The tomb of Frederick the Great

The Tomb of Frederick the Great was a subject to which Old Fritz, as he was popularly known, gave a great deal of thought. Frederick the Great died on August 17, 1786 in the armchair of his study in Sanssouci. He wished to be buried in a tomb next to his "Weinberghäuschen" and next to his favourite dogs. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1664 KB) Summary A picture by Trebor27trebor at Sanssouci of the gravestone of Frederick the Great Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Sanssouci User:Trebor27trebor/Sanssouci translation Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1664 KB) Summary A picture by Trebor27trebor at Sanssouci of the gravestone of Frederick the Great Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Sanssouci User:Trebor27trebor/Sanssouci translation Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

In his 46-year reign, Frederick frequently concerned himself with his own death. Besides his political testament of 1752, which he re-elaborated before almost every battle, he made new orders before every war, in which he regulated the smallest details of all his familiars and finances. Just as frequent were his repetitions of the instructions for his funeral: In the common law, a will or testament is a document by which a person (the testator) regulates the rights of others over his property or family after death. ...

I have lived as a philosopher and wish to be buried as such, without circumstance, without solemn pomp, without splendour. I want to be neither opened nor embalmed. Bury me in Sanssouci at the level of the terraces in a tomb which I have had prepared for myself... Should I die in time of war or whilst on a journey, I should be buried in the first convenient place and brought to Sanssouci in the winter). (1769) 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

His nephew and successor Frederick William II did not obey these instructions and ordered him to be buried in the Potsdam garrison church (destroyed in 1945) next to his father, the soldier-king Frederick William I.^[1]

However, the church grave was not the final resting place of the Prussian Kings. Almost 160 years later, in the turmoil of World War II, German soldiers took the coffins to safety in an attempt to save them from possible destruction. In March 1943 they were taken into an underground bunker in Potsdam-Eiche and then in March 1945 to the salt mine at Bernterode in Eichsfeld (Thüringen). From there they were carried off after the war by soldiers of the U.S. Army to Marburg (Hessen). The coffins stayed in the Marburg Elisabeth Church until their transfer to Burg Hohenzollern at Hechingen (Baden-Württemberg) in August 1952. Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Bernterode is a Thuringian (Germany) municipality in the district of Eichsfeld. ... Eichsfeld is a district in Thuringia, Germany. ... The Free State of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen) lies in central Germany and is among the smaller of the countrys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 km² and 2. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Marburg is a city in Hesse, Germany, on the Lahn river. ... Hesse is also the name of the German writer Hermann Hesse, as well as the German mathematician Otto Hesse. ... An old painting showing the Elisabeth Church The Elisabeth Church in Marburg was built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights in honor of Elisabeth of Hungary. ... Burg Hohenzollern Burg Hohenzollern is a castle in the rough vicinity of Stuttgart, Germany. ... Hechingen is the city in Zollernalbkreis, Germany. ... Baden-Württemberg is a federal state in south-western Germany to the east of the Upper Rhine. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

After the reunification of Germany the final wish of Frederick the Great was fulfilled. On August 17, 1991, the 205th anniversary of his death, the sarcophagus with the mortal remains of the King was laid out in the forecourt of Sanssouci palace, escorted by an honour guard of the Bundeswehr. The burial took place that night in the tomb Frederick had planned for the purpose since 1744 on the highest terrace of vineyards. "Quand je serai là, je serai sans souci" (Once I am there, I shall be carefree) Frederick the Great said in 1744^[2]. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) refers to the reunification of Germany from its constituent parts of East Germany and West Germany under a single government on October 3, 1990. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Stone sarcophagus of Pharaoh Merenptah Detail of a stone sarcophagus in the Istanbul Archeological Museum showing a hunting scene Anthropoid sarcophagus discovered at Cádiz A sarcophagus is a stone container for a coffin or body. ... The Bundeswehr ( ) is the armed forces of Germany and its administration. ... // Events The third French and Indian War, known as King Georges War, breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia The First Saudi State founded by Mohammed Ibn Saud Prague occupied by Prussian armies Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Births January 10 - Thomas Mifflin, fifth President...

His soldier-king father found his final resting place in the Kaiser-Friedrich-Mausoleum at the Church of Peace in Sanssouci Park. The Church of Peace The Church of Peace (German: Friedenskirche) is situated in the so-called Marly Gardens on the Green Fence in the palace grounds of Sanssouci in Potsdam. ...

References

1. ^ James, Barry: 200 Years Later, Frederick the Great Still Makes Trouble, International Herald Tribune, August 15 1991
2. ^ Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland: Filmreihe: Schätze der Welt – Erbe der Menschheit, p. 11 (German, PDF)