page_title: Frederick the Great
section_title: Frederick in popular culture
hierarchical_section_title: Frederick the Great / Frederick in popular culture
caption_attribution_description: English: "It will be a difficult year, but one must stay alert, and each who honors and loves the fatherland must give his all. Frederick the Great."
context_page_description: Frederick II ruled the Kingdom of Prussia from 1740 until 1786, the longest reign of any Hohenzollern king at 46 years. His most significant accomplishments during his reign included his military victories, his reorganization of Prussian armies, his patronage of the arts and the Enlightenment and his success in the Seven Years' War. Frederick was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled King in Prussia and declared himself King of Prussia after achieving sovereignty over most historically Prussian lands in 1772. Prussia had greatly increased its territories and became a leading military power in Europe under his rule. He became known as Frederick the Great and was nicknamed Der Alte Fritz by the Prussian people and eventually the rest of Germany.
  In his youth, Frederick was more interested in music and philosophy than the art of war. Nonetheless, upon ascending to the Prussian throne he attacked Austria and claimed Silesia during the Silesian Wars, winning military acclaim for himself and Prussia. Toward the end of his reign, Frederick physically connected most of his realm by acquiring Polish territories in the First Partition of Poland.
caption: Nazi newspaper Wochenspruch der NSDAP 29 June 1941 quotes Frederick the Great: "It will be a difficult year, but one must stay alert, and each who honors and loves the fatherland must give his all."
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