Frederick the Great a Homosexual?

[LongTom06]

Well, I was reading something interesting. There is a theory that Baron Von Stuebon went to America after he was kicked out the Prussian Military for being Homosexual (supposedly).

[Condottiere SOG]

There is some factual documentation to this...what was his original position in the Prussian General staff? He was most certainly a Junker...not necessarily a Baron...and why? was he deposed from the Prussian Staff?

[LongTom06]

All I know (for sure) that von Stuebon is called a Baron by most American History and Military History classes, that he was a Free Mason. He was on his way to being the the General of the Staff (Chief of Staff), and a rising Star, and he was fired.

[Condottiere SOG]

Baron von Steuben...was the savior of the American infantry of the Revolution. He put them a cut above the Brits to win the war. He has my thanks.

[Geronimo2006]

The argument that homosexuality and military greatness are incompatible was disproven by Alexander the Great.

[Condottiere SOG]

well said...I detest gay bashing...its just wrong. Amongst History's fiercest warriors have been homosexuals...it cannot be refuted.

[Didz]

Baron von Steuben...was the savior of the American infantry of the Revolution. He put them a cut above the Brits to win the war. He has my thanks.

Baron von Steuben was indeed the savior of the American infantry, but he actually gave up trying to teach them to replicate the european drill that would have put them on an equal footing with their British counter-parts. The gap in basic understanding and uniformity of organisation was just too great to be resolved in the time allowed. To his credit he was intelligent enough to realise that given the situation trying to teach the US infantry to fight like their British enemies was pointless and prone to inevitable failure, and so he designed a much more simplified drill system which did not rely upon the standardised battalion and platoon system used by the British. The drill he taught was based upon a follow-my-leader system of transitions which actually took longer to complete but required no complex drill manouvres or movements to perform. This still left the American infantry at a slight disadvantage in speed of deployment and movement when faced by a British force but gave them enough control and order to at least stand against their enemies.

[Condottiere SOG]

I say it was a bit more than that...considering the Americans won...but far from on-topic.

[MekongFisher]

I can't say anything certain about Frederich the Great himself, but having worked with a lot of LGBT folks for Right Side of History for years, I can say with certainity that there are many gay men who have a lot more balls than straight males.

[Didz]

I say it was a bit more than that...considering the Americans won...but far from on-topic.

That would be a rather simplistic assessment of the reason that the rebels succeeded in the American Rebelion. Wars are not always won by the side with the better trained infantry, after all the French revolution had already proved that fact. What von Steuben did was give the American infantry the ability to manouvre on a battlefield without degenerating into chaos, which was all they really needed.

[Condottiere SOG]

I can agree with that assessment.

[dacder]

The entire Spartan military system was based on state sponsored homosexuality.

Your getting them confused with the theban sacred band.

[jamryan]

Read Christopher Duffy's bio. Fred chased women when young, but dont think he was really bothered with them once he came to power. Possibly one of those people who get so caught up in their job (King, general etc) that they have no time for anything else.

[Taxandrius]

I rather think he was Asexual, keeping in mind that he put warfare, philosophy and his dogs above all, and the only women he trusted was his sister.
Possibly related to a bad experience in his youth.

[Wilhelm Ritter]

I rather think he was Asexual, keeping in mind that he put warfare, philosophy and his dogs above all, and the only women he trusted was his sister.
Possibly related to a bad experience in his youth.

Agreed, I think he just didn't have time for it, and back then if you acted like you didn't care... People would talk.
Not that I'd respect him any less if he was.

[joedreck]

Agreed, I think he just didn't have time for it, and back then if you acted like you didn't care... People would talk.
Not that I'd respect him any less if he was.

Many sources say, that Frederick give so much energy in the campaigns, that he got very fast an old man. He said: "Ich bin der erste Diener meines Staates." - "I'm the first servant in my state.".

[Maneatstaco]

Well, I was reading something interesting. There is a theory that Baron Von Stuebon went to America after he was kicked out the Prussian Military for being Homosexual (supposedly).

He wasn't kicked out for being a homosexual, it was because he molested young boys.

[Smartbomb]

Considering around 10% of humans are gay or bi or what have you, you'd pretty much have to say that a lot of famous people of the past were gay. 1 in 10, pretty much.

Quite possibly the biggest lie I have ever heard.

[Megasalexandros]

Lets reverse the question, is there ANYONE , even ONE great or renowned general and politician that was not heard or said about him at some point especially in this era, that he was a homo?
This is the most ridiculous accusation that can be heard against anyone, and it is hardly believable when not even one historical personality has escaped that characterization, the same had been said about Alexander the great, Caesar, Napoleon... even Hitler.

[Tsar Pyotr the Great]

He had a rumored Hom
osexual relationship with a friend who was later beheaded after trying to help him escape but there is no defintive proof of him being gay