German village remembers Prussia's Scottish general

By Dave Graham

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German village was on Saturday unveiling a monument to the Scottish-born Prussian Field Marshall James Keith, in a rare act of remembrance in a country that has spend decades distancing itself from its military past.

Keith, a rebel exile who once governed Ukraine, Finland and Berlin, died in the battle of Hochkirch on October 14, 1758 fighting for Frederick the Great during the Seven Years War.

To mark the 250th anniversary of the battle and his death, the small village near the Polish border dedicated a memorial stone outside its baroque church to Keith, who remains a relatively obscure figure in his homeland to this day.

The unveiling of the granite monument is an unusual step in Germany, where there have been almost no such honourings of military heroes since the Nazi invasions in World War Two.

"Aside from (Frederick's brother) Prince Henry in 2002, I can't think of any other Prussian or German military figures," said Juergen Luh, a historian at the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation for Berlin and Brandenburg.

"Of course in this instance, it's easier because they're commemorating a Scot, not a Prussian. But Germany is beginning to examine its history more closely again," he added.

A native of Peterhead near Aberdeen, Keith was forced to flee his homeland in 1715 at the age of 19 after taking part in an abortive Jacobite rising in support of James Stuart, son of the deposed King James II and pretender to the British throne.

As Europeans struggle to unite in response to the global financial crisis, Hochkirch mayor Norbert Wolf said remembering Keith was a timely reminder of the continent's shared ties.  Continued...