Vademecum für lustige Leute

work attributed to Münchhausen

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July 14, 2026

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The Vademecum für lustige Leute (1781–83), meaning "Manual for Merry People," is a collection of tales attributed to Baron Munchausen. While the baron was a real Hanoverian storyteller famous for his extraordinary tales, many of the stories in the Vademecum originated from earlier sources.1

Baron Munchausen (born May 11, 1720, Bodenwerder, Germany—died February 22, 1797, Bodenwerder) served in the Russian army and later retired to his estates, where he became known for his captivating stories. The Vademecum was an early publication featuring these tales, though it was Rudolf Erich Raspe's 1785 London publication, Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia, that truly launched Munchausen as a type of tall-story teller.1

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Baron Münchhausen
…of such tales appeared in Vademecum für lustige Leute (1781–83; “Manual for Merry People”), all of them attributed to the baron, though several can be traced to much earlier sources.
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…of such tales appeared in Vademecum für lustige Leute (1781–83; “Manual for Merry People”), all of them attributed to the baron, though several can be traced to much earlier sources.
Read More