Jung Fritz vs. Alte Fritz: Change over Time in Frederick the Great's Style

Frederick the Great, painted during the Seven Years War

Dear Reader,

Today, the image of Frederick the Great of Prussia has been indelibly burned into our collective consciousness as "Old Fritz", a wizened skinny old man on a small horse, directing the troops with flourishes of his cane. This image of Frederick stays with us for a number of reasons: it is the last one present in living memory, it is the image of Frederick immortalized in the Nazi-era films starring actor Otto Gebuhr, and it is the face of Frederick we see in his death mask. This view of Frederick has even led to fame for prominent reenactors who capture this version of the King. Importantly, this is not the only version of Frederick the Great, nor the style that the King seems to have been wearing during the Seven Years War. Before 1763, Frederick II was almost always painted in his dress uniform for the 1st Battalion of Guards. After 1763, Frederick seems to have preferred his undress uniform, and this is the image of Frederick that has come down to us. 

This post will examine the preferred clothing of Frederick the Great throughout this life: first examining the surviving uniforms of Frederick II, and then examining period artwork from two phases in Frederick's life. Obviously, for researching the martial material culture of this period, there is no substitute for the two volume study of Daniel Hohrath, and the many volume studies of Hans Bleckwenn. For this project, though, I was inspired my the recent dissertation of Adam Storring, and his suggestion that especially early in his life, Frederick was fond of flashy uniforms and baroque finery.

What Remains: Surviving Uniforms of Frederick II

There are a number of surviving uniforms worn by Frederick II. The Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin contains both the dress and undress uniforms of Frederick the Great. The undress uniform dates from 1786, the dress uniform is undated. Burg Hohenzollern in Baden-Württemberg likewise contains an undress uniform dating from the later portion of the reign.  Below, I have included three images of coats attributed to Frederick the Great, and one which is not attributed to him, for comparison.

(Undress) Uniform of Frederick the Great (DHM) 

(Undress) Uniform of Frederick II of Prussia (Burg Hohenzollern)

Velvet dress uniform of Frederick II (faded, no date)

1st Battalion of Guards Officer's dress coat, unfaded (1786, not attributed
to Frederick)

The Devil We Know: Old Fritz
Old Fritz. This is the image of Frederick that we are most comfortable with. This version of Frederick spawned innumerable paintings in the nineteenth century, where a thin, hook-nosed Frederick stares at us with a wizened and wrinkled face. This image of Frederick the Great was immortalized in the paintings of Daniel Chodowiecki, who drew the king in the 1780s, at the end of his life.

A painting after Chodowiecki's famous woodcut

 This image of Frederick is a useful one, and the iconic one: the plain, buttoned over coat, the simple ornamentation of his order of the Black Eagle, the cane and unlaced cocked hat. This is also the Frederick we see in the portraits of J.H.C. Franke, who was certainly working after the Seven Years War, possibly as early as 1763.

Franke's portrait.

Young Fritz: The Frederick the Seven Years War and earlier
This older, wizened, plain Frederick is not the Frederick who fought in the War of Austrian Succession, or the Seven Years War. For that Frederick, we must turn to an earlier series of paintings. This Frederick is younger, his uniform is more ostentatious, he wears the orange sash of the Order of the Black Eagle, in addition to the star of that order. The orange color symbolizes the familial connection between Frederick's grandfather (King Frederick I of Prussia) and the leader of Protestant Europe: William of Orange. Frederick's hat in these images is not unlaced, it is decked with fine silvered lace which complements the white hat feathers that continue into his later reign.

Antoine Pense, (pre-1740) The Royal Brood: Frederick the Great and his brothers

Antoine Pense, Frederick the Great as King (1740-1745)

Antoine Pense, Frederick the Great as Commanding General, (1745)

Antoine Pense, Painting of Frederick II, Neues Palais 

Antione Pense, Frederick about 1750 

Fischer, portrait of Frederick the Great drawn during the Seven Years War (1758)

Frederick II of Prussia, by David Morier circa 1763

Somewhat frustratingly for wargamers, this Frederick, the orange sashed, hat laced, silver brandenbourged, Frederick, is the man who entered the Seven Years War. We can discern this from the fact that 1) all of the portraits from the early portion of Frederick's reign display him like this, and 2) that the only portrait of Frederick which comes specifically from the years of the Seven Years War (the second to last image above), shows Frederick in this uniform.

What does this mean for Wargamers and Reenactors? 

As you set out to portray Frederick in the setting of living history or wargaming , and you wish your portrayal to be accurate, it is vital to tailor your depiction of the king to the year/era you seek to portray. If you wish to portray Frederick in the later portions of his reign, many wargaming figures will work, as most manufacturers portray Frederick in this portion of his reign in undress uniform, no sash, and with an unlaced hat. This is perfect for Frederick during the 1770s and 1780s maneuvers, the War of Bavarian Succession, and perhaps even the last year of the Seven Years War.

"Old Fritz" in 15mm from Old Glory 15s

If you wish you portray Frederick during most of the Seven Years War, as well as the War of Austrian Succession, painting the King in a dress uniform, with the sash of the order of the Black Eagle, and silvered lace on his cocked hat is perhaps more appropriate for this period.

A 15mm Prussian officer miniature from Essex, promoted to Young Frederick

Reenactors who portray such as the excellent Rolf Zahren, seem to focus on the last years of his reign. Zahren perfectly captured the essence of "Old Frederick" and he will be missed.

Rolf Zahren, dearly departed reenactor

Likewise, the Berlin tour guide Dr. Olaf Kappelt, who I had the great good fortune to meet by chance in 2004, portrays an older Frederick: perhaps from the late 1760s or 1770s. When a fourteen-year-old me addressed Dr. Kappelt as "Great Frederick", he gently reminded me, "Berliners say Old Frederick." For good or ill, the image of "der Alte Fritz" has triumphed in historical imagery and memory.

Dr. Olaf Kappelt as Frederick

I am unaware of anyone who has an impression of younger Frederick from the War of Austrian Succession or the Seven Years War. Perhaps some of my dedicated readers can point one out?

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Thanks for Reading, 

Alex Burns