The Wesel Citadel is the largest undamaged fortification system in the Rhine region, built from 1688 to 1722 in Wesel according to the design of Johan de Corbain. It has the shape of a pentagonal star, with each point representing a bastion.

In this fortress, Mikhail Lomonosov served as a soldier in the Prussian army. For three years, he lived in Prussia, in the city of Marburg, where he studied chemistry, mechanics, hydraulics, hydrostatics, aerometry, and theoretical physics.

After three years, Lomonosov went to Freiburg to continue his studies, but due to a conflict with his mentor, he decided to finish his education abroad and return to Russia.

He planned to reach Russia through the Netherlands, a route that passed through the territories of King Frederick William I of Prussia. In the Düsseldorf area, Mikhail Vasilyevich met Prussian soldiers at an inn, where he learned that they were recruiting soldiers for the royal army by any means possible.

One of the officers, eager to enlist Lomonosov, invited him to dinner with wine. As a result, Lomonosov got drunk and, upon waking, found himself in a barracks with Prussian money in his pocket.

He was informed that the day before he had voluntarily joined the army of the Prussian king. The former student became a reitar and realized that the only way out would be to escape.

At that time, desertion was strictly punished, even with the death penalty. Lomonosov had to wait several weeks for a suitable moment to escape while serving in the Wesel fortress. To avoid raising suspicion, he behaved like an exemplary soldier.

One night, he had the chance to flee. Thanks to his physical strength, he swam across the fortress moat. However, he could not immediately return to Russia. For several months, he wandered through Europe and returned home only in the summer of 1741.