Guards on Tempelhof field parade before the elderly Frederick II – “Old Fritz” [der alte Fritz], as he had come to be known by admirers and respectful subjects. The king’s engagement in all aspects of government during his forty-six year reign embodied the Prussian virtues of devotion to duty and public service. Frederick called the king “the first servant of the state,” underscoring the ruler’s obligation to advance state interests over his own personal welfare.