Friedrich Christian Laukhard

Friedrich Christian Laukhard was a German novelist, philosopher, historian and theologian. From 1783 to 1794 he volunteered in the Prussian army as a musketeer. During the War of the first coalition his regiment campaigned in Valmy. Laukhards military diary is of great interest for historical research on the Prussian army and the French revolutionary wars. Due to his licentious and extrovert lifestyle, Magister Laukhard soon became a notorious figure.

Laukhard was born in Wendelsheim where his father Philipp Burkhard Laukhard served as pastor. He was trained in Latin, Hebrew and Philosophy from an early age. Laukhards father, himself a Pantheist, was a great admirer of Christian von Wolff and Baruch Spinoza, always encouraging Laukhard to query canonical dogmata to become a freethinker. Though his intellectual breeding was highly excitatory, his parents completely disregarded any further educational surveillance. As a result, Laukhard got in bad company and became an alcoholic in early years.

Source: Wikipedia