Hanne is from Leipzig and I noticed she was born in July 1945, weeks after the end of the Second World War. Leipzig was a part of East Germany so the Soviets controlled it. What a rough start to life it would have been for her and her family.
Today she has four daughters and 8 grandchildren. Her user name is elefant45 because she loves to collect elephant figurines.
The card she sent is of August der Starke, aka Augustus the Strong. He was the Elector of Saxony from 1694-1733, as well at the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697-1706 and again from 1709 to his death. He earned the nickname Augustus the Strong because of his physical strength. He would show off by breaking horseshoes in half and engaging in fox tossing. The fox was tossed in the air by a sling and Augustus would hold his end with one finger, while two other strong men would hold the other end.
One of things he is remembered for is being a great patron of the arts and architecture in Dresden, the capitol of Saxony. He transformed Dresden into a major cultural centre, and attracted artists from across Europe. He also amassed an impressive art collection and build lavish baroque palaces in Dresden and Warsaw.
Augustus was also known for being a womanizer and spent a great deal of time with a series of mistresses. Some sources say Augustus sired between 365 to 382 children. His wife refused to move to Poland with her husband and spent her time in the mansion in Pretzsch of the Elbe where she died.
Augustus III, Augustus' only legitimate son, took his throne upon his father's death in 1733.
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