The full name of Baron Munchausen in the film. History of the book The Adventures of Munchausen - Baron Munchausen

Everyone knows, of course, who Baron Munchausen is.
But does everyone know that this hero actually existed in the world?..
His name was Hieronymus Karl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen.

The founder of the Munchausen family is considered to be the knight Heino, who took part in the crusade led by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in the 12th century.

Heino's descendants died in wars and civil strife. And only one of them survived, because he was a monk. By special decree he was released from the monastery.

It was with him that a new branch of the family began - Munchausen, which means “house of the monk”. That is why the coats of arms of all Munchausens depict a monk with a staff and a book.

Among the Munchausens there were famous warriors and nobles. Thus, in the 17th century, the commander Hilmar von Munchausen became famous, in the 18th - the Minister of the Hanoverian Court, Gerlach Adolf von Munchausen, the founder of the University of Göttingen.

But the real glory, of course, went to “that same” Munchausen.

Hieronymus Karl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen was born on May 11, 1720 on the Bodenwerder estate near Hanover.

The Munchausen house in Bodenwerder still stands today - it houses the burgomaster and a small museum. Now the town on the Weser River is decorated with sculptures of the famous fellow countryman and literary hero.

Hieronymus Carl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen was the fifth child among eight brothers and sisters.

His father died early, when Jerome was only four years old. He, like his brothers, was most likely destined for a military career. And he began to serve in 1735 as a page in the retinue of the Duke of Brunswick.

At this time, the Duke's son, Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick, was serving in Russia and was preparing to take command of a cuirassier regiment. But the prince also had a much more important mission - he was one of the possible suitors of Anna Leopoldovna, the niece of the Russian Empress.

In those days, Russia was ruled by Empress Anna Ioannovna, who was widowed early and had no children. She wanted to transfer power along her own, Ivanovo line. To do this, the Empress decided to marry her niece Anna Leopoldovna to some European prince, so that the children from this marriage would inherit the Russian throne.

The matchmaking of Anton Ulrich dragged on for almost seven years. The prince took part in campaigns against the Turks; in 1737, during the assault on the Ochakov fortress, he found himself in the thick of battle, the horse under him was killed, the adjutant and two pages were wounded. The pages later died from their wounds. In Germany, they did not immediately find replacements for the dead - the pages were afraid of the distant and wild country. Hieronymus von Munchausen himself volunteered to go to Russia.

This happened in 1738.

In the retinue of Prince Anton Ulrich, young Munchausen constantly visited the court of the Empress, at military parades, and probably took part in the campaign against the Turks in 1738. Finally, in 1739, the magnificent wedding of Anton Ulrich and Anna Leopoldovna took place, the young people were treated kindly by their aunt-empress. Everyone was looking forward to the appearance of the heir.

At this time, young Munchausen makes an unexpected decision at first glance - to go to military service. The prince did not immediately and reluctantly release the page from his retinue. Gironimus Karl Friedrich von Minihausin - as it appears in the documents - enters the Brunswick Cuirassier Regiment, stationed in Riga, on the western border, as a cornet Russian Empire.

In 1739, Hieronymus von Munchausen became a cornet in the Brunswick Cuirassier Regiment, stationed in Riga. Thanks to the patronage of the regiment's chief, Prince Anton Ulrich, a year later Munchausen became a lieutenant, commander of the first company of the regiment. He quickly got up to speed and was a smart officer.

In 1740, Prince Anton Ulrich and Anna Leopoldovna had their first child, named Ivan. Empress Anna Ioannovna, shortly before her death, proclaimed him heir to the throne John III. Anna Leopolnovna soon became the “ruler of Russia” with her young son, and father Anton Ulrich received the title of generalissimo.

But in 1741, Tsarevna Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, seized power. The entire “Brunswick family” and its supporters were arrested. For some time, noble prisoners were kept in Riga Castle. And Lieutenant Munchausen, who guarded Riga and the western borders of the empire, became the involuntary guard of his high patrons.

The disgrace did not affect Munchausen, but he received the next rank of captain only in 1750, the last of those presented for promotion.

In 1744, Lieutenant Munchausen commanded the guard of honor that greeted the bride of the Russian Tsarevich Sophia Frederica Augusta, the future Empress Catherine II. In the same year, Jerome married a Baltic German woman, Jacobina von Dunten, the daughter of a Riga judge.

Having received the rank of captain, Munchausen asked for leave to settle inheritance matters and left with his young wife for Germany. He extended his leave twice, and was finally expelled from the regiment, but took legal possession of the family estate of Bodenwerder. Thus ended the “Russian odyssey” of Baron Munchausen, without which his amazing stories would not have existed.

Since 1752, Hieronymus Carl Friedrich von Munchausen lived on the family estate in Bodenwerder. At that time, Bodenwerder was a provincial town with a population of 1,200 inhabitants, with whom, moreover, Munchausen did not immediately get along well.

He communicated only with neighboring landowners, hunted in the surrounding forests and fields, and occasionally visited neighboring cities - Hanover, Hamelin and Göttingen. On the estate, Munchausen built a pavilion in the then fashionable “grotto” park style, especially to receive friends there. After the death of the baron, the grotto was nicknamed the “pavilion of lies,” because, supposedly, it was here that the owner told his fantastic stories to his guests.

Most likely, "Munchausen's stories" first appeared at hunting rests. Russian hunting was especially memorable for Munchausen. It is no coincidence that his stories about hunting exploits in Russia are so vivid. Gradually, Munchausen's cheerful fantasies about hunting, military adventures and travel became known in Lower Saxony, and after their publication throughout Germany.

But over time, the offensive, unfair nickname “lugenbaron” - the liar baron - stuck to him. Further - more: both “king of liars” and “lies of the liar of all liars.” The fictional Munchausen completely obscured the real one and dealt blow after blow to its creator.

Unfortunately, Jacobin's beloved wife died in 1790. The Baron completely closed in on himself. He was a widower for four years, but then young Bernardine von Brun turned his head. As you would expect, this unequal marriage brought nothing but trouble to everyone. Bernardina, a true child of the “gallant age,” turned out to be frivolous and wasteful. A scandalous divorce process began, which completely ruined Munchausen. He was no longer able to recover from the shocks he experienced.

Hieronymus Carl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen died on February 22, 1797 and was buried in the family crypt under the floor of the church in the village of Kemnade in the vicinity of Bodenwerder...

A little old man sitting by the fireplace, telling stories, absurd and incredibly interesting, very funny and “true”... It seems that a little time will pass, and the reader himself will decide that it is possible to pull himself out of the swamp, grabbing his hair, turning the wolf inside out , discover half of the horse, which drinks tons of water and cannot quench its thirst.

Familiar stories, isn't it? Everyone has heard about Baron Munchausen. Even people who are not very good with elegant letters, thanks to cinema, will be able to list a couple of fantastic stories about him. Another question: “Who wrote the fairy tale “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”?” Alas, the name of Rudolf Raspe is not known to everyone. And is he the original creator of the character? Literary scholars still find the strength to argue on this topic. However, first things first.

Who wrote the book "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen"?

The year of birth of the future writer is 1736. His father was an official and part-time miner, as well as an avid lover of minerals. This explained why early years Raspe spent time near the mines. Soon he received basic education, which he continued at the University of Göttingen. At first he was occupied by law, and then natural sciences took over. Thus, nothing indicated his future hobby - philology, and did not foretell that he would be the one who wrote “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”.

Later years

Upon returning to his hometown, he chooses to become a clerk, and then works as a secretary in a library. Raspe made his debut as a publisher in 1764, offering the world the works of Leibniz, which, by the way, were dedicated to the future prototype of the Adventures. Around the same time, he wrote the novel “Hermyn and Gunilda”, became a professor and received the position of caretaker of an antique cabinet. Travels around Westphalia in search of ancient manuscripts, and then rare things for a collection (alas, not his own). The latter was entrusted to Raspa taking into account his solid authority and experience. And, as it turned out, in vain! The one who wrote “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” was not a very wealthy man, even poor, which forced him to commit a crime and sell off part of the collection. However, Raspa managed to escape punishment, but how this happened is difficult to say. They say that those who came to arrest the man listened and, fascinated by his gift as a storyteller, allowed him to escape. This is not surprising, because they encountered Raspe himself - the one who wrote “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”! How could it be otherwise?

The appearance of a fairy tale

The stories and twists and turns associated with the publication of this fairy tale actually turn out to be no less interesting than the adventures of its main character. In 1781, in the “Guide for Merry People” the first stories with a cheerful and all-powerful old man are found. It was unknown who wrote The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. The author considered it necessary to remain in the shadows. It was these stories that Raspe took as the basis for own work, which was united by the figure of the narrator, had integrity and completeness (unlike the previous version). Fairy tales were written in English language, and the situations in which he acted main character, had a purely English flavor and were associated with the sea. The book itself was conceived as a kind of edification directed against lies.

Then the fairy tale was translated into German (this was done by the poet Gottfried Burger), adding and changing the previous text. Moreover, the edits were so significant that in serious academic publications the list of those who wrote “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” includes two names - Raspe and Burger.

Prototype

The resilient baron had a real-life prototype. His name, like the literary character, was Munchausen. By the way, the problem of this transmission remains unresolved. introduced the variant “Munhausen” into use, but in modern publications the letter “g” was added to the hero’s surname.

The real baron, already at an advanced age, loved to talk about his hunting adventures in Russia. Listeners recalled that at such moments the narrator’s face became animated, he himself began to gesticulate, after which incredible stories could be heard from this truthful person. They began to gain popularity and even went into print. Of course, the necessary amount of anonymity was observed, but people who knew the baron closely understood who the prototype of these sweet stories was.

Last years and death

In 1794, the writer tried to start a mine in Ireland, but death prevented these plans from coming true. Raspe's meaning for further development literature is great. In addition to inventing the character, who had already become a classic, almost anew (taking into account all the details of the creation of the fairy tale, which were mentioned above), Raspe drew the attention of his contemporaries to ancient German poetry. He was also one of the first to feel that the Songs of Ossian were a fake, although he did not deny their cultural significance.

L. LEVIN (Orel).

Science and life // Illustrations

Science and life // Illustrations

Portraits of some representatives of the extensive Munchausen family of the 16th-17th centuries.

The extensive Munchausen family had many prominent figures, among them the founder of the University of Göttingen, Gerlach Adolf von Munchausen.

One of the castles still owned by this family in Lower Saxony.

Baroness Anna Maria von Munchausen shows the author of the article a collection of portraits of her ancestors.

Science and life // Illustrations

This is what Bodenwerder looked like in 1654. The Munchausen estate rises in the center. Next to the photo is their coat of arms.

Lifetime portrait of Carl Hieronymus Friedrich von Munchausen (copy from the original, which is lost).

The Ducal Palace in Wolfenbüttel, from which our hero left for Russia in 1737.

Science and life // Illustrations

Gottfried August Bürger (left) and Rudolf Erich Raspe are the founders of publications with the incredible stories of Baron Munchausen.

Munchausen's house in Bodenwerder. He was born in it and spent his life after returning from Russia.

Science and life // Illustrations

Illustrations for lifetime editions of “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”: the hero pulls himself out of the swamp by his hair; he rides a horse through the house; Munchausen, transplanting from one nucleus to another.

In the city where Munchausen was born, there are many sculptural figures dedicated to him.

Here he sits on the core. Munchausen waters the "halved horse".

After the high snowdrifts melted, Munchausen's horse found himself tied to the church cross.

There are a lot of Munchausens! Since the 12th century, almost 1,300 people have gathered on the family tree, about 50 are alive today. There are a dozen and a half castles scattered throughout Lower Saxony that once belonged or belong today to members of this venerable family. And the family is truly respectable. In the 18th and 19th centuries, he gave eight persons the rank of ministers of different German states. There are also such bright personalities as the famous 16th-century land-sknecht Hilmar von Munchausen, who earned a lot of money with his sword to buy or rebuild half a dozen castles. Here is the founder of the University of Göttingen, Gerlach Adolf von Munchausen, and the botanist and agronomist Otto von Munchausen. There are half a dozen writers, and among them is the “first poet of the Third Reich” Berris von Munchausen, whose poems were chanted by Hitler Youth teenagers as they marched through the streets.

And the whole world knows only one thing - Karl Hieronymus Friedrich von Munchausen, according to the genealogical table, number 701. And, probably, he would remain number 701, if during his lifetime two writers - R. E. Raspe and G. A. Burger - were not allowed around the world, either by the funny stories they heard from Munchausen, or by the funny stories they themselves invented, which for two centuries have brought a smile to the most different people in all corners of the earth. If we keep in mind the literary hero, then he, in fact, is not German, but rather a citizen of the world; only his name speaks about his nationality. The very first line in millions of books on which this name appears reads: “I left home for Russia in the middle of winter...” And millions of readers for the third century perceive Russia, according to his stories, as a country where “wolves devour horses as they run.” , where snow covers the ground up to the tops of churches and where a stream of urine freezes right in the air."

What really connects Munchausen with Russia? How random are the “Russian settings” in the short stories he created? The basic facts of his biography are known, interest in it is caused by that literary glory, which the baron himself, however, considered an indelible shame. Alas, there is still more than one author in both Russia and Germany, when talking about the real-life, as they call it, “historical Munchausen,” who, wittingly or unwittingly, mixes his biography with the adventures of a cheerful adventurer.

This is all the more offensive because many documents have come down to us from the 18th century, on the pages of which this name is written in Russian and German letters; they lie on the shelves of the archives of two countries - Russia and Germany: in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Göttingen, Wolfenbüttel, Hanover, Bodenwerde. By linking them with some published and unpublished research, a biography of the baron can be compiled. It will not be possible to flip through all the pages of his biography within the framework of a magazine article. And among them there are in no way inferior in intensity of passions to those that Raspe and Burger once published on his behalf. Therefore, we will dwell in more detail on just some of them.

Munchausen was born in 1720 in the small town of Bodenwerder, which then lay on an island right in the middle of the Weser River. The Munchausen coat of arms, known since the 13th century, depicts a monk in the robes of the Cistercian order with a staff and a pouch in his hand, in the pouch is a book. Over eight centuries, the spelling of the name - Munchausen - has changed several times. About 80 variants are known. Among them are Monekhusen, Munchhausen, Monichusen, Monigkusen, Minnighusen and many others.

Our hero lost his father early and was brought up at the court of the Prince of Brunswick-Bevern in Bevern Castle, not far from his home. In 1735, the prince became the reigning Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, and Münchausen was officially promoted to page. Ahead lay the traditional career for a poor nobleman - military service in the army of Brunswick or neighboring small states. But fate opened a different path for the young man.

Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, who has been living in Russia for the fifth year as the fiancé of Anna Leopoldovna, the niece of the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna, urgently needed two pages to replace those who died during the storming of the Turkish fortress of Ochakov. After a long search (few people wanted to go to mysterious Russia), two desperate ones were found, and one of them was Munchausen. He arrived in St. Petersburg in early February 1738. It is very likely (but not yet documented) that he immediately took part in the campaign against the Turks in the retinue of Anton Ulrich. He had to participate, that’s why he was discharged.

In December 1739, Munchausen from the retinue of Anton Ulrich joined the army as a cornet in the Brunswick cuirassier regiment stationed near Riga. In this case, he was provided with protection by the wife of Duke Biron. So the level of connections young man was tall at court.

In less than a year, there is a change of monarch on the Russian throne. Empress Anna Ioannovna dies suddenly, handing over the reign to Biron before her death, and the crown to two-month-old Ivan Antonovich, the son of Anna Leopoldovna and Anton Ulrich, Munchausen's patron. Three weeks later, Biron is already sitting in the casemate of the Shlisselburg fortress, Anna Leopoldovna becomes the ruler, and Anton Ulrich receives the rank of generalissimo. But the Generalissimo did not forget Munchausen: he was promoted from cornet to lieutenant, and, as his mother proudly reports, he beat out 12 other cornets who were awaiting promotion in rank.

Munchausen had something to brag about. He was appointed commander of the first company of the regiment, which was located directly under the commander-in-chief in Riga to perform the guard of honor and other ceremonial actions (for example, in 1744, Munchausen commanded the guard when the Anhalt-Zerbst princess, the future Catherine II, passed through Riga). The military historical archive contains hundreds of documents depicting the hectic life of the company commander Munchausen (the company numbered 90 people). This includes repairing ammunition, accepting new horses, reporting on the sale of skins flayed from the fallen, allowing soldiers to marry, capturing deserters, repairing weapons, purchasing provisions and fodder, grazing horses, correspondence with superiors due to delays in pay, and much more.

All documents were written by a clerk in Russian and only signed “Lieutenant von Munchhausen”. It is difficult to judge how well our hero knew the Russian language. He had no difficulty communicating with officers: two-thirds of them were foreigners, mostly Germans. The document that later nominated Munchausen to the rank of captain notes that he can read and write German, but only speaks Russian.

In the Russian-Swedish war, which began in 1741, Munchausen did not take part, this is documented. In general, the only basis for the assertion of some biographers about the baron’s military past is his letter to his mother in 1741 with a request to send underwear, because “the old ones were lost in the campaign.” Most likely, with the exception of the campaign of 1738, where he presumably could have participated in the retinue of Anton Ulrich, Munchausen still did not go into battle.

On the night of November 24-25, 1741, the daughter of Peter I, Princess Elizabeth Petrovna, personally leading a grenadier company, seized the throne. The entire so-called “Brunswick family” (the young emperor, his parents and two-month-old sister) were arrested and spent many decades in prison. His fate was shared by the courtiers and servants. But Munchausen happily avoids such a fate, for, as if on a whim, two years before the coup he transferred from the ducal retinue to the army. Munchausen was lucky in another way too. At first, the new empress announced that all ranks received by them during the previous reign would be removed from military and civilians, but then she changed her mind, realizing how many people she would offend by this, and Munchausen retained his rank of lieutenant.

In the 24th year of his life, Munchausen marries the daughter of a judge, Jacobina von Dunten (the Dunten house near Riga burned down only recently). By the way, Jacobina’s paternal line “sprouted” to Russia from the same places where Munchausen was born, from what is now Lower Saxony. It was necessary to arrange a family nest. But the career did not develop further. There was no more war; it was not possible to bypass a long line of lieutenants as easily as a dozen cornets. Finally, in 1750, having waited for the next rank of captain, Munchausen asked for leave for a year “to correct extreme and necessary needs” and left with his wife for his homeland to settle property matters: by this time his mother had long been dead, two of his mothers had died in the war brother

Munchausen twice sent requests from Bodenwerder to Russia to extend his leave and twice received a deferment. But, apparently, the “extreme and necessary needs” dragged on; the baron never returned to Russia and on August 6, 1754 he was expelled from the regiment. From the documents of the Military Collegium it follows that Munchausen asked for his resignation, but received the answer that for this, according to Russian laws, he must personally appear in Russia and submit a petition. Information about his arrival has not yet been discovered.

The baron's real, not fictitious, adventures began not in Russia, but in Germany. Almost immediately he came into conflict with his hometown. The Bodenwerder archive contains many documents telling about this. It all started with the fact that the baron wanted to build a bridge five cubits wide, along which he could cross the narrow branch of the Weser from his house to his own plot of land on the other bank, and not make a big detour across the city bridge. The burgomaster forbade the baron to build a bridge, citing the fact that then he would have to guard another entrance to the city.

Apparently, Munchausen’s long stay in Russia had an effect here: he could not even imagine that someone would stop a retired officer in some hole from throwing several logs over a narrow ditch. Not so! As soon as they had time to drive the piles and lay the beams, the townspeople gathered in the square and, led by some tailor, went to the baron's estate to the sound of bells with crowbars and ropes. In an instant, the piles were pulled out and the beams were thrown into the water. Since a lot of people had gathered, and there wasn’t enough work for everyone, they also tore down the new fence around Munchausen’s yard. Then his pigs are seized for non-payment of some taxes. Then they demand fines for weeding the city meadow...

Soon after Munchausen returned to his homeland, the Seven Years' War broke out, the French invaded Hanoverian lands, requisitioning everything they could from the population. Here Munchausen was lucky: the commander-in-chief of the French corps gave him a security certificate, protecting his estate from extortions and duties. Probably, Munchausen's service in the Russian army, the allies of the French, played a role in this war.

Munchausen's marriage turned out to be childless, and relations with neighbors apparently did not work out. “In... mental turmoil... hunting and war are the way out, always ready for a nobleman,” wrote Goethe, a younger contemporary of Munchausen. However, the 36-year-old retired cuirassier captain, a professional military man, did not go to defend the fatherland, but chose hunting. It is not known how successful a shooter he was, but he soon discovered a brilliant talent as a storyteller in the genre called in Germany “Jagerlatein” - “Hunting anecdotes”.

Not only friends, but also strangers gathered to listen to him when the baron traveled to the neighboring cities of Hamelin, Hanover, Göttingen... Whether he told his stories in Bodenwerder is unknown, but probably not: Munchausen’s relations with the townspeople remained strained. But the people of Göttingen were looking forward to his arrival, usually gathering in the restaurant of the King of Prussia Hotel to have a lot of fun listening to the baron’s funny stories.

A contemporary described his impressions as follows: “He usually began to talk after dinner, lighting his huge meerschaum pipe with a short mouthpiece and placing a steaming glass of punch in front of him... He gesticulated more and more expressively, twisted his small dandy wig on his head with his hands, his face became more and more he became animated and blushed, and he, usually a very truthful person, at these moments wonderfully acted out his fantasies.” (By the way, the wig was really smart; one of the bills for a new wig for 4 thalers has been preserved - quite a lot of money in those days.) The fame of the narrator grew, but the baron’s literary claims never extended beyond oral creativity. So his life would have rolled to a calm end, but in his old age Munchausen faced adventures hotter than flying on a cannonball.

At first his stories began to spread throughout Lower Saxony through oral transmission; then collections of funny, absurd stories began to appear, allegedly told by a certain “M-g-z-n,” and at the end of 1785 the baron’s name was printed in full on the title page of a book published in London. The very next year it was reprinted four times! The first collections were published in England by Rudolf Erich Raspe, who fled there from Kassel (which is not far from Bodenwerder), suffering poverty in exile and hoping for a fee. They were then revised and published by another famous writer, Gottfried August Bürger. True, the first editions were published anonymously, and only since the middle of the 19th century have both these names - separately or together - been on the title pages all books about the adventures of Munchausen. These books instantly spread throughout Europe. (The first Russian edition was published around 1791, but the translator carefully removed any mention of Russia.)

The Baron perceived his fantastic, but uninvited literary fame as an insulting mockery, considered his good name disgraced, and even planned to sue, but he could not change anything. By the way, the Germans still add the official epithet “Lugenbaron” to his name - liar baron.

But this misfortune was not enough. Last years The baron's life is a complete scandal. In 1790, he buried his wife, and three years later, in the seventy-third year of his life, he married the daughter of a major from a neighboring town, a certain Bernardine von Brun (to her family and friends, just Bernie), who, according to some sources, turned 17, according to others - “for 20 years already.” The grief began on the day of the wedding, to which Bernardina, against the wishes of the baron, invited many guests and musicians from Hanover and had fun with them all night, although the newlywed retired to the bedroom at 10 pm! Then it turned out that Bernardina, having gotten married, did not think of breaking off her long-standing relationship with her old friend, a clerk from her hometown, and after six months of marriage it turned out that she was pregnant...

The nephews of the childless baron, from whom the inheritance was so clearly eluding, initiated a lawsuit, the baron refused to recognize the unborn child as his, and the judicial machine began to spin, requiring ever greater expenses. There are a lot of documents left from this case; the baron’s lawyer drew up an 86-page statement to the court, attaching witness statements (201 points). Seventeen witnesses of different ages, gender and social status claimed that Bernardina was shamelessly unfaithful to her husband, and described the smallest details of her walks, trips, meetings with the clerk, recalled her words and gestures, listed her purchases, reported what rumors were circulating about her in Bodenwerder and the surrounding area... But witnesses of the most intimate no connection was ever found, all the testimony contained the words “very likely” and “without a doubt”, all the evidence was circumstantial, and no one saw the clerk in the arms of the baroness. The matter turned out to be difficult.

Munchausen in detailed explanations cited the most sublime and noble motives that prompted him to marry a girl from poor family. He supposedly counted on the joy of spiritual communication, but was cruelly deceived. Bernardina, for her part, argued that the future child could only be from the baron and from no one else, and the husband, as it turned out, has a bad character, is pathologically jealous, stingy, denies his wife innocent ladies' pleasures and is generally out of his mind. The legal proceedings reached a dead end and stalled, but demanded everything more money; the baron had to pay for the services of a doctor and a midwife; the lawyer demanded that attesting witnesses be present during the birth and that the light should be on brightly (in order to avoid any fraud with the baby). A child (girl) was born. Munchausen was forced to pay alimony to his legitimate daughter - the amount was considerable, and he had to borrow money from one of his friends. Out of grief, the baron went to bed, his nephews were beside themselves: their uncle could die, and the inheritance would go away from them irrevocably. But, oh joy! - so in the correspondence - the child died a year later! The baron died a year later, in 1796. He was very weak, his huntsman's wife looked after him. A few days before the Baron's death, she noticed that his toes were missing. “They were chewed off by a polar bear while hunting,” this “king of liars” found the strength to joke.

The baron was buried in the Munchausen family crypt in the village of Kemnade, near Bodenwerder. In the church book he is called a “retired Russian captain.”

Centuries later, the floors and crypt were opened in the church, and they wanted to transfer the remains buried there to the cemetery. An eyewitness (the future writer Karl Hensel), who was then still a boy, described his impressions this way: “When the coffin was opened, the men’s tools fell out of their hands. In the coffin lay not a skeleton, but a sleeping man with hair, skin and a recognizable face: Hieronymus von Munchausen "A wide, round, kind face with a protruding nose and a slightly smiling mouth. No scars, no mustache." A gust of wind swept through the church. And the body instantly disintegrated into dust. “Instead of a face there was a skull, instead of a body there were bones.” The coffin was closed and did not move to another place.

Who doesn’t know the famous inventor - Baron Hieronymus von Munchausen. Soviet films, cartoons and books contributed to this. But the book hero had a prototype - the real Baron Munchausen and maybe someone else doesn’t know his story?

The history of the Munchausen family dates back to the 12th century - it was at this time that the family was founded by the knight Heino, who took part in the crusade led by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. All the descendants of the knight fought and died. And one of them survived because he was a monk. It was he who gave the family a new name - Munchausen, which means “house of the monk”. Since then, the family coat of arms of the Munchausen family has featured a monk with a book and a staff.

There are a lot of Munchausens! Since the 12th century, almost 1,300 people have gathered on the family tree, about 50 are alive today. There are a dozen and a half castles scattered throughout Lower Saxony that once belonged or belong today to members of this venerable family. And the family is truly respectable. In the 18th and 19th centuries, he gave eight persons the rank of ministers of different German states. There are also such bright personalities as the famous 16th-century land-sknecht Hilmar von Munchausen, who earned a lot of money with his sword to buy or rebuild half a dozen castles. Here is the founder of the University of Göttingen, Gerlach Adolf von Munchausen, and the botanist and agronomist Otto von Munchausen. There are half a dozen writers, and among them is the “first poet of the Third Reich” Berris von Munchausen, whose poems were chanted by Hitler Youth teenagers as they marched through the streets. And the whole world knows only one thing - Carl Hieronymus Friedrich von Munchausen, according to the genealogical table, number 701. And, probably, he would remain number 701, if during his lifetime two writers - R. E. Raspe and G. A. Burger - were not allowed around the world, either by what they heard from Munchausen, or by what they themselves invented funny stories, which for two centuries have brought a smile to a wide variety of people in all corners of the earth. If we keep in mind the literary hero, then he, in fact, is not German, but rather a citizen of the world; only his name speaks about his nationality.

The very first line in millions of books on which this name appears reads: “I left home for Russia in the middle of winter...” And millions of readers for the third century perceive Russia, according to his stories, as a country where “wolves devour horses as they run.” , where snow covers the ground up to the tops of churches and where a stream of urine freezes right in the air."

Hieronymus Carl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen was born on May 11, 1720 at the Bodenwerder estate near Hanover. His home now houses the mayor's office and a small museum. Karl was the fifth child among eight children in the family.

Two hundred and sixty-five years ago, a seventeen-year-old young man from Germany crossed the border of the Russian Empire. The young man was to serve as a page in the retinue of another noble guest of Russia - Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick. The rest of the pages refused to go to Russia - it was considered a distant, cold and wild country. They said that hungry wolves and bears were running along the streets of the cities. And the cold is such that words freeze, they are brought home in the form of ice, they thaw in the warmth, and then a speech sounds... “It’s better to freeze in Russia than to perish from boredom in the palace of the Duke of Brunswick!” - our hero reasoned. And in February 1738, the young Baron Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Munchausen arrived in St. Petersburg. Jerome had long since outgrown the short pants of a page; he dreamed of the glory of his ancestors. After all, the founder of their family was the knight Heino, who in the 12th century participated in a crusade under the banner of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Another of his ancestors, Hilmar von Munchausen, already in the sixteenth century, was a famous condottiere - commander of an army of mercenaries; The military booty was enough for him to build several castles in the Weser River valley. Well, the young man’s uncle, Gerlach Adolf von Munchausen, is a minister, founder and trustee of the University of Göttingen, the best in Europe...

Cute boy! He did not yet know what awaited him in Russia, he did not imagine that wolves and bears were not the most terrible inhabitants of the area. That words freezing in the cold are not the greatest miracle; he was to see the Ice Palace!.. In those years, Russia was ruled by Empress Anna Ioannovna, the niece of Peter I. She largely continued the work of her great uncle. But Anna despised the descendants of Peter and Catherine - after all, Catherine was from the “vile class”. The descendants of Ivan, Peter’s brother and co-ruler who died early, called Catherine “portomoy”, that is, a laundress, behind her back. This means that power should belong to the “Ivanovichs” and nothing more! But Anna Ioannovna herself did not have children; she was widowed early. Therefore, in order to transfer power along the Ivanovo line, Anna Ioannovna decided to marry her niece Anna Leopoldovna to some European prince and bequeath the throne to their child - her great-nephew. Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick was one of the possible suitors. He was a noble and educated young man, a knowledgeable and brave officer. But his matchmaking dragged on for almost seven years! Because Anton Ulrich, for all his merits, knew nothing about politics, did not know how to hide his feelings and weave intrigues. Well, there was plenty of intrigue: the all-powerful favorite of the Empress Biron, Field Marshal Minich, Chancellor Osterman, many other courtiers, foreign diplomats - everyone played “their own game,” entered into temporary alliances and betrayed yesterday’s friends. In this drama, young Munchausen turned out to be just an extra. He didn't know the "play" as a whole. He saw only a few characters and heard only some of their remarks. But even what he witnessed gave rise to a feeling of anxiety, of imminent disaster.

In 1738, von Munchausen smelled gunpowder for the first time. He accompanied Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick on a campaign against the Turks. At that time they fought only in the summer. In addition, the “theater of military operations” was located far to the south; it was necessary to cross half of Russia. The army marched through the steppes. The Crimean Tatars - allies of the Turks - set fire to the steppe grass; their flying cavalry detachments appeared from smoke and flame, like devils from the underworld, and attacked the columns and convoys of the Russians. There weren't enough troops clean water, food, ammunition... But, despite the hardships and dangers of the campaign, Munchausen decided: his place was in the army. For another six months, the young man performed the duties of a page: he accompanied Prince Anton Ulrich everywhere, attended receptions, balls and maneuvers with him. Once, at a parade in St. Petersburg, a soldier’s gun accidentally went off. And then the ramrod was kept in the barrel. Page Munchausen heard a shot, something whistled right next to his ear. The ramrod pierced the leg of Prince Anton Ulrich's horse like an arrow. The horse and rider fell onto the pavement. Fortunately, the prince was not injured. “You can’t make this up on purpose,” thought Munchausen. “There will be something to talk about at home...” Finally, after long and persistent requests, Prince Anton Ulrich released his page for military service. In 1739, Hieronymus von Munchausen entered the cuirassier regiment as a cornet.

Cuirassier regiments had recently appeared in the Russian cavalry. They could withstand both the light Turkish-Tatar cavalry and the heavy cavalry of the Europeans. Cuirassiers could “pierce” even an infantry square bristling with hundreds of bayonets. Because the cuirassiers wore a metal breastplate - a cuirass; their weapon in battle was a heavy broadsword. Only stout young men were recruited into the cuirassiers, and the horses were a match for them; they were bought abroad. A year later, Munchausen was already a lieutenant, commander of the first, consider it, guards company of the regiment. He turned out to be a smart officer and quickly got up to speed. The “noble and respectable lord lieutenant” takes care of the ordinary cuirassiers and horses, demands money from his superiors for fodder and ammunition, writes reports, compiles reports: “I humbly ask you to send a cornet to assist me, for... to keep men and horses clean alone It’s impossible to cope.” “In connection with the receipt of provisions and fodder for this month of February 741 for people and horses, two statements are attached.” “The fallen horse... was expelled and this messenger was informed about it in the form”... But there was no war for Lieutenant Munchausen. Russia made peace with the Turks, and during the Swedish campaign of 1741-1743 his company did not participate in hostilities. And without war, how can an officer advance in the ranks?

And soon trouble came to the Brunswick family. Events in St. Petersburg developed rapidly. Anton Ulrich and Anna Leopoldovna finally got married and had their first child, named Ivan. Empress Anna Ioannovna, shortly before her death, proclaimed him heir to the throne John III, and her favorite Biron as regent under him. But Biron couldn’t resist even a few months - everyone always hated him. The parents of the baby emperor hatched a conspiracy, Field Marshal Minikh arrested Biron. The emperor's mother Anna Leopoldovna herself became the “ruler of Russia” with her young son, and father Anton Ulrich received the title of generalissimo. Everything would be fine, but... Anna Leopoldovna was a useless ruler, and her husband, under ordinary circumstances, probably would not have risen above a colonel. Power in Russia was weaker than ever. And only those who were in power did not notice this.

And at this time, Tsarevna Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, lived as Cinderella at court. No, not a dirty woman, on the contrary: she was the first beauty and fashionista in Russia. But “Petrov’s daughter”, deprived of power, is a fate, perhaps, worse than an orphan’s lot. Maybe that’s why they loved her in the guards and pitied her among the people. In addition, Elisabeth - as she signed herself - never felt safe. The “Ivanovites” always wanted to get rid of her: to marry her to some foreign duke, for example, or to tonsure her as a nun. Unless they decided to finish him off. The clouds over the crown princess's head were thickening: it became known about her secret negotiations with the French envoy, and through him, with the Swedes. The matter smelled of treason! In the fall of 1741, an order was received for the guards to move out from St. Petersburg. This was not surprising - after all, the war with Sweden had begun. But Elizabeth was afraid that the guards were being taken away on purpose to make it easier to deal with them. The crown princess had no choice, she came to the barracks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and then, at the head of a detachment of 300 grenadiers, went to the Winter Palace - for power and the crown. The entire “Brunswick family” and its associates were sent first to the fortress, then into exile... For some time, noble prisoners were kept in Riga Castle. And Lieutenant Munchausen, who guarded Riga and the western borders of the empire, became the involuntary guard of his high patrons. The disgrace did not affect Munchausen (after all, he left his retinue on time), and, nevertheless, the lieutenant lost peace for a long time and became more careful in his words and actions. And he received the next rank - captain - only in 1750, moreover, the last of those presented for promotion. This was a bad sign: his military career was not going well, and there were no more patrons at the top.

But life and service went on as usual and brought many meetings and impressions. In 1744, two royal persons crossed the border of the Russian Empire: Princess Elizabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst and her daughter Sophia Frederica Augusta - the future Empress Catherine the Great. They were met by an honor guard of Russian cuirassiers, commanded by the stately lieutenant Baron von Munchausen. Eh, if the lieutenant had known that the future Empress Catherine the Great waved to him with a lily hand from the carriage window, he would probably have become even more dignified. And the princess mother wrote in her diary: “I very much praised the cuirassier regiment I saw, which is really extremely beautiful.” The young and sociable baron had many friends in St. Petersburg and Riga. One of them, the Baltic nobleman von Dunten, invited Munchausen to his estate for a hunt. The lieutenant shot a lot of game and was completely smitten - he fell in love with the owner's beautiful daughter Jacobina von Dunten. In the same year, 1744, Jerome and Jacobina got married in a local church. Having received the long-awaited rank of captain, Munchausen asked for a year's leave and left with his wife for Germany. He had to settle inheritance matters with his brothers. The Munchausens had two estates, Rinteln and Bodenwerder, and three brothers - go figure, divide them!.. The Baron extended his vacation for another year, but it expired, and the captain did not turn to the military authorities with a new petition. At this time, one of the brothers was killed in the war. The two remaining heirs simply cast lots - and soon Hieronymus Carl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen took legal possession of the family estate of Bodenwerder near Hanover, on the Weser River. That is, he returned as an owner to where he was born 32 years ago, on May 11, 1720. Returned from Russia as if from the Moon or the North Pole. After all, few returned from Russia: some died, while others remained to live there and became Russian Germans. Moreover, he left as a minor, and returned as a husband - literally and figuratively this word.

And at this time, a roll call took place in the cuirassier regiment. Where is Captain Munchausen? There is no Captain Munchausen. AND good reasons his absence does not exist either. And therefore, in 1754, Baron Munchausen, aka Minichhausin, aka Menechhausen (as the staff clerks distorted his name), was expelled from the regiment and the Russian army.

It would have been more profitable and honorable to retire, and Munchausen regretted his carelessness, but his belated requests remained unanswered. True, this did not prevent Munchausen from being recommended as a captain in the Russian Imperial Army until the end of his days. And the baron began to live as a master. At first, he put the neglected park in order, built a pavilion in fashionable style"grotto". But pretty soon Munchausen’s economic fervor faded, or maybe the money just ran out. It was impossible to live like a lord on the modest income from the estate. And finally, the baron became bored. After all, from a young age Munchausen was always in the center big company: Among peer pages or fellow officers. And now he found himself alone in his charming but provincial Bodenwerder, far from his former friends and relatives... Jerome and Jacobina von Munchausen loved each other, but God did not give them children. Perhaps the baron flourished only on the hunt - he was a passionate and skillful hunter. And at the halt, the neighboring landowners turned their ears: they sounded amazing stories Munchausen. He would like to tell the truth, and he had something to tell about his experience... But the faces of the listeners immediately became boring - what do they care about the fact that Munchausen spent almost fourteen years in Russia under two empresses and an infant emperor, witnessed rapid rises and crushing falls, conspiracies and coups, he himself barely escaped punishment... No, that’s not what his friends wanted to hear: “Is it true that Russians can live under the snow?” “That’s right,” Munchausen picked up. “One day I tied a horse to a peg and went to sleep right in the snow. In the morning I woke up already on the ground, and my horse was hanging on the cross of the bell tower. It turns out that the entire village was buried under snow, and in the morning it melted!..”

And off we go. Here, by the way, I remembered the ramrod-arrow (only in the baron’s story he pierced a flock of partridges), and many other incredible cases seen, heard, read and invented. The fame of Munchausen's stories quickly spread throughout the area, and then throughout Germany. It would seem, what was special about them? After all, before, various lies and tales were passed from mouth to mouth; some even ended up in magazines and books. And yet Munchausen’s stories were unique. A hero appeared in them, and this hero was created by the narrator from himself. The hero had the same name, the same title, the same biography as the author - a noble nobleman with an unusual fate. All this gave Munchausen’s inventions some credibility, and the narrator seemed to be playing “believe it or not” with the listener. Well, of course, these were funny stories that people laughed at with all their hearts. In addition, the baron turned out to be an excellent narrator and performer of his stories, like today's satirical writers who themselves read their works from the stage. Munchausen knew how, as they say, to capture the attention of the public. And not only his friends at a hunting rest stop, not only guests on his estate; he was not shy about a large audience. A contemporary from Göttingen recalled Munchausen’s performance in the restaurant of the King of Prussia Hotel: “He usually began to talk after dinner, lighting his huge meerschaum pipe with a short mouthpiece and placing a steaming glass of punch in front of him... He gesticulated more and more expressively, twirled his hands on his head his little smart wig, his face became more and more animated and red, and he, usually a very truthful person, at these moments wonderfully acted out his fantasies.” A very truthful person! Yes, it was Hieronymus Karl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen who was a truthful person, a man of word and honor. Besides - proud and hot-tempered. And so, imagine, the offensive, unfair nickname “lugenbaron” - the liar baron - stuck to him. Further - more: both “the king of liars” and “the liar of the lies of all liars”... Munchausen’s reputation especially suffered when his stories appeared in print.

In 1781, the first stories with a transparent signature “ Mister M-h-s-n"appeared in the magazine "Guide for Cheerful People." And a few years later, the German scientist and writer Rudolf Erich Raspe, forced to flee to England, remembered the tales of his fellow countryman and wrote a funny book “The Story of Baron Munchausen about his amazing travels and campaigns in Russia.” At the same time, Raspe remained anonymous, and the hero, on whose behalf the story is told, appeared before readers for the first time as an outright liar and braggart. The collection was published in 1785 and went through five editions in three years! The very next year, a book in German by the famous poet Gottfried August Burger appeared in Germany under the long title, in keeping with the fashion of the time, “Amazing Travels on Land and Sea, Military Campaigns and Merry Adventures of Baron von Munchausen, which he usually talks about over a bottle.” among his friends" (1786, 1788). The burgher returned Munchausen to Germany, supplemented the fantastic adventures with satire, and included new plots (for example, duck hunting with a piece of lard and string, rescue from a swamp, flying on a cannonball). And artistically, Burger’s book is, of course, more perfect. This is how another, fictional Munchausen appeared. This other completely obscured the real one, flesh and blood, and dealt blow after blow to his creator. Hieronymus von Munchausen was furious. He didn’t understand how it was possible to distort the meaning of his fantasies so much? He amused his listeners and amused himself at the same time. Yes, his hero fools the listener, but completely disinterestedly! And with all his exploits he affirms: there are no hopeless situations, just don’t despair, or, as the Russians say, we will live - we will not die!.. Meanwhile, it was popularity that played a cruel joke on the baron.

Munchausen's fantasies were perfectly understood by those for whom he composed them: family and friends, friends and neighbors, familiar writers and scientists - all people, as they say, were in his circle. But the “stories of M-h-z-na” very soon found their way among the burghers, artisans and peasants, and they perceived them a little differently. No, they laughed too, of course. Maybe even louder than the nobles. But, having laughed it off, they shook their heads: what a liar, and also a baron! It is a sin to lie, as both Mutter and Fatter, Mein Gott in heaven, and the pastor in the church taught from childhood. And who is lying and who is making things up - go figure, we have no time for subtleties. Let the barons reason, they have nothing more to do, and our brother from noble gentlemen only receives insults and oppression... To add insult to injury, Munchausen’s wife, Jacobina, with whom he lived in love and harmony for 46 years, died in 1790. The Baron felt completely alone. He was a widower for four years, and suddenly... How often does this word appear in his stories! But there the hero always makes the only right decision. And in life... His friend, retired Major von Brun, with his wife and daughter were visiting Munchausen’s estate. Munchausen really, well, just really liked young Bernardine von Brun. And the von Brun family liked the Munchausen estate more. The estate is small, four acres of land - but what land! On the banks of the “quiet Weser” you stick a stick in the ground and it will bloom. What about the house? It will stand for another three hundred years. (That’s right, it now houses the mayor’s office and a small Munchausen museum.) It’s even better that the owner is of advanced age: how long does he have left to make people laugh? It seems that only the baron himself did not notice - or did not want to notice - what everyone around him saw and understood. It was like an obsession: the boundary between reality and fantasy was erased, and the author imagined himself as the hero of his stories - forever young and indestructible... As one would expect, this marriage brought nothing but troubles to everyone. Bernardina, a true child of the “gallant age,” turned out to be flighty and wasteful. From the very beginning she neglected her marital duties, and the baron himself turned out to be... oh, old age is not a joy! Therefore, when Bernardina became pregnant, Munchausen refused to recognize the child as his own. A scandalous divorce process began, which completely ruined Munchausen.

He was no longer able to recover from the shocks he experienced.

The Baron was dying alone in an empty, cold house. Only his huntsman's widow, Frau Nolte, looked after him. One day she discovered that the baron was missing two toes and screamed in surprise. “Nothing! - the Baron reassured her. “They were bitten off by a Russian bear while hunting.” So, with the last joke - like a farewell sigh - on his lips, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich Baron von Munchausen died. This happened on February 22, 1797. His debts were paid only by the second generation of heirs. But he left behind the immortal Munchausen - a comedy created at the cost of personal drama. This - different - Munchausen, during the lifetime of his creator, set off on an endless journey across borders and centuries: now riding half a horse, now in the belly of a monstrous fish, now riding a cannonball. He returned to Russia - where he began his journey. real baron Munchausen and without whom his amazing stories would not have existed. But that's a completely different story.

The baron was buried in the Munchausen family crypt in the village of Kemnade, near Bodenwerder. In the church book he is called a “retired Russian captain.” Centuries later, the floors and crypt were opened in the church, and they wanted to transfer the remains buried there to the cemetery. An eyewitness (the future writer Karl Hensel), who was then still a boy, described his impressions this way: “When the coffin was opened, the men’s tools fell out of their hands. In the coffin lay not a skeleton, but a sleeping man with hair, skin and a recognizable face: Hieronymus von Munchausen "A wide, round, kind face with a protruding nose and a slightly smiling mouth. No scars, no mustache." A gust of wind swept through the church. And the body instantly disintegrated into dust. “Instead of a face there was a skull, instead of a body there were bones.” The coffin was closed and did not move to another place.

Well, for us, of course, it’s like this:

An intelligent face is not a sign of a gentleman's intelligence. All stupid things on earth are done with this facial expression. Smile gentlemen, smile. (With)

Name: Baron Munchhausen

A country: Germany

Creator: Rudolf Erich Raspe

Activity: military

Family status: married

Baron Munchausen: character history

The biography of the German baron with the difficult-to-pronounce surname Munchausen is full of unprecedented adventures. The man flew to the moon, visited the stomach of a fish, and fled from the Turkish Sultan. And the main thing is that all this actually happened. This is what Baron Munchausen personally says. It is not surprising that the thoughts of an experienced traveler instantly turn into aphorisms.

History of creation

The author of the first stories about the adventures of Baron Munchausen is Baron Munchausen himself. Few people know that the nobleman actually existed. Karl Friedrich was born into the family of Colonel Otto von Munchausen. At the age of 15, the young man went to military service, and after retiring, he spent his evenings telling tales:

“He usually began his story after dinner, lighting a huge meerschaum pipe with a short stem and placing a steaming glass of punch in front of him.”

The man was collecting own home neighbors and friends, sat down in front of a blazing fireplace and acted out scenes from the adventures he had experienced. Sometimes the baron added small details to plausible stories to interest listeners.

Later, a couple of such tales were published anonymously in the collections “Der Sonderling” (“The Fool”) and “Vademecum fur lustige Leute” (“Guide to Merry People”). The stories are signed with Munchausen's initials, but the man did not confirm his own authorship. Fame among local residents grew. Now the King of Prussia Hotel has become a favorite place for conversations with listeners. It was there that the writer Rudolf Erich Raspe heard the stories of the cheerful baron.

In 1786, the book “Baron Munchausen’s Narrative of His Wonderful Travels and Campaigns in Russia” was published. To add spice, Raspe inserted more nonsense into the baron's original stories. The work was published in English.

In the same year, Gottfried Bürger - a German translator - published his version of the baron's exploits, adding more satire to the translated narrative. The main idea of ​​the book has changed dramatically. Now the adventures of Munchausen have ceased to be just fables, but have acquired a bright satirical and political connotation.

Although Burger’s creation “The Amazing Travels of Baron von Munchausen on Water and on Land, Hikes and Fun Adventures, as He Usually Talked about them Over a Bottle of Wine with His Friends” was published anonymously, the real Baron guessed who made his name famous:

“University Professor Burger disgraced me throughout Europe.”

Biography

Baron Munchausen grew up in a large, titled family. Almost nothing is known about the man’s parents. The mother was involved in raising her offspring, the father had a high military rank. In his youth, the baron left his home and went in search of adventure.

The young man took on the duties of a page under the German Duke. As part of the retinue of an eminent nobleman, Friedrich ended up in Russia. Already on the way to St. Petersburg, all sorts of troubles awaited the young man.

The baron's winter trip dragged on, night was already approaching. Everything was covered with snow and there were no villages nearby. The young man tied his horse to a tree stump, and in the morning he found himself in the middle of the city square. The horse was hanging, tied to the cross of the local church. However, troubles regularly happened to the baron's faithful horse.

Having served at the Russian court, the attractive nobleman went to Russian-Turkish War. To find out about the enemy's plans and count the cannons, the baron made the famous flight riding on a cannonball. The shell turned out to be not the most convenient means of transportation and fell along with the hero into the swamp. The Baron was not used to waiting for help, so he pulled himself out by the hair.

“Lord, how tired I am of you! Understand that Munchausen is famous not because he flew or didn’t fly, but because he didn’t lie.”

The fearless Munghausen fought the enemies sparing no effort, but was still captured. The imprisonment did not last long. After his release, the man went on a trip around the world. The hero visited India, Italy, America and England.

In Lithuania, the baron met a girl named Jacobina. The charming woman charmed the brave soldier. The young people got married and returned to Munchausen’s homeland. Now the man spends his free time on his own estate, devoting a lot of time to hunting and sitting by the burning fireplace, and is happy to tell anyone about his tricks.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Often funny situations happen to a man while hunting. The Baron does not spend time preparing for the campaign, so he regularly forgets to replenish his supply of bullets. One day the hero went to a pond inhabited by ducks, and the weapon was unsuitable for shooting. The hero caught the birds with a piece of lard and tied the game to each other. When the ducks soared into the sky, they easily lifted the baron and carried the man home.

While traveling around Russia, the baron saw a strange beast. While hunting in the forest, Munchausen came across an eight-legged hare. The hero chased the animal around the neighborhood for three days until he shot the animal. The hare had four legs on his back and stomach, so he did not get tired for a long time. The animal simply rolled over onto its other paws and continued running.

The baron's friends know that Munchausen visited all corners of the Earth and even visited the planet's satellite. The flight to the moon took place during Turkish captivity. Accidentally throwing a hatchet onto the surface of the Moon, the hero climbed a stalk of chickpeas and found it lost in a haystack. It was more difficult to go back down - the pea stalk withered in the sun. But the dangerous feat ended in another victory for the baron.

Before returning home, the man was attacked by a bear. Munchausen squeezed the clubfoot with his hands and kept the animal for three days. The man's steel hug caused his paws to break. The bear died of hunger because he had nothing to suck. From this moment on, all local bears avoid the harrow.

Munchausen had incredible adventures everywhere. Moreover, the hero himself perfectly understood the reason for this phenomenon:

“It’s not my fault if such wonders happen to me that have never happened to anyone else. This is because I love to travel and am always looking for adventure, while you sit at home and see nothing but the four walls of your room.”

Film adaptations

The first film about the adventures of the fearless baron was released in France in 1911. The painting, entitled “Hallucinations of Baron Munchausen,” lasts 10.5 minutes.

Because of his originality and colorfulness, the character was liked by Soviet filmmakers and animators. Four cartoons about the baron were released, but the 1973 series won great love among viewers. The cartoon consists of 5 episodes, which are based on the book by Rudolf Raspe. Quotes from the animated series are still in use.

In 1979, the film “That Same Munchausen” was released. The film tells the story of the baron's divorce from his first wife and his attempts to tie the knot with his longtime lover. The main characters differ from the book prototypes; the film is a free interpretation of the original work. The image of the baron was brought to life by an actor, and his beloved Martha was played by an actress.

Films about the exploits of a military man, traveler, hunter and moon conqueror were also filmed in Germany, Czechoslovakia and Great Britain. For example, in 2012 the two-part film “Baron Munchausen” was released. the main role went to actor Jan Josef Liefers.

• Munchausen means “house of the monk” in German.
• In the book, the hero is presented as a dry, unattractive old man, but in his youth Munchausen had impressive appearance. The mother of Catherine the Second mentioned the charming baron in her personal diary.
• The real Munchausen died in poverty. The fame that overtook the man thanks to the book did not help the baron in his personal life. The nobleman's second wife squandered the family fortune.

Quotes and aphorisms from the film “That Same Munchausen”

“After the wedding, we immediately went on a honeymoon: I went to Turkey, my wife went to Switzerland. And they lived there for three years in love and harmony.”

“I understand what your problem is. You are too serious. All the stupid things on earth are done with this facial expression... Smile, gentlemen, smile!”

“All love is legitimate if it is love!”

“A year ago, in these very regions, can you imagine, I met a deer. I raise my gun - it turns out there are no cartridges. There is nothing but cherries. I load my gun with a cherry pit, ugh! - I shoot and hit the deer in the forehead. He runs away. And this spring, in these very regions, imagine, I meet my handsome deer, on whose head a luxurious cherry tree grows.”

“Are you waiting for me, dear? Sorry... Newton delayed me."