12/11/2026
The ”Great Battle of the Nations” took place near Leipzig in October 1813. Represented as the kings in the deck are the Emperor of Austria, the Tsar of Russia, the King of Prussia, and—as the King of Bells—the Swedish Crown Prince, Karl Johan. The Crown Prince led the Northern Coalition; formerly a French Marshal, he had since switched sides. The ”Grand Alliance” won the battle against Napoleon, who was forced to retreat across the Rhine before his final defeat in France. It is estimated that 90,000 people lost their lives in this battle.
The deck was published around 1820 by C. H. Zoelcke in Leipzig, a firm that produced playing cards between 1819 and 1839. This is a high-quality facsimile edition, printed in Altenburg in 1988.
Die große Völkerschlacht, Nationernas slag, vid Leipzig i oktober 1813. Som der herz-König ser vi Österrikes kejsare, som der grüne König Rysslands tsar, der eicheln König kungen av Preussen och som schellen König Sveriges kronprins Karl Johan. Kronprinsen ledde nordkoalitionen. Tidigare var han en fransk marskalk, men hade nu bytt sida. ”Den sköna alliansen” vann slaget mot Napoleon, som fick dra sig tillbaka över Rhen för att sedan slutgiltigt besegras i Frankrike. Man räknar med att 90 000 människor miste livet i detta slag.
Kortleken gavs ut ca 1820 av C H Zoelcke i Leipzig. Firman producerade spelkort mellan 1819-1839. Detta är en förstklassig facsimileutgåva, tryckt i Altenburg 1988.