Frederick the Great's greyhounds: the Prussian king's beloved dogs
If you love your dog, you may see something of yourself in Frederick the Great. See the real story – guest starring your dog.
Frederick ruled Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. Away from Berlin's formal court, he built a small retreat called Sanssouci and kept a household of Italian greyhounds there. He preferred these small, elegant dogs and let them sleep on his furniture. He even asked to be buried beside them, though that wish took more than two centuries to come true.
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The story in 5 parts
A short version first. The full story, with every detail, is further down.
Part 1
Who was Frederick the Great, and why greyhounds
He built Sanssouci, his summer palace in Potsdam, as an escape from the ceremony of the Berlin court.
Part 2
Life with his dogs at Sanssouci
Frederick kept his dogs close by him at Sanssouci.
Part 3
Frederick's wish to be buried near his dogs
Frederick asked to be buried at Sanssouci, on the terrace beside his dogs.
Part 4
What his greyhounds tell us about him as a ruler
Frederick's public reputation was that of a fearsome military strategist who expanded Prussia through some of the era's bloodiest wars.
Part 5
Visiting Frederick's grave and his dogs today
Frederick's grave lies on the top terrace beside the palace, in the park, which is free to enter and open daily from eight in the morning.
Read the full story
Part 1
Who was Frederick the Great, and why greyhounds
He built Sanssouci, his summer palace in Potsdam, as an escape from the ceremony of the Berlin court. There he preferred elegant Italian greyhounds, close in build to modern whippets, and had them sent specially from England. One account says he kept between forty and eighty of these dogs over the years. The palace's French name meant without a care, and Frederick built it as a place to read, play music and keep his own company, human and canine alike. If you have ever chosen a dog for its temperament rather than its size, you will understand the appeal.
Part 2
Life with his dogs at Sanssouci
Frederick kept his dogs close by him at Sanssouci. His favourite dog was given its own servant, allowed under the royal table, and let to chase leather balls through the rooms. The dogs even shared the sofa and his camp bed. The royal kitchens prepared food especially for them, the way other courts fed prized hunting dogs. Two of his greyhounds were named Biche and Alcmene, and Biche was a gift from his friend Count Rothenburg. A dog appears in a portrait of Frederick as a boy, and years later the painter Adolph Menzel included a greyhound in his imagined scene of Frederick's table talk at Sanssouci. In May 1748, Frederick and his sister Wilhelmine exchanged letters written as if they were their own dogs, with Frederick writing to her dog while pretending to be Biche. In one line, Biche is made to say that only Frederick's inability to walk on all fours kept him from calling himself a greyhound too. If your own dog has a permanent spot on the sofa, you already know the comfort Frederick found in his.
Part 3
Frederick's wish to be buried near his dogs
Frederick asked to be buried at Sanssouci, on the terrace beside his dogs. His nephew and successor, Frederick William II, ignored this and had him buried instead at the Potsdam Garrison Church. Frederick's remains then had an unsettled history, moved to a salt mine during the Second World War, recovered by American forces, and later kept at Hohenzollern Castle. His wish was finally granted on 17 August 1991, the 205th anniversary of his death, when he was reburied on the terrace at Sanssouci. Today his grave sits on the top terrace at the east end of the palace, in the free park, close to the graves of his greyhounds. Visitors still leave potatoes on the slab, because Frederick promoted potato growing in Prussia. According to a widely repeated story, Napoleon visited Frederick's tomb in 1806 and told his officers, hats off, for if the king still lived, they would not have been there. If you have ever wanted your own dog buried close by, Frederick's long wait shows how such wishes can outlast the person who makes them.
Part 4
What his greyhounds tell us about him as a ruler
Frederick's public reputation was that of a fearsome military strategist who expanded Prussia through some of the era's bloodiest wars. Yet those who wrote about his greyhounds describe a different man, calling him a complete marshmallow when it came to his dogs. By his later years, many of Frederick's closest friends had died, and he had grown isolated. Frederick also founded Germany's first veterinary school and, unusually for an aristocrat of his time, said he found hunting cruel and uneducated. When his dog Biche died, Frederick wrote to his sister Wilhelmine that the loss reawakened his grief for every friend he had lost, and that he was ashamed a dog could move him so deeply. Wilhelmine understood that feeling herself, since she wrote of her own dog as a loyal companion through years of misfortune. If you have ever felt embarrassed by how hard you grieved for a dog, Frederick's letter suggests you are in old company.
Part 5
Visiting Frederick's grave and his dogs today
Frederick's grave lies on the top terrace beside the palace, in the park, which is free to enter and open daily from eight in the morning. You do not need a ticket to see it, since only the palace interior requires one. The graves of several of his greyhounds sit close by, weathered stones marked only with names and dates. If you plan to visit with your own dog in mind, you can still see where Frederick chose to rest among the animals he loved.
Things you might not know
- He preferred these small, elegant dogs and let them sleep on his furniture.
- His favourite dog was given its own servant, allowed under the royal table, and let to chase leather balls through the rooms.
- Visitors still leave potatoes on the slab, because Frederick promoted potato growing in Prussia.
Year by year
- 1740Frederick ruled Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786.
- May 1748In May 1748, Frederick and his sister Wilhelmine exchanged letters written as if they were their own dogs, with Frederick writing to her dog while pretending to be Biche.
- 1806According to a widely repeated story, Napoleon visited Frederick's tomb in 1806 and told his officers, hats off, for if the king still lived, they would not have been there.
- 17 August 1991His wish was finally granted on 17 August 1991, the 205th anniversary of his death, when he was reburied on the terrace at Sanssouci.
Questions people ask
Where is Frederick the Great buried?
He is buried on the top terrace of Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, beside his greyhounds, since 17 August 1991. Before that his remains lay in the Potsdam Garrison Church and later at Hohenzollern Castle.
Why did it take so long for Frederick to be buried beside his dogs?
His nephew ignored his wishes and buried him at the Potsdam Garrison Church instead. His remains were later moved several times, including to a salt mine during the Second World War, before reunification finally allowed the reburial he had asked for.
What breed of dog did Frederick the Great keep?
He kept Italian greyhounds, small and elegant dogs close in build to modern whippets. He is said to have kept between forty and eighty of them over his lifetime.
Why are there potatoes on Frederick the Great's grave?
Frederick promoted potato growing in Prussia, and visitors leave potatoes on his grave as a tribute to that.
What were the names of Frederick the Great's dogs?
Two of his favourite greyhounds were named Biche and Alcmene. Biche was a gift from his friend Count Rothenburg and appears in a court portrait wearing a collar with the king's name.
Did Frederick the Great write about his dogs?
Yes, in May 1748 he exchanged letters with his sister Wilhelmine in which each wrote as if they were their own dog. He also wrote to her about the grief he felt when his dog Biche died.
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Sources
- A King's grave and his dogs - Royal Central. Royal Central, Aug 28, 2019.
- Frederick the Great’s grave. sanssoucitickets.com.
- What do gin, Frederick the Great and dogs have in common?. The Curious Drinker.
- Old Fritz and his dogs. Historians are Past Caring, May 24, 2011.
- Italian Greyhound. Isarhund.
- 18TH-CENTURY PRUSSIAN KING REBURIED IN A GERMANY TROUBLED BY MILITARISM. Deseret News, Aug 18, 1991.
- The Great Also Mourn. National Purebred Dog Day®, Oct 13, 2019.
- Sanssouci: Old Fritz's Palace of No Worries — Katrin Figge — City Beat. Katrin Figge.
- Sanssouci Palace: Frederick the Great's Potsdam Retreat. StoneKeep Atlas.
- Frederick the Great’s Potsdam legacy: the Sanssouci palace. www.ravenguides.com.
- The great legacy of the greyhounds - Articles - Allevamento Lupavaro. Lupavaro: Italian Greyhound breeders in Italy, Apr 28, 2022.
Written by TimeWalkies EditorialLast updated How we research