carnage of a field of battle he lost his self-possession and listened too readily to those who urged him to save himself his English gray carried him many miles from the field two places manfully upheld the day the skill of the old field marshal and the steadiness of the Prussian battalions prevailed and the Austrian army was driven from the field with the loss of 8000 men the news was carried late at night to a mill in which the king had taken shelter he gave him a bitter pang he was successful but he owed his success to dispositions which others had made and to the valor of men who had fought while he was flying so unpromising was the first appearance of a soldier of that age the battle of Morwitz was the signal for a general explosion throughout Europe Bavaria took up arms France not yet declaring herself the principal in the war took part in it as an ally of Bavaria the two great statesmen to whom mankind had owed many years of tranquility disappeared about this time from the scene but not till they had both been guilty of the weakness of sacrificing their sense of justice and their love of peace and the vain hope of preserving their power Fleury, sinking under age and infirmity was born down by the impetuosity of Belle Isle Walpole retired from the service of his ungrateful country to his words and paintings of Halton and his power devolved on the daring and eccentric Carteret as were the ministers so were the nations 30 years during which Europe had with few interruptions enjoyed repose had prepared the public mind for great military effects a new generation had grown up which could not remember the siege of Turin or the slaughter of Mal Plaqué which knew war by nothing but its trophies in which while it looked with pride on the tapestries at Lenin or the statue in that place of victories little thought by what privations by what waste of private fortunes by how many bitter tears conquests must be purchased for a time fortune seemed adverse to the queen of Hungary Frederick invaded Moravia the French and Bavarians traded into Bohemia and were there joined by the Saxons Prague was taken the elector of Bavaria was raised by the suffragists of his colleagues to the imperial throne a throne which the practice of centuries had almost entitled the house of Auspiel to regard as an hereditary possession yet was the spirit of the haughty daughter of the Caesar's unbroken Hungary was still hers by an unquestionable title and although her ancestors have found Hungary the most mutinous of all their kingdoms she resolved to trust herself to the fidelity of a people rude indeed turbulent and impatient of oppression but brave generous and simple hearted in the midst of distress and peril she had given birth to a son after with the emperor Joseph II scarcely had she risen from her couch when she hastened to Pressburg there in the sight of an innumerable multitude she was crowned with a crown and robed with the robe of St. Stephen no spectator could refrain his tears when the beautiful young mother still weak from childbearing rode after the fashion of her fathers up the mount of defiance unsteved the ancient sort of state shook it towards north and south-eastern west and with a glow on her pale face challenged the four corners of the world to dispute her rights and those of her boy at the first sitting of the diet she appeared clad in deep mourning for her father and in pathetic and dignified words her people to support her just cause magnates and deputies sprang up half drew their sabers and with eager voices vowed to stand by her with their lives and fortunes till then her firmness had never once forsaken her before the public eye but at that shout she sank down upon her throne and wept aloud still more touching was the sight when a few days later she came before the estates of her realm and held up before them the little archduke in her arms then it was that the enthusiasm of hungry broke forth into that war cry which soon resounded throughout Europe let us die for our king Maria Teresa in the meantime Frederick was meditating a change of policy he had no wish to raise France to supreme power on the continent at the expense of the house of Habsburg his first object was to rob the queen of hungry his second was that if possible nobody should rob her but himself he had entered into engagements with the powers leaked against Austria but these engagements were in his estimation of no more force than the guarantee formally given to the pragmatic sanction his game was now to secure his share of the plunder by betraying his accomplices Maria Teresa was little inclined to listen to any such compromise but the English government represented to her so strongly the necessity of buying off so formidable an enemy as Frederick that she agreed to negotiate the negotiation would not however have ended in a treaty had not the arms of Frederick been crowned with a second victory Prince Charles of Lorraine brother-in-law to Maria Teresa a bold active though unfortunate general gave battle to the Prussians that chopped to zits and was defeated the king was still only a learner of the military art he acknowledged at a later period that his success on this occasion was to be attributed not at all to his own generalship but to the kindness of his troops he completely effaced however by his courage and energy the stain which Mowitz had left on his reputation a peace concluded under the English mediation was the fruit of this battle Maria Teresa ceded Silesia Frederick abandoned his allies Saxony followed his example and the queen was left at liberty to turn her whole force against France and Bavaria she was everywhere triumphant the French were compelled to evacuate Bohemia the difficulty effected their escape the whole line of their retreat might be tracked by the corpses of thousands who died of cold, fatigue and hunger many of those who reached their country carried with them seeds of death Bavaria was overrun by bands of ferocious warriors from that bloody debatable land which lies on the frontier between Christendom and Islam the terrible names of the Pandur the Croat and the Hussar then first became familiar to western Europe the unfortunate Charles of Bavaria vanquished by Austria betrayed by Prussia driven from his hereditary states and neglected by his allies was hurried by shame and remorse to an untimely end an English army appeared in the heart of Germany and defeated the French at Dettingen the Austrian captains already began to talk of completing the work of Marlborough and Eugene and of compelling France to relinquish Alsace and the three bishoprics the court of Versailles in this peril looked to Frederick for help he'd been guilty of two great treasons perhaps he might be induced to commit a third the Duchess of Chateau-Louis then held the chief influence over the feeble Louis she determined to send an agent to Berlin and Voltaire was selected for the mission he eagerly undertook the task for while his literary fame filled all Europe he was troubled without childish craving for political distinction he was vain and not without reason of his address and of his insinuating eloquence and he flattered himself that he possessed a boundless influence over the king of Prussia the truth was that he knew as yet only one corner of Frederick's character he was well acquainted with all the petty vanities and affectations of the Poetaster but was not aware that these foibles were united with all the talents and vices which lead to success in active life and that the unlucky Versailles who bored him with reams of middling Alexandrines was the most vigilant, suspicious and severe of politicians Voltaire was received with every mark of respect and friendship was lodged in the palace and had a seat daily at the royal table the negotiation was of an extraordinary description nothing can be conceived more whimsical than the conferences which took place between the first literary man and the first practical man of the age whom a strange weakness had induced to exchange their parts the great poet would talk of nothing but treaties and guarantees and the great king of nothing but metaphors and rhymes on one occasion Voltaire went into his majesty's hand a paper on the state of Europe and received it back with verses scrawled on the margin in secret they both laughed at each other Voltaire did not spare the king's poems and the king is left on record his opinion of Voltaire's diplomacy he had no credentials, says Frederick and the whole mission was a joke a mere farce but what the influence of Voltaire could not affect the rapid progress of the Austrian arms affected if it should be in the power of Maria Teresa and George II to dictate terms of peace to France what chance was there that pressure would long retain Silesia Frederick's conscience told him that he had acted perfidiously and inhumanly towards the Queen of Hungary that her resentment was strong she had given ample proof and of her respect for treaties he judged by his own guarantees he said were mere filigree pretty to look at but too brittle to bear the slightest pressure he thought it his safest course to allow himself closely to France and again to attack the Empress Queen accordingly in the autumn of 1744 without notice without any decent pretext he recommenced hostilities marched through the electorate of Saxony without troubling himself about the permission of the elector invaded Bohemia took Prague and even menaced Vienna it was now that for the first time he experienced the inconstancy of fortune an Austrian army under Charles of Lorraine threatened his communications with Silesia and in the fall of 1746 Saxony was all in arms behind him he found it necessary to save himself by a retreat he afterwards owned that his value was the natural effect of his own blunders no general he said had ever committed greater faults he must be added that to the reverses of this campaign he always described his subsequent successes it was in the midst of difficulty and disgrace that he caught the first clear glimpse of the principles of the military art the memorable year of 1745 the sea and land in Italy in Germany and in Flanders and even England after many years of profound internal quiet saw for the last time hostile armies set in battle array against each other this year is memorable in the life of Frederick as the data which his novitiate in art of war may be said to have terminated there have been great captains whose precocious and self-taught military skill resembled intuition Conde, Clive and Napoleon for example, but Frederick was not one of these brilliant portents his proficiency in military science was simply the proficiency which a man of vigorous faculties makes in any science to which he applies his mind with earnestness and industry it was at Hohen Friedeberg that he first proved how much he had profited by his errors and by their consequences his victory on that day was deeply due to his skillful dispositions and convinced Europe that the Prince who had stood aghast in the route of Mowits had attained in the military art and mastery equal by none of his contemporaries or equal by Saxe alum the victory of Hohen Friedeberg was speedily followed by that of Sore in the meantime the arms of France had been victorious in the low countries Frederick had no longer reason to fear that Maria Teresa would be able to give law to Europe and he began to meditate a fourth breach of his engagements when the site was alarmed and mortified a letter of earnest expulsion in the handwriting of Louis was sent to Berlin but in vain in the autumn of 1745 Frederick made peace with England before the close of the year with Austria also the pretensions of Charles of Bavaria could present no obstacle to an accommodation that unhappy Prince was no more and Francis of Lorraine the husband of Maria Teresa was raised with the general consent of his family body to the imperial throne Prussia was again at peace but the European war lasted till in the year 1748 it was terminated by the treaty of Ikes La Chapelle of all the powers that had taken part in it the only gainer was Frederick not only had he added to his patrimony the fine province of Silesia he had by his unprincipled dexterity succeeded so well and alternately depressing the scale of Austria and that of France but he was generally regarded as holding the balance of Europe a high dignity for one who ranked lowest among kings and his great grandfather had been no more than a margrave by the public King of Prussia was considered as a politician destitute a like of morality and decency insatiably rapacious and shamelessly false nor was the public much in the long end of section 30 this recording is in the public domain section 31 of Germany the Netherlands and Switzerland read for LibreVox.org by phone the round table of Frederick the Great at Saint-Souci by Adolf Friedrich Erdmann Menzel Germany 1815 to 1905 painting page 178 after Frederick the Great had fully established his power he made himself a quiet home at Saint-Souci there was no idleness in his day he attended to public business reviewed his troops signed cabinet orders did literary work when half past eight in the evening had come work was laid aside and he and his friends sat down to supper the meal often lasted until midnight theoretically it was a time of perfect freedom of conversation practically it was freedom for the king alone and a man who gave too keen a repartee to one of Frederick's sharp speeches was soon made to feel himself in disgrace most of the guests of Frederick were foreigners coming from Scotland, Italy or France most remarkable among them was Voltaire to him for a while the king showed the utmost generosity and to most servile the ocean but with the first disagreement the royal admiration cooled the king lessened the guests allowance of sugar and chocolate and the guest stole the king's wax candles Voltaire laughed at the sovereign's verses and the would-be poet accused him of stealing the precious collection thus came to an end the friendship of Frederick the Great with Voltaire and in somewhat similar fashion ended most of his friendships in this picture Frederick is shown sitting with his back to the door at the farther end of the table and talking with Voltaire who is the second figure on the king's right at the left of the king sits Field Marshal Keith a brave scotchman who was one of Frederick's most intimate friends in the foreground are La Maîtrie and Marquis d'Algin two French philosophers and critics Count Rothenberg and other persons celebrated in their day Voltaire is replying to remark of the young king and the party is waiting with evident interest for a bon mot or for one of those delicate flatteries in which the great Frenchman so excelled End of section 31 This recording is in the public domain Section 32 of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland read for LibriVox.org Germany part 6 German authors and composers historical note When the Seven Years War had come to an end in 1763 there was on the surface little to encourage literature Warfare is always expensive and the country had been much impoverished On the other hand a ruler as Frederick the Great could not fail to arouse in his subjects an ardent desire for progress, advancement and knowledge The heroic struggle of Prussia had led to a revival of national feeling such as had not existed for centuries and this in turn resulted in such an outburst of writing as his seldom been seen Authors arose almost by the hundred eager to free themselves from superstition from the tyranny of the thoughts of others and ensured from anything approaching to law and literary composition What resulted was of German literature the Sturm und Drang Sturman's Dress period as it was called This covered some 10 or 12 years near the end of the 18th century The greatest of these writers were Goethe and Schiller This favored century was rich in musicians as well as in authors The improvements in the violin, organ and piano forte and the development of the modern orchestra powerfully stimulated musical composition In this art as in literature Germany took the lead and the giant figure of Johann Sebastian Bach 1685 till 1750 marks the beginning of the period of famous German musicians a period that culminated 100 years later in Beethoven The greatest of all composers End of section 32 This recording is in the public domain Recording by Monika M.C. Section 33 of Germany The Netherlands and Switzerland This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The World's Story, Volume 7 Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland Edited by Eva Marstappen Section 33 Stories from the 18th century by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Goethe was the son of a man who had attained political position and was able to give his son every advantage From him the boy learned to love the classics and the fine arts From his mother he derived as he said his happy disposition and love of storytelling At the university he easily mastered the various subjects of the curriculum and had plenty of time for merrymaking and also for falling in love with one damsel after another and continued in later years in which afforded him experiences valuable as material for poetry The Grand Duke of Sachs Weimar became interested in him and he was made a Preview Counselor of Legation and took up his home at Weimar In the wild and frivolous amusements of the place he soon became leader Soon, however, he resumed work and produced prose and poetry It was not until 105 when he was 56 that his files appeared, long before this he had won a wide reputation as a writer of genius, but gave him the homage of Europe and ranked him with the little group of the greatest of the poets He had small interest in the revolutionary events of the times and in the tumult he devoted himself to scientific studies Up to his last day he was occupied in intellectual pursuits He died in 1832 The foundation of Hermann and Dorothea from which the following selections are taken is the sufferings of the Lutherans who were driven from their Salzburg homes during the first part of the 18th century The first extract is given as the report of the drugist who has just returned from seeing the sorrowful procession of fugitives The second is a homely bit of the village life of Grotta's own day and is a favorite because of its simplicity and its truth to nature The shrewd and thrifty father is the first speaker Tamino and Pamina are the hero and heroine of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute the editor The passing of the fugitives suddenly then began the hostess with friendly impatience Tell us what you have seen for that's what I wish to be hearing Hardly replied there upon the drugist with emphasis speaking shall I in short space again feel happy since all I have witnessed who could describe it a right that manifold scene of disaster clouds of dust from afar there yet we came down to the meadows saw we at once though the train from hill to hill as it progressed still was hit from our sight and we could but little distinguish the road which goes across through the valley truly great was the crowding and din of the traveller's wagons ah we saw them enough of the poor men while they passed by us and could but learn how bitter is flight with such sorrows attended and yet how joy is the sense of life when hastily rescued piteous was it to see the goods of every description which the well furnished house contains and which a good landlord in it has placed about each thing in its proper position always ready for use for all things are needed and useful now to see all these loaded on wagons in carts of all fashions one thing thrust through another in over haste of removal over the chest there lay the sieve and the goodwill and blankets in the kneading trough the bed in the sheets or the mirror ah and as at the fire 20 years ago we all noticed danger took from man altogether his powers of reflection so that he seized what was paltry and left what was precious behind him just in this case too he took they on to burden their oxen and horses such as old boards and casks the goose coop and with it the bird cage women and children too gasped as they dragged along with their bundles under baskets and tubs filled with things of no use for their owners since man is still unwilling the last of his goods to abandon thus on the dusty road the crowding train traveled onward borderless and confused with ill-matched pairs of faint horses one of which wished to go slow while the other was eager to hasten then there arose the cry of squeezed up women and children mixed with the lowing of cattle and dogs all barking in chorus and with the wail of the aged all seated and swaying high aloft upon beds on the hardened overpacked wagons but driven out of the rut to the very edge of the highway wandered a creaking wheel upsetting the vehicle rolled down into the ditch with its human freight quick discharging far in the field with dire screams yet with fortunate issues after then tumbled the chess and fell by the side of the wagon he who saw them in falling expected to find them crushed and shouted beneath the load of the boxes and cupboards thus then they lay the wagon all broken the people all helpless for the others went on and with speed drew past each one thinking only about himself while the stream still hurried him forward then did we hasten to them and found the sick and the aged who went at home and in bed scarce bought their continual sufferings and now injured here on the ground late moaning and groaning scorched it once by the sun and choked by the dust thickly waving moved by the tail there upon replied the humane hearted landlord oh that hermon may find them to give both comfort and clothing loathe should I be to see them the sight of misery pains me though deeply moved by the first report of such a disaster since we in haste the might from our superfluity so that some might be strengthened therewith and we feel our hearts the more tranquil the courtship of hermon and thus I cherish the hope of thee my hermon that quickly into the house thou wilt bring thy bride with fine marriage portions for a high spirit of man deserves a well endowed maiden and to give so much pleasure when with the dear wife of his wishes come in the useful presence too in baskets and boxes does not in vain that the mother through many a year is preparing linen of ample store of web fine and strong for her daughter does not in vain that sponsors present their silver donations and that the father lays by in his desk a gold piece though seldom for in due time shall she thus delight with her goods and her presence that young man who made her before all others is chosen yes I know in her house how pleasant the dear wife must find it both in kitchen and parlor to see her own furniture standing and herself her own bed herself her own board to have covered may I but see in the house the bride handsomely portioned for the poor one at last is only despised by her husband and as a servant she's treated who servant like came with a bundle men continue unjust and the season of youth passive by them yes my hermon thou wits to my age grant highest enjoyment if to my house there along thou should bring me a dear little daughter from the neighborhood here from the house painted green over yonder riches the man that sure and his trade and factories make him daily richer for what does not turn to gain for the merchant and there are only three daughters to share his possessions among them one already I know is the eldest and promised in marriage but the second and third may be had though not long may they be so had I been in your place till now I would not have Terry one of the girls myself to bring here as I did your mother modestly then the son to the August father made answer truly my wish was as yours is one of the daughters of our neighbor to choose for we all were brought up together around the spring in the market and former times have we sported and from the town boys rudeness I often used to protect them but that was long ago and girls at length when they grow up stay as is proper at home and avoid such wild sport of meetings well brought up they are to be sure still from former acquaintance as you wished it I went from time to time over yonder but in their conversation I never could feel myself happy since they would always be finding fault which taxed my endurance quite too long was my coat the cloth was too coarse and the color quite too common and then my hair was not cut and curled rightly so that at last I thought of bedecking myself like the shop boys over there who on Sunday are always displaying their figures and whose lapits in summer have silk hang so loosely about them but I observed soon enough that they always to ridicule turned me which offended me much for my pride was wounded more deeply still did it fix me to find that they misunderstood the kind feeling which I cherished for them especially many the youngest for I went the last time at Easter to pay them a visit and had done my new coat which now hangs up in the wardrobe and my hair I had got well curled like the rest of the fellows when I went in they tittered but I to myself did not take it at the piano set many her father also was present hearing his dear daughter sing in trance and in excellent spirits much was expressed in the songs that surpassed my poor comprehension but I heard a great deal of Pamina and of Tamino but since I did not like to sit down as soon as she finished questions I asked on the words and the two chief characters in them then they all at once were silent and smiled but the father said our friend sure with front but Adam and Eve is acquainted no one then refrained but loud was the laugh of the maidens loud the laugh of the boys while the old man held tightly his stomach then I let fall my hat through embarrassment and the rude titter still went on and on in spite of the singing and playing then did I hurry back to my home in shame and vexation hung up my coat in the wardrobe and drew my hair with my fingers down to my head and swore never more I was over the threshold and I was perfectly right for vain they all are and loveless and I hear that with them my name is always Tamino then replied the mother thou shalt not her mom so long time angry be with the children for children they are all together many is certainly good and for the always showed an affection and but lately she asked after the the artist to choose her thoughtfully then the son replied I know not that insult has so deep an impression made on me that truly I wish not at the piano again to see her and list to her singing in a section 33 this recording is in the public domain section 34 of Germany the Netherlands in Switzerland read for LibriVox.org Thomas Peter morning prayers in the Bach family by Toby Edward Rosenthal American painter born 1848 painting page 190 before the time of Sebastian Bach there were excellent violinists and a definite method for the violin but the clavier forerunner of the piano was utterly undeveloped and so far as there was any method for its use this was of the crudest nature for example neither on the organ nor the piano was much use made of the thumb or the little finger scales were played slowly and by twisting one finger over the other the elaborate compositions of Bach could not be played in any such fashion and he taught performers to use both thumb and little finger and to play scales by turning the thumb under as is done today another great service which he rendered to keyed instruments was the introduction of the modern method of tuning between A and B for instance we place one black key which is in reality higher than A sharp and lower than B flat this was Bach's invention and without this other a piano would need to have many more keys or else the player would be unable to vary his music by modulations Bach's music is distinguished by remarkable grandeur and harmony and a marvellous freshness of invention generation after generation of the Bach family showed market musical ability it was their custom each year to hold a reunion with much music of course first of all a dignified chorale and last a catch in which merry jests against the whims and foibles of those present were extemporized by one after another the reproduction of Rosenthal's painting is especially charming in its portraiture of quiet happy family life the characters ranging from the serious youth with the violin to the baby playing with the kitten the quaint little maiden at the left might have stepped out of some courtly ballroom but at the right the simple preparations for breakfast are going on end of section 34 this recording is in the public domain