[de] [eo] [fr] [es] [nl] [rus]

Munchausen
The ride on the cannonball

... A Thank You ...

In reproducing this story, I would like to thank all those
who helped me to take a look
behind the scenes,
- behind the scenes of politics, the media, modern wars,
of neo-liberalism,
religions.
Many gained their insights in an unusual, sometimes adventurous
sometimes adventurous way,
almost comparable to the "ride on the cannonball"
of
Hieronymus Carl Friedrich von Münchhausen
called the "Liar Baron".


1



Fortress - citadelo 'Königstein' - Saxony


So here is the story:

"The Ride on the Cannonball".


In war, men of quick decision are valued.
In all modesty, I believe
I think I can boast of this quality.
When I have made up my mind,
I always carry out my intention,
no matter how dangerous.

Yes, to be truthful,
I once regretted an ill-considered idea.
We were besieging a town
- I've forgotten which town it was because of all the sieges...
and our field marshal was so anxious to know..,
how things were in the fortress.
All attempts to get through outposts and guards
through the trenches and wire entanglements...
failed.
Every scout returned without success,
if the Turks had not intercepted him.
Finally, we had no one left
to whom we could have entrusted this delicate task.
It seemed as if we were to lie forever before the Turkish bulwark.

I thought:
On earth, we'll never be able
on earth, that's for sure.
But who says that we have to crawl into the city like a worm?
In the air, there are no enemy posts..,
no trenches, no wire entanglements.
One would have to try..,
to enter the Turkish city through the air!

2


War or peace - paco aŭ milito

When these thoughts crossed my mind,
I was standing next to one of our biggest cannons..,
which was firing into the city.
The gunner had just lit the fuse,
and without a moment's thought.
- it would have been too late -
I jumped at the bullet..,
that whizzed out of the barrel.
It all happened so fast
that I can no longer say exactly
how I came to sit on the ball,
but in one breath I was flying through the air
I was flying through the air in a steep arc
in the direction of the enemy city.
Although it was not easy for me,
on the hurtling sphere.
on the hurtling sphere,
I took a good look at the area from above.
and memorised all the details.
It could only be an advantage in an attack on the city.

3



Münchhausen - Ride on the cannonball

During the whizzing flight
I had grave misgivings.
You can get in easily,
I said to myself,
but how will you get out?
How will you fare in the fortress?
You'll be recognised as an enemy by your uniform...
and hang you from the nearest gallows.

These thoughts troubled me very much.
I would have liked to reverse my somewhat hasty decision.
But how?
At that moment
my ball inclined downwards towards the fortress,
and there I saw
another bullet rising,
which the enemy was firing towards our camp.
It should have passed me by only a metre, I estimated.
And right it was!
When it came close, I swung myself over onto it...
and arrived safe and sound
with my hussars.

4




Here was Napoleon


Photos at Königstein Fortress/Saxony
by Albert Jäger


Text and pictures from the book by
Gottfried August Bürger: Münchhausen
Edited by Maria Pacolt - illustrated by Ernst Pacolt - published by Gustav Svoboda&Bruder Vienna VII edition - year of publication not stated