The Disturbing Truth About The Time Prussia Tried To Create An Army Of Giants

King Frederick William I got a jump start on his regiment by rounding up every tall-statured man in Prussia and then the German states, as reported by Walter Nelson's "The Soldier Kings: The House of Hohenzollern."The regiment initially contained 1,200 men. But Frederick William had a much grander vision for his decorative unit, and it

King Frederick William I got a jump start on his regiment by rounding up every tall-statured man in Prussia and then the German states, as reported by Walter Nelson's "The Soldier Kings: The House of Hohenzollern." The regiment initially contained 1,200 men. But Frederick William had a much grander vision for his decorative unit, and it involved swelling the ranks three to four times.

As a result, the unit eventually expanded to 4,000 members, representing an international collection of tall men from all over Europe as well as Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They included the loftiest soldiers from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, England, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Sweden, Denmark, and Ethiopia, among other countries.

This international hodgepodge of individuals found their way into the unit through various means, as reported by War History Online. While some volunteered, others were compelled into service or even kidnapped. No method proved too low, criminal, or outlandish to recruit for the king's regiment. As the hunt for giants became well-publicized, the price for ascertaining them increased. Despite the king's frugal reputation, he spared no expense when it came to amassing his super-tall soldiers.  

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