Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
publication date: Thursday, October 5, 2023 (part of October 2023)
category: 
Military
clue: If this Prussian military genius hadn't been rejected by various European armies for being gay, he might not have served so influentially in the American revolution and enabled the freedoms that we enjoy today, a quirk of history celebrated annually on the streets of Chicago (and once by Ferris Bueller).
explanation: Baron von Steuben served with distinction in several European armies until he was rejected from each, which some historians believe was due to his open homosexuality. He was eventually hired by George Washington to train the American revolutionary army, enabling their accomplishments against a much better funded foe. Among the memorials to him are Chicago's annual Von Steuben Day Parade, which was filmed for a scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. more…
intended difficulty: medium
solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, and Chris Lemler
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