The Keys of Diplomacy. The encrypted correspondence of Saxon-Polish Ministers Wackerbarth and Flemming 1700-1720.

Abstract

In the Great Northern War (1700-21), the two most important ministers of August II of Poland, Count of Flemming and Count of Wackerbarth, regularly exchanged reports and communications. Several passages of their correspondence are encrypted. Based on examples from the years 1700, 1706, 1715, 1717, and 1720s, this paper presents tentative results of the first phase of a project aimed at analyzing the entire correspondence from 1698 to 1728. Key questions concern differences in the structure of the ciphers and the efforts involved in decryption. New research perspectives are outlined, such as how ciphers are reused and how cryptography and steganography were combined. The examination of encrypted passages provides insights beyond the facade of 'August the Strong’.