Münchhausen, also called Lügenbaron or Baron of Lies, told adventure stories that can’t possibly be true. He tells from the time he pulled himself from the swamp by his own hair and when rode on a cannonball.
The stories are so outrageous that they can’t possibly be true. But what about Münchhausen himself? Is he also made up?
Münchhausen was actually a real person: Hieronymus Carl Freiherr von Münchhausen, born on May 11th, 1720 in Bodenwerder. When he was 13 years old he took service as a henchman with Prince Anton Ulrich and went to St. Petersburg with him. He fought in the Russian-Turkish war where his most adventurous story takes place: his ride on the cannonball.
Riding on a cannonball
Münchhausen wanted to spy on the enemy and rode on a cannonball towards the fort of the Turks. Mid-ride he changed his mind, switched onto a Turkish cannonball and rode it back to his own regiment.
Half a horse
The story about the horse cut in half took place during the same war. Münchhausen was riding on his horse after the enemies and chased them out of town. He didn’t notice until later that the back part of his horse had cut off by the falling portcullis at the city gate. Luckily, the two parts could be cobbled together again.
Telling his adventure stories
During his time in the Baltic regions, Münchhausen met his wife Jacobine and from 1750 on they lived in Bodenwerder on his father’s estate. He entertained many friends and acquaintances with his stories which were written down by an unknown person and published in 1781. Rudolf Erich Raspe released a second collection of stories in 1785, and this time Münchhausen is mentioned by name. Because the book was very successful, Raspe invented more adventures taking place on the high seas, and published them in England.
Gottfried August Bürger translated the sea-adventure into German and added new stories. By that time, Münchhausen had the reputation of the Lügenbaron (Baron of Lies), he felt mocked and ridiculed. He withdrew from life, bitter and alone after the death of wife in 1790.
As a 74 year-old, he married a woman many years his junior which doesn’t work out. The divorce procedures took many years and cost Münchhausen large parts of his fortune. He died in 1797 before the divorce became legally effective.
Münchhausen is being pulled by four geese into the air. Sculptures are located in his home town Bodenwerder.
Sources and Resources
- Wiki – Münchhausen
- Wiki – Bodenwerder
- NDR – Münchhausen
- Münchhausenland
- YouTube BR, Münchhausen
- YouTube Playlist – About Münchhausen and related topics: Münchhausen Trilemma and Münchhausen Syndrome by Proxy
