**Where were the Prussian soldiers drilling?**

In the story "The Last Lesson" by Alphonse Daudet, the Prussian soldiers were drilling in the playground of the little village school in Alsace, a province in France. The school was located in a small village called "Herr Fischer's house" in the northeastern part of France.

**What surprised little Franz the most?**

The little Franz was surprised to see the Prussian soldiers drilling in the playground of his school. He had always known the playground as a place of joy and laughter, where he and his classmates used to play games during their breaks. However, on that particular day, the playground was filled with Prussian soldiers marching and drilling in a precise and disciplined manner.

This sight was shocking to Franz because it symbolized the loss of his freedom and the end of his French education. The Prussian soldiers were a part of the new German regime that had recently occupied Alsace as a result of the Franco-Prussian War. The German authorities had issued an order that the schools in Alsace should teach only German and not French.

Franz had been looking forward to his French lesson that day, hoping to enjoy his last moments of learning his native language. However, his hopes were shattered when he realized that his beloved school was now under German control, and he would have to learn a foreign language instead.

The presence of the Prussian soldiers in his school symbolized the loss of his cultural identity and the forced assimilation into the German culture. It was this sight that surprised and saddened little Franz the most, as he realized that his world was changing and his beloved French language was being taken away from him.

The Prussian soldiers were drilling at the back of Sawmill.