Ill give you the short version.
Prussia was a militaristic monarchy which existed in eastern Germany and parts of Poland and Kaliningrad from about the 1600s until 1871. From about 1700 they were known for being a powerful military force, even though they didnt have so many soldiers. They were decisive in many wars. For instance in the war of the Seventh Coalition the last war against Napoleonic France after he returned from his forced exile on Elba, and seized power , it was the Prussian troops led by General Blücher who tipped the balance in favor of the coalition.

In the 1860s Otto von Bismarck (the guy in the first picture, with and epic moustache - and often portrayed with a pointy helmet) rose to power as chancellor of Prussia. The king he served under was weaker or wiser, depending on who you ask than his predecessors and let Bismarck do most of the statesmanship. Bismarck then set upon the great task of unifying all German people under one flag. Bismarcks had to close friends who worked with him (which names I dont remember now) who reformed the army, and made it very modern, very efficient - and they even introduced conscription so that they could match the army sizes of France and Austria for a short while. Needless to say they whopped the asses of Denmark, Austria and allies - and France in short succession. In the war against Denmark they seized the duchy of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany/Southern Denmark. The war against Austria put an end to the great Austrian influence on the German nations, and effectively toppled Austria as central Europes biggest power.

Then they fought France for control of Alsace/Lorraine, and humiliated the French, which had the worlds biggest army at the time, in such a way that the 2nd empire was dissolved and Emperor Napoleon 3. had to abdicate.

Then they formed Germany, and the rest is history although it didn't end happily for Bismarck. He didnt get that well along with the son of the original king, and in the 1880s he was put aside as the new German Emperor had colonial ambitions, and Bismarck didnt feel that such endeavours were necessary. Bismarcks fall from power marks the beginning of the build-up to the first world war.

Other famous Prussians are for instance the moral philosopher Immanuel Kant, and the Prussian King Frederick The Great - or Friedrich der Große in German. He was king of Prussia, and he was renown for how well he ran Prussia. He improved the life of his subjects greatly, rebuilt villages destroyed by plague, built canals to promote shipping - and was truly great. Furthermore, he was greatly interested in political philosophy, and was known to send letters with his close friend, Voltaire, who's writings inspired both the French and the American revolution. He was also passionately interested in art, and was the patron of an army of painters and musicians. He himself also composed when he had the time, and published several works.

I think that covers most of what was in this comp.

ha

it's the sad truth...

ha