Erinnerung, Mythos, Missbrauch: Vom Nachleben der Schlacht bei Leuthen (1757) in der preußisch-deutschen Geschichte

Lecture by Dr. Max Plassmann

The Battle of Leuthen on December 5, 1757 is one of the central myths of Prussian-German military history. Frederick II of Prussia, the "Great", defeated a far superior Austrian army - with Württembergers fighting on both sides. In the memory of the 19th century, Frederick's plan took on a life of its own and became a supposedly infallible recipe for success. The idea of possessing the secret of victory therefore accompanied the German army in both world wars. The lecture sheds light on this misuse of history, which contributed to millions of deaths.