Frederick the Great - why he matters to Germany/people

Cultural heritage sites

Train station wrong location: run with guide Tomas to next S-Bahn station
(U-Bahn and S-Bahn difference city and national railways; under and above ground)
Berlin = land where there were swamps (Slavic)
Potsdam = city near oaks; bombed in WWII (munitions and garrison); old city older than
Berlin
Geography lesson Prussia and Brandenburg; Cities Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg also state
districts

Potsdam/Berlin seals

Marathon today town hall/dome

Fairly large city (100,000 people); Potsdam conference in WWII (Stalin, FDR, Churchill) what
to do with dividing up Germany after the war
Sanssouci place without worry; Frederick II when I am here, I am without worry; leisure
palace and gardens; built to impress enemies and friends
Dutch quarter stories; immigrants recruited and settled for industry, architecture, and army
later left shops behind; distinctive red-orange bricks, two styles of roof

Economy of Potsdam today movie industry (e.g. Bridge of Spies)

Streets and houses older buildings; Hegel Strasse (philosophy)
Frederick II military/organizational leader, brought potatoes to Prussia
Wilhelm I (Fredericks father) strict, harsh discipline (had Fredericks boy friend beheaded in
front of him), tough relationship with Frederick (to create strong ruler) later reconciled
Fortified gate and Huntsmans gate economy, taxes, regulation and defense

Sansoussci Park flowers, ponds, river, bridges, trees, diverse plants, marble statues
representing men and women from around the world/different historical time periods (Classical
Baroque/Roccoco) meant to display Fredericks high level of education and culture,
awareness of the world
Palaces monumental architecture, colonnades, brass/wrought metal dcor; terraces for
growing wine/crops
Chinese palace exotic, gold plated; figures in Chinese garbs with European style faces (ironic
shows Frederick and artists were not familiar with people from Asia or else a stylized depiction
to emphasize European elite society)
Long (hour) cold walk on path to main building/palace complex (New Sanssouci) freezing ice
and rain

Palace gift shop paintings, postcards, art, (born to be King, Sanssouci in Summer), miniature
busts, bottles of water, wines, Playmobil Frederick, books/guides
Windmill and Frederick actor playing flute/recorder outside gates to palace residence
Lunch buffet fancy restaurant with skylights, glass, outdoor dining area
Coffee, cake, apple crisp, chicken, steak, sauces, vegetables, yogurt, tea, apple, orange juice,
water
Frederick the Great (Grosser) gravestone buried alongside hunting dogs as was his wish
(1991); originally interred in state burial; body moved to fulfill/honor intentions
Tomas - joke almost as difficult as feeding 8 UNC students (at Fredericks gravestone after
lunch)

Original entrance to palace in the back; group goodbye to Tomas, the best tour guide
Audio tour of Sanssouci interior 11 rooms (Tomas advice - if not in English, then protest
immediately/jeytz!) (:
Rococo style Fredericks favorite architect and artists; gold/silver ornaments, oil paintings
(love theme), marble busts, ornate library, study, desks, chairs, narrow sofas in hallways,
Voltaire room (visitor and friend of Frederick); beds with curtains in room corners for guests;
family portraits (Frederick and arranged marriage wife lived separately most of the time, no
children), room themes and colors in small palace (animals, mauve, classical paintings,
discussion room); Frederick died in armchair at old age of 70+ (painting); suffered from gout,
loved hunting
Why is Frederick II important? as leader, Prussia was a strong/stable country on level with
France and powerful surrounding countries in terms of development (military, politics, economy,
culture) before German unification.

Running to bus just missed it (again)

Examples of more Berlin/German businesses Apotheke, Jack Wolfskin, Vodafone, Balzac
Coffee, Back Werk, Camp David
Hotel/Hostel Acama (East Berlin, less expensive) President Obama and Angela Merkel press
conference on new trade agreement and strengthening of alliance
Gerd went to Opera Carmen at 6 pm usually 30+ euro; received free tickets for quality
seats
Betsy (plane flight tomorrow) and company celebrating trip/BD in Berlin; local Paulanar
restaurant; schnitzel, pizza with sour cream, fried egg noodles; teacher stories
The hunt for Berliners (fried jelly doughnuts) group split at train station

Train to rooftop bier garden for sunset and Murphys Irish pub, pug drink machines, walk
around Alexander Platz with Kara, Ashley, Hannah (Berlin Squad) We made it! video
Last day in Berlin tomorrow leave by 9am