Monster meets parrot

Napoleon Bonaparte and Queen Louise in Tilsit

Unterredung mit Napoleon in Tilsit, 1807 aus: „Die Königin Luise in 50 Bildern für Jung und Alt“, Verlag Paul Kittel, Berlin 1896 – Unterredung mit Napoleon in Tilsit, 1807 aus: „Die Königin Luise in 50 Bildern für Jung und Alt“, Verlag Paul Kittel, Berlin 1896

in 1806, Prussia had lost the war against France, against the "monster" Napoleon, at Jena and Auerstedt. The royal family then fled to East Prussia and took refuge in Russia, as did the rest of the Prussian army. The pursuing French troops forced the Russians and Prussians to seek peace. The talks took place in the summer of 1807 in Tilsit on a raft on the Memel between Napoleon and the Russian Tsar Alexander. King Frederick William III of Prussia was not allowed to attend. They talked about Prussia, but not with Prussia. Queen Luise was therefore sent to Napoleon by the Prussian Minister of State Karl-August von Hardenberg and her husband to ask for lenient peace terms.

The meeting of Emperor and Queen was politically meaningless. Napoleon conceded nothing. Luise was merely "Hardenberg's parrot", he is reported to have said after the meeting. Prussian historiography, however, subsequently turned the meeting into a heart-warming heroic story of the queen's "proud sacrifice" in order to make us forget all the futility.

The presentation in the rooms of the castle looks at this low point in Prussian history using selected objects without any sentimentality.Translated with DeepL

Runtime: Wed, 01/04/2026 to Sun, 01/11/2026

Price: €8.00

Reduced price: €6.00

Reduced price info: incl. castle remise

Takes place here:

• Schloss Paretz