Prussian Infantryman

This book offers the first English-language translation of the finest soldier’s memoir to emerge from the Franco-Prussian War, titled With my Rucksack: The Unvarnished Campaign Memoirs of an Infantryman from the Year 1870 by Carl Rückert. Lasting from 1870–1871, this was the war that made the modern German nation and set Europe on the path to World War I, and Carl Rückert offers an unrivalled worm’s eye view of the experiences of common soldiers who fought in it.

This book offers the first English-language translation of the finest soldier’s memoir to emerge from the Franco-Prussian War, titled With my Rucksack: The Unvarnished Campaign Memoirs of an Infantryman from the Year 1870 by Carl Rückert. Lasting from 1870–1871, this was the war that made the modern German nation and set Europe on the path to World War I, and Carl Rückert offers an unrivalled worm’s eye view of the experiences of common soldiers who fought in it.

Towards the end of his life, short of money and heavil y in debt, Mozart had the opportunity to visit King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia – a famous patron of the arts and a keen and above-average musician.

Towards the end of his life, short of money and heavily in debt, Mozart had the opportunity to visit King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia – a famous patron of the arts and a keen and above-average musician. Mozart performed for the King and left with some cash and a commission for a set of six string quartets, of which these are the only three he completed. They are ground-breaking in the way in which Mozart utilised the voicing of the instruments. King Friedrich was a viola da gamba player turned cellist, and these works feature extensive melodies for the cello, usually in a high register, thus emancipating the cello from the bass line and introducing a more evenly blended texture.