Fresh Hell Podcast

In Part 3, we follow Friedrich after Küstrin.

This episode looks at what Friedrich became once he held absolute power: the military strategist, the administrator, the enlightened absolutist who read philosophy while sending tens of thousands to their deaths. We talk about Sanssouci as a deliberate retreat, his devotion to animals over people, his refusal of intimacy, and the contradictions that defined his reign.

It’s the story of a man who learned how to rule by never again allowing himself to be vulnerable.

Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, Frederick II of Prussia, Sanssouci, Schloss Sanssouci, Potsdam Sanssouci, Prussian monarchy, Prussian king, Enlightened absolutism, Seven Years’ War, Prussian military history, Prussian expansion, Frederick the Great personality, Frederick the Great psychology, Frederick the Great trauma, Frederick the Great animals, Frederick the Great dogs, Frederick the Great Sanssouci philosophy, 18th century Prussia, European monarchs history, absolutist rulers Europe, Frederick the Great later life, Frederick the Great legacy

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After being arrested and imprisoned at Küstrin, Friedrich is stripped of rank, freedom, and is forced into isolation, surveillance, and humiliation, while the fate of his closest friend, Hans Hermann von Katte, hangs over everything.

Friedrich knows exactly what’s at stake. He’s seen how this ends for other crown princes. Only a few years earlier, Peter the Great had imprisoned, tortured, and executed his own son. Will he face the same fate?

Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, Crown Prince Friedrich, Küstrin fortress, Küstrin imprisonment, Hans Hermann von Katte, Katte execution, Friedrich Wilhelm I, Prussian royal family, Prussian monarchy, 18th century Prussia, royal imprisonment, court martial Prussia, Prussian military justice, trauma of monarchy, enlightened absolutism origins, Frederick the Great childhood, Frederick the Great imprisonment, Küstrin Castle, Prussian crown prince arrest, royal punishment history, execution of Katte, Alexei Petrovich execution, Russian crown prince 1718, royal fathers and sons, authoritarian parenting history, Prussian history podcast, European monarchy trauma
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Friedrich II of Prussia is remembered as “the Great.”But before he became the most famous Prussian king, he tried to run!

In this first part of a two-episode series, we go back to the beginning: to Friedrich II von Preußen’s childhood under the rule of his father, the so-called Soldier King. We talk about Prussia before it was shaped into a European super power, a court ruled by discipline and fear, and a father whose effectiveness as a ruler did not necessarily make him a great dad.

Also: if you want the original story of the Amber Room, why it started in Prussia, why Friedrich Wilhelm gave it away, and how it became one of the most mysterious lost artworks in history, you need to listen to this episode.

Friedrich II of Prussia, Frederick the Great, Friedrich Wilhelm I, Soldier King of Prussia, Hans Hermann von Katte, Wilhelmine of Prussia, Prussian royal family, Prussian court history, Prussia 18th century, Potsdam Giants, Lange Kerls, Amber Room history, Amber Room Prussia, Amber Room Peter the Great, Prussian military culture, royal abuse history, historical escape attempt, Prussian monarchy, European royal family trauma, Fresh Hell Podcast
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In 1920s Vienna, a woman calling herself Baroness Cadvé ran what appeared to be a private language school for children. Behind the polite advertisements and the respectable address in the city center was something much darker.

This episode tells the story of Edith Kadivec, the woman at the center of the 1924 Vienna "Sadist Trial,” in which she was accused of abusing children for the sexual gratification of wealthy and powerful clients. The case exposed not just one abusive teacher, but a whole network of doctors, businessmen, artists, and aristocrats who believed their status would protect them.

This episode contains discussion of child abuse and exploitation.

f this episode brought up difficult feelings for you or someone you care about, you’re not alone, and support is available. Here are some trusted organizations and hotlines where you can find help, support, and information.


National Child Abuse HotlineCall 1-800-4A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or visit childhelp.orgAvailable 24/7 for confidential support, crisis intervention, and referrals to local services.


National Human Trafficking HotlineCall 1-888-373-7888 or text BEFREE (233733)Chat and resources available at humantraffickinghotline.orgConfidential support, crisis intervention, and connections to services nationwide.


RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or chat at rainn.orgProvides support for survivors of sexual violence of any age.


Rat auf Draht (Helpline for children and young people)Free, confidential support for children and teens.Tel: 147Website: rataufdrah.at


B-PLAN – Hilfe für Betroffene von Menschenhandel und AusbeutungSupport and assistance for trafficking survivors in Austria.Website: b-plan.at


Frauenhelpline (Women’s Helpline)Confidential support for women experiencing violence or abuse.Tel: 0800 222 555 (Free in Austria)Website: frauenhelpline.at


Gewalt-Hotline (Violence hotline)Offers information and referral for people affected by violence.Tel: 0800 188 188Website: gewaltinfo.at


Child Helpline InternationalConnects you to child helplines around the world.Website: childhelplineinternational.orgFind a local number in your country.


United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – Anti-TraffickingGlobal resources and support information.Website: unodc.org (search “human trafficking”).


ECPAT InternationalWorks to end child exploitation worldwide and provides links to support services.Website: ecpat.org

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If you want to watch Henry's wonderful documentary, you can find the English version here:

https://www.henryhauck.de/en-us

and the German version here:

https://www.henryhauck.de/de

In this episode we speak with filmmaker Henry Hauck, a cousin of one of the "Missing Children of Pirmasens", a series of missing person cases from the 1960s, that have never been resolved and continue to haunt the town to this day. 

Decades later, Henry chose to confront this history by making a documentary, not only as a filmmaker, but as a family member living with unanswered questions.

In our conversation, Henry talks about growing up in the shadow of a disappearance, the long-term impact these cases have on families and the town of Pirmasens, and about the main suspect...Günter Justus!
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