Did you use AI?

Yes. I used chatGPT to help me with spelling and some sentence construction and, of course, with the images. The story however is mine, and the historical facts are well researched, based on books and facsimiles available, such as the “Beiheft MilitaerWochenblatt 1887” which documents the beginning and the end of the 59th Musketeer Regiment. AI of course generate the podcast on the main page.

Why did I write the book in English?

Having moved to the US twenty-five years ago, I realized that my German isn’t quite what it used to be. If time permits, I hope to create a German translation in the future.

Isn’t Prussia evil?

Although the traditional virtues of Prussia, sincerity, modesty, honesty, and the like, were distorted, particularly under the National Socialist regime, Prussia itself formed the foundation of the unified Germany we know today. The reality is straightforward: none of the major European powers favored a united Germany. Achieving unification demanded both a strong state and shrewd leadership, capable of navigating opposition through a combination of diplomacy and force.

To quote Otto von Berg, Friedrich’s grandfather:

Prussia is often accused of being aggressive, of relying too heavily on its army. They claim we
value order over individualism, that we neglect the arts and humanism. Those accusations will
echo far into the future, I am sure. But look at our position. We are a small kingdom with no
great oceans to shield us. England, Russia, Spain, France – they are not girdled by rivals as we
are.

To the east stands mighty Russia, not always our friend. To the north, Denmark and
Sweden. To the west and south, the powerful French Empire – and then there are our Austrian
kin, who would happily add the Prussian crown to their collection of realms.”
“Yes, we favor order over chaos, the common good over selfish ambition. But we are also
among the few nations that refuse to bind all men to a single faith. Everyone shall be blessed
according to his own fashion – those were Frederick the Great’s own words. Ask France or
Spain about freedom of religion. We abolished slavery more than ten years ago. Russia,
England, Spain? Not quite so eager. And France itself, only four years ago, restored slavery in
its overseas colonies. Few care to talk about such things.”

What in the book is fiction, what is based on facts?

The book is based on the historical facts, but it is of course, fiction. Historical figures, such as Graf von Hardenberg, Generallieutenant von Wartensleben, even Major von Schenk are modeled after the real persons as much as I could research. I have put words in their mouth and may have missed the true personalities, I hope I have not offended anybody. Locations, distances, timelines are accurate, as are food items, weights and currencies.