Hans Hermann von Katte: February 28, 1704 – November 6, 1730
Hans Hermann von Katte was a Lieutenant of the Prussian Army and close friend and possibly lover of the future Frederick II of Prussia, then the Crown Prince. He was executed by Frederick's father King Frederick William I of Prussia when Frederick plotted to escape from the Kingdom of Prussia to the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Some believe that Frederick was fleeing to Great Britain where he would defect to the service of George II of Great Britain (Frederick's maternal uncle) and possibly return to Prussia to depose Frederick William.
Timeline
Chronology of comment in U.S. publications on the subject of von Katte's sexual orientation. Latest to earliest:
Help OutHistory research the comment on von Katte.
2009
Jones, Randy, and Mark Ego. Macho man: the disco era and gay America's "coming out". von Katte: Page 14
- When Prince Frederick realized that this love affair with Borcke was not going to work out, he turned his desires toward the son of a Prussian General. The young man, Hans Hermann von Katte, was six years older than the Prince, ...
2005
Nickels, Thom. Out In History: Collected Essays - von Katte: Page 177
- Tired of his father's manipulation and beatings, Frederick tried to escape to England with two friends, his lover, Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte and a boy named Keith. Only Keith managed to escape, but von Katte and Frederick were....
2006
Benemann, William. Male-male intimacy in early America: beyond romantic friendships. von Katte: Page 31
- He attempted to separate Frederick from his close friend Hans Hermann von Katte, who was popularly believed to be a sodomite. Unable to bear the humiliations his father constantly heaped on him, Prince Frederick at the age of eighteen....
Gaines, James R. Evening in the Palace of Reason: Bach Meets Frederick the Great in ... von Katte: Page 102
- He was abetted in this and later such plans by a new friend, Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte. ... One of the king's Tobacco College chums said Frederick and Katte acted like lovers with each other, and Wilhelmina also suspected that...
Walton, Stuart. A Natural History of Human Emotions - von Katte: Page 34
- His friend and supporter in the plot, a twenty-five-year-old lieutenant named Hans Hermann von Katte, was jailed with him. They were almost certainly lovers, and it must have been intolerable for Fritz to be forced to watch from the....
2005
Shilts, Randy. Conduct unbecoming: gays and lesbians in the U.S. military. von Katte: Page 7
- When he had attempted to escape his father's public beatings by running off to England with his lover, Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte, the son of an important Prussian general, King Frederick William had both his son and his lover....
2001
Camille, Michael, and Adrian Rifkin. Other objects of desire: collectors and collecting queerly. von Katte: Page 71
- ....'Katte affair', which occurred when, in 1730, Frederick tried to flee to England with his lover Hans Herrmann von Katte. The two were caught and both were sentenced to death for treason. The sentence of Frederick, as crown prince,....
MacDonogh, Giles. Frederick the Great: A Life in Deed and Letters. von Katte: Page 49
- His other favourite was Hans Hermann von Katte: eight years Frederick's senior and a Francke man.He was an officer in the elite Gensd'armes ... According to Pollnitz, Frederick 'carried on with him like a lover with his mistress'....
1986
Asprey, Robert B. Frederick the Great: the magnificent enigma
- Photo: Deutsche Fotothek, Dresden) 37 Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte, Frederick's lover and friend....
1981
Andrews, Wayne. Voltaire. von Katte: Page 45
- "He thought he was in love with her," Voltaire remarked, "but he was wrong. He had no vocation for the other sex. ... The other, Hans Hermann von Katte, was apprehended, kicked and caned by His Majesty, and after being court- martialed,....
1980
Mitchell, Otis C. A concise history of Brandenburg-Prussia to 1786
- This suggestion derives in part from his relationship with Hans Hermann von Katte, a lieutenant in the Potsdam guards ... The rumor probably springs from Frederick's life-long inability to love any woman and his tendencies to bar them....
1970
Nelson, Walter Henry. The soldier kings: the house of Hohenzollern
- that Frederick the Great was probably a homosexual derives in part from his relation with Hans Hermann von Katte, ... Its proponents cite for confirmation not only the prince's declared "love" of Katte, but also his later inability....
1931
Ausubel, Nathan. Superman: the life of Frederick the Great
- Lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte, now twenty-four years old, was united to Frederick by all the sentimental and altruistic ... To Frederick he brought, besides the wealth of his love and devotion and the eagerness to share with him the....
1929
Goldsmith, Margaret Leland. Frederick the Great
- This time it was Captain Hans Hermann von Katte, a young Prussian officer about six years his senior. ... had been a mere episode, but his friendship with Katte was not a schoolboy's passing fancy ; it was deep love and friendship....
1919
The Encyclopedia Americana: a library of universal knowledge: Volume 16. von Katte: Page 317
- KATTE, Hans Hermann von, an historically notable friend of Frederick the Great: b. 1704; d. 1730. He was very much attached to....
1905
Gilman, Daniel Coit, Harry Thurston Peck, and Frank Moore Colby, eds. The new international encyclopaedia: Volume 11. von Katte: Page 412
- KATTE, kat'te, Hans Hermann von (1704- 30). A friend of Frederick the Great while he was Crown Prince. He became known for his refusal to obey the King's order that he should nave nothing more to do with the young Crown Prince,...
