Karl Friedrich Hieronymus Freiherr von Münchhausen was known as “the Baron of lies”. He initially served as a page to a German Prince, and later as a cornet, lieutenant and cavalry captain with a Russian regiment. In 1760 he retired to his estates as a country gentleman and probably thought he'd be leading a nice and cosy retirement.
Then a collection of outrageous tales appeared anonymously, such as the Baron flying on cannonballs in the air (shown on stamp), all of them attributed to the Baron. They were written in a small volume in London in 1785: Baron Munchhausens Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia by Rudolf Erice Raspe. The book was a great success and the second edition was translated into German in 1786. Twelve years later it was further extended and exaggerated with eight stories by the poet Godfried Bürger and soon became a truly popular book.
The real-life Münchhausen was deeply upset at the development of a fictional character bearing his name, and threatened legal proceedings against Bürger. However, the case was thrown out, as the judge stated that Bürger had merely translated the work of an author in England, and therefore was not at fault for any damage to Münchausen’s reputation.
From that time on, the Baron knew no rest. He had been ridiculed and accused of lying, and had to hire servants to chase away gawkers from his estate with sticks, curious fans hoping to get a glimpse of "the Baron of lies’.
It has been reported that the Baron suffered greatly from his new reputation of being insane, dying alone and childless in his home town of Bodenwerder.
Fascinating story! Stamp was on the very first postcard I received through Postcrossing, from Heike.
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