Peter Hagendorf

Peter Hagendorf was a real person who lived a super long time ago, way back when knights and castles were still around! He was a soldier, but not just any soldier. He was a mercenary, which means he fought for different armies. What makes Peter so special is that he wrote down all his thoughts and what he saw in a diary. It's like he was telling us a story from the past!

Peter lived during a time called the Thirty Years' War. This was a really big and long war that happened in Europe. He was a 'Landsknecht,' which was a type of soldier. Think of him as a brave explorer, but instead of finding new lands, he was exploring what life was like for soldiers in those olden days. His diary helps us understand what it was like to be a regular person in the army.

Why is Peter's diary so cool? Because it's like a secret window into history! Most of what we know about wars comes from kings and generals, but Peter's diary is from the point of view of a regular soldier. He tells us about his everyday life, the food he ate, and the things he saw. It's like reading a secret message from someone who lived hundreds of years ago!

Scientists think the Peter who wrote the diary was a man named Peter Hagendorf who was the first principal of a place called Görzke. He was born around 1601 or 1602, which is over 400 years ago! He lived to be 77 years old. So, he was a real person with a real life, and his diary is a treasure that helps us learn about history.