The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume I / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

The first Place of any Importance is Crossen. This City is the Capital of the Dutchy from whence it has its Name, which formerly made a Part of Silesia, but is now annex'd to the Electorate of Brandenburgh. There's a Bridge at Crossen, by which we pass the River Oder, defended by Fortifications. The Town is situate in a pleasant fruitful Country. The Houses, which are all of Brick, are uniform, and the Streets as strait as a Line. The chief of them

terminate in a great Square in the middle of the Town, where there is a Statue of the King of Prussia. The River Oder is of great advantage to the Commerce of Crossen, which carries on a considerable Trade in Linnen-Cloth and Earthen Ware.

Going out of Crossen, we pass this River by a Bridge, as we do a second time over to Francfort, a considerable City of the Marquisate of Brandenbourg, famous for its Fairs, and its University. This City has stood the Shock of various Revolutions. It was put under the Ban of the Empire by the Emperor Charles IV. for having disobey'd his Orders; and the Inhabitants to make him easy were forc'd to pay him down 12000 Marks of Silver, which at that time was an immense Sum. In 1631 the Swedes besieg'd and took it by Storm, when they put all the Inhabitants to the Sword in reprisal for the Massacre of 2000 Swedes, whom the Emperor's General Count Tilly had inhumanly put to death in the City of Brandenbourg. By the Peace of Munster, or Westphalia, which establish'd the Tranquility of the Empire, Francfort was restor'd to the Elector of Brandenbourg its lawful Sovereign.

Here is a University founded by Joachim I. (Margrave of Brandenbourg) in 1506, which is very much frequented by the Silesians, and by the Hungarian Protestants.

There are two Fairs a Year at Francfort, which render it a trading City, and its Commerce consists in Linnen-Cloth, and Fells.

'Tis ten Miles from Francfort to Berlin, and a flat sandy Country. The Road leads thro' Munchenbourg, a little Town chiefly inhabited by the Descendants of French Men, who left their Country upon the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

The nearer one comes to the Capital of Brandenbourg, the more sandy is the Soil, yet the Country produces plenty of Corn and Fruits.

Berlin is the common Residence of the King of Prussia, and one of the largest, best built, and best govern'd Cities in all Germany. The Streets are spacious, strait, neat and well pav'd. The Situation is advantageous; for tho' it lies in a very sandy Soil, yet it is encompass'd with agreeable Gardens producing Fruits and excellent Pulse, and its Commerce is much improv'd by the River Spree; which passes thro' the City, and has a Communication with the Havel, the Oder, and the Elbe.

The French, who for the sake of Religion became Refugees, have contributed in an extraordinary manner to the Establishment and Aggrandisement of Berlin, by the establishing of all sorts of Manufactures, and the introducing of Arts into it; and it may be said of them, that they have omitted nothing to testify their Gratitude to the Elector Frederic-William and his Posterity, for the generous Reception which he gave them in his Dominions.