When Gustav II Adolf enters the war that was to be called the Thirty Years’ War in 1630, Sweden is more powerful than ever before. The Danish, the Poles and the Russians had been beaten in the Baltic and now its forceful army makes it a European superpower. The king of Sweden had initially been perceived as their saviour and protector by the Protestants, now they sing a new song when he approaches: "Pray my darling, pray – the Swede’s not far away!" His death on the battlefield of Lützen completes the "Lion from the North’s" transition into a martyr of the Protestant faith. Our excursion, following the traces of this charismatic and contradictory leader, takes us to:

• Gustav-Adolf-Museum in the Geleithaus (House of Protective Escort) in Weißenfels, a large diorama with 10,000 tin soldiers demonstrating the battle of Lützen
• the impressive old village church in Meuchen where the corps of the king was first laid out after the battle
• Lützen and the Thirty Years’ War exhibition in the Palace Museum and to the Gustav-Adolf-Memorial-Chapel, which serves as venue for a concert.

An event jointly organized by Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci and URANIA "Wilhelm Foerster" Potsdam e.V.
Kindly supported by Gustav-Adolf-Gedenkstätte Lützen.