Reviews
Reviews of Prussian Army Soldiers and the Seven Years War: The Psychology of Honour. London: Bloomsbury, 2019
“... this is an interesting and important work for three fields, that of its subject, the Prussian army on the Seven Years' War, that of Prussian history as a whole, and that of ancien régime warfare. [...] Yet, it is very helpful indeed to have this book with its fruitful analysis, not least of soldiers' emotions and thoughts, both in combat and otherwise. There is careful and judicious account of the methodology, not least arguing that it is difficult to apply the concept of small-group cohesion. [The authors'] arguments are then marshalled in the summary to provide a brisk survey that is supported by the publication of a very good selection of pertinent letters by soldiers.“
Jeremy Black, International Journal of Military History and Historiography
“... the work remains a significant contribution to understanding the mental worlds of pre-Revolutionary soldiers.“
Leighton S. James, German History
“Its sophisticated treatment of the sources in light of the latest research renders a great service to the historiography. A bonus for teachers at Anglophone universities are the twelve translated soldiers’ letters in the appendix, which really bring to life the mentality of ordinary Prussian soldiers. It is therefore to be hoped that the book finds a wide readership.“
Jasper Heinzen, Central European History
"Rather than being of interest only to military historians, this book is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand the social and cultural backgrounds of Prussian soldiers in the eighteenth century, as well as their psychological emotions in battle ... the Möbiuses' book is thoroughly well researched and provides an anglophone audience with access to a great wealth of Prussian primary source material.”
Samuel Dodson, Journal for Eighteenth-Century-Studies
“[A] valuable work for those studying the social history of eighteenth-century Europe.”
Adam L. Storring, British Journal for Military History
“Prussian Army Soldiers is an invaluable contribution to new military history. The authors succeed in doing what is almost impossible: providing an intimate glimpse into the mindset and emotional experiences of eighteenth-century Prussian enlisted soldiers ... This fascinating study provides a glimpse into the psyche of Prussian soldiers and is essential reading for those studying military history, especially during the era of Frederick the Great.”
Eileen Palma, H-War
“In sum, the book is a very interesting and convincing invitation to further develop a more interdisciplinary comprehension of history.”
Ludger Pries, H-Soz-Kult
“Katrin and Sascha Mobius have greatly expanded our collected understanding of the motivations and lived experiences of Prussian enlisted men in the era of Frederick the Great … This study will delight specialists in the field of eighteenth-century military history, as well as appealing to historians generally interested in German history and the development of the Prussian state.”
Alexander Burns, Journal of Military History
“Prussian Army Soldiers will be an important work … [It] will quickly find a place on the reading lists of graduate students and potentially advanced undergraduates as well.”
James Mc Intyre, Journal of the Seven Years' War Association
“Prussian Army Soldiers is a salutary effort to give a voice to common soldiers in the armies of ancien régime Europe. It will engage and instruct serious general readers and advanced undergraduates and inspire specialists in military history to continue on its distinctive path of source-based research.”
James Mc Intyre, Michigan War Studies Review
“This is an important work on the psychology of combat. It will be essential reading for military historians of the 18th century, and it also speaks to many current concerns of social and cultural historians, such as masculinity, nationalism and the emotions.”
Matthew McCormack, Professor of History, University of Northampton, UK
“This book is long overdue. Thanks to Katrin and Sascha Möbius, the Prussian common soldier – one of the most vilified creatures of early modern European history – is finally able to speak for himself again.”
Ilya Berkovich, author of 'Motivation in War: The Experience of Common Soldiers in Old-Regime Europe' (2017)
“The soldiers of Frederick the Great have been commonly described as nerveless automata shaped by brutality. This book by Katrin and Sascha Moebius combines painstaking research and perceptive insight to make a persuasive counter argument that religious faith and a sense of honor fundamentally informed both individual and collective behavior under the complex stresses of early modern battle. Relevant as well was readiness to accept high-level risk as a matter of routine. Male lives in general tended to be short, dangerous, and random. And old hands still tell recruits, “if you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined!””
Dennis Showalter, Professor of History, Colorado College, USA