Frederick the Great speaks at Leuthen

Address by the King (King Frederick the Great) to his generals before the Battle of Leuthen.
On 3 December 1757, in Parchwitz, near Leuthen, the King delivered his memorable address to the generals, regimental and battalion commanders: ?Contrary to all the rules of the art of war, I shall attack the Austrian army ? which is almost three times our strength ? wherever I find it. I must take this risk; otherwise, all is lost. We must defeat the enemy or be buried alive before his batteries.? But anyone who wished to withdraw from this undertaking could do so without further ado.

Frederick?s comrades-in-arms remained silent. Then Major von Billerbeck (35th Regiment) voiced the feelings of them all: ?Yes, that would be a despicable coward; now is the time.? Just like his officers, the soldiers too remained loyal to their ?Old Fritz?.
Our series shows the great king delivering his address, the cuirassier commanders von Krockow, von Lentulus, von Driesen and von Bredow, the dragoon commanders von Württemberg and von Czettritz, the hussar commanders von Zieten and von Puttkammer, as well as the infantry commanders Prince Ferdinand of Prussia, von Wedell, von der Goltz, von Lattorf, von Rohr, von Braunschweig, von Normann, von Dessau and von Billerbeck. The series is complemented by further staff officers and aides-de-camp.