The military and political crisis of Prussia in 1806-1807 as reflected in the sermons of the Potsdam preacher Rulemann Friedrich Eylert

The article analyzes the sermons of the Prussian protestant preacher Rulemann Friedrich Eylert delivered by him between 1806 and 1810. The question of the influence of the Prussian military defeat in 1806-1807 on Eylert’s sermons is raised. Special attention is paid to the stylistic elements and patterns of Eylert’s art of preaching especially in respect to his descriptions of war and its fatal consequences. The main objective of Eylert as church minister was to explain to his congregation the reasons for the catastrophe of 1806-1807 from religious point of view and outline the ways out of this predicament. The author points out to three groups of reasons for Prussia’s defeat: religious, moral and social ones. The conclusion can be drawn that the Potsdam pastor considered the rejection of the irreligious ideas of the Enlightenment, the return to the true Christian faith and the moral renewal of the Prussian society as a primary condition for Prussia’s revival.