Due to Lehndorff constantly marking this day in his diaries, I'm very alert to the date, and thus use it to present you guys with (the core of) the text of Heinrich's speech when in 1791, his Obelisk, dedicated to the Memory of AW and 27 other Prussian heroes screwed over by Fritz, was finished and was officially revealed to the world. Our intention is to provide the Prussian army with a testimony of gratitude. Following the inspiration of our heart, we want to deliver proof of our respect to those we knew ourselves. So why is Friedrich missing among the number of these well known names? The history the King himself has written of his own life as well as all the praise after his death do not leave anything left for me to say.
But great service, rendered in darkness, is not immune to being deleted by oblivion, and the next generation is missing the record of the deeds of the previous one, the names are lost, and history becomes an imperfect sketch, held together only by flattery and phlegma. I wish I could give you a painting of these thirteen campaigns! The sad pictures in it are formed by thirteen battles, a lot of meetings, some sieges, numerous violent marches, some nightly ones, fields covered with dead bodies, victories drenched with tears! (…) Friends lost their benefectors, fathers their children. While on the one hand the defenders of the state won, on the other they had to learn of the devastation of their estates, the flight of their wives and children.
Think of the number of enemies, too, and how both the warriors who gave the orders and those who obeyed were forced to follow their genius without neglecting the great rules of war. Think of how the least too slow movement, the least too quick movement could be equally dangerous, (…) that there were armies from all sides to fight, that the Prussians got weaker by the day, that the Generals did not dare to count their numbers anymore, that one had to hurry from one province to the next to save towns and retake fortresses; that in the end, it was to win or to die, and that there has been no war in our time comparable to this one. (…)
But how do monuments serve the dead? Their ashes can no longer be moved by passion. A cold earth keeps from from both love and hate. One owes the comfort of a tender memory to the survivors. The mothers and widows of the departed, orphans who have lost their protectors, sisters who have lost their tenderly loved brothers, and friends who have lost the comfort of friendship; all of them are owed a monument to the people so dear to them, so that looking at it, they can recall the sensations of the past into their souls. (…)
You will, gentlemen, turn your gaze to the central image which has been positioned on top of the monument. The reasons to put it there are the same that caused me to dedicate it to the memory of a brother so very dear to me. It is not enough for me to see merely his name on top of those he had been destined to rule one day. Victory columns get erected to the mighty, even if they do not deserve that honor. Which man of impartial judgment would deny it to the memory of Prince August Wilhelm? I will not exaggarate his virtues and talents just because he was my brother. While he lived into his thirtysixth year, he could not distinguish himself through brilliant deeds. But he had all the virtues of a citizen, without which no true greatness of character is thinkable. Courage, love of humanity, charity and integrity, these were his virtues. Pride and vanity never darkened his good qualities. His mind had been formed through his education; his duties ruled his acts. In his military career, he was honored and loved by officers and common soldiers alike. All who knew him and yet live, especially if they have served with his two regiments, can attest to this. In four battles and five compaigns, he achieved the glory of bravery and intelligence. As Generallieutenant, it was he who made the victory of Hohenfriedberg possible by attacking the Austrians near Guntersdorf. Czaslau, Soor, Lowositz deliver proof of his correct military judgments. In the year 1757, he led an army in the most difficult circumstances. Only let me add that he bore his misfortune with gentleness, modesty and endurance. Only one wish remains for me: may today’s youth follow the example of the virtuous who could unite the qualities of a citizen with the splendid deeds of a hero!
(Linguistic footnote: as Heinrich is holding this speech in French in the year 1791, i.e. with the French Revolution in full swing, the approving use of "Citoyen" is fascinating. I find the English "Citizen" inadequate, I admit; in German you can at least say "Staatsbürger".)
Happy Birthday, Heinrich!
screwed over by Fritz, was finished and was officially revealed to the world.Our intention is to provide the Prussian army with a testimony of gratitude. Following the inspiration of our heart, we want to deliver proof of our respect to those we knew ourselves. So why is Friedrich missing among the number of these well known names? The history the King himself has written of his own life as well as all the praise after his death do not leave anything left for me to say.
But great service, rendered in darkness, is not immune to being deleted by oblivion, and the next generation is missing the record of the deeds of the previous one, the names are lost, and history becomes an imperfect sketch, held together only by flattery and phlegma.
I wish I could give you a painting of these thirteen campaigns! The sad pictures in it are formed by thirteen battles, a lot of meetings, some sieges, numerous violent marches, some nightly ones, fields covered with dead bodies, victories drenched with tears! (…) Friends lost their benefectors, fathers their children. While on the one hand the defenders of the state won, on the other they had to learn of the devastation of their estates, the flight of their wives and children.
Think of the number of enemies, too, and how both the warriors who gave the orders and those who obeyed were forced to follow their genius without neglecting the great rules of war. Think of how the least too slow movement, the least too quick movement could be equally dangerous, (…) that there were armies from all sides to fight, that the Prussians got weaker by the day, that the Generals did not dare to count their numbers anymore, that one had to hurry from one province to the next to save towns and retake fortresses; that in the end, it was to win or to die, and that there has been no war in our time comparable to this one. (…)
But how do monuments serve the dead? Their ashes can no longer be moved by passion. A cold earth keeps from from both love and hate. One owes the comfort of a tender memory to the survivors. The mothers and widows of the departed, orphans who have lost their protectors, sisters who have lost their tenderly loved brothers, and friends who have lost the comfort of friendship; all of them are owed a monument to the people so dear to them, so that looking at it, they can recall the sensations of the past into their souls. (…)
You will, gentlemen, turn your gaze to the central image which has been positioned on top of the monument. The reasons to put it there are the same that caused me to dedicate it to the memory of a brother so very dear to me. It is not enough for me to see merely his name on top of those he had been destined to rule one day. Victory columns get erected to the mighty, even if they do not deserve that honor. Which man of impartial judgment would deny it to the memory of Prince August Wilhelm? I will not exaggarate his virtues and talents just because he was my brother. While he lived into his thirtysixth year, he could not distinguish himself through brilliant deeds. But he had all the virtues of a citizen, without which no true greatness of character is thinkable. Courage, love of humanity, charity and integrity, these were his virtues. Pride and vanity never darkened his good qualities. His mind had been formed through his education; his duties ruled his acts. In his military career, he was honored and loved by officers and common soldiers alike. All who knew him and yet live, especially if they have served with his two regiments, can attest to this. In four battles and five compaigns, he achieved the glory of bravery and intelligence. As Generallieutenant, it was he who made the victory of Hohenfriedberg possible by attacking the Austrians near Guntersdorf. Czaslau, Soor, Lowositz deliver proof of his correct military judgments. In the year 1757, he led an army in the most difficult circumstances. Only let me add that he bore his misfortune with gentleness, modesty and endurance. Only one wish remains for me: may today’s youth follow the example of the virtuous who could unite the qualities of a citizen with the splendid deeds of a hero!
(Linguistic footnote: as Heinrich is holding this speech in French in the year 1791, i.e. with the French Revolution in full swing, the approving use of "Citoyen" is fascinating. I find the English "Citizen" inadequate, I admit; in German you can at least say "Staatsbürger".)