Totally forgot to address the second part. I don't know the FW-AW dynamic in enough detail to have an informed opinion, but from what little I know, AW was pretty willing to go along with what Dad wanted: wear uniforms, play with soldiers, not sneak off and do all the forbidden things, etc.
You know how I think I had more conflicts with my parents than my siblings did, because my unshakeably strong sense of self and belief that my parents were stupid meant that I was willing to stand and die by my convictions, instead of playing along? I think Fritz might have had more conflict with FW than his siblings not only because he was the heir (which is related to why, say, Wilhelmine didn't get the focus of Dad's abuse), but because he and FW shared that terrier aspect to their personalities.
Whereas AW might have been like, "Yeah, sure, Dad, whatever you say. Sounds great," after Fritz was dead, and FW might have had some relief (mixed up with all the guilt and defensiveness) that things had worked out in the end for the benefit of Prussia. And maybe even (because humans are great at rationalizing, watch Fritz rationalize everything ever) convinced himself that Divine Providence had a hand in Fritz's death, thus absolving FW. How convenient!
Btw, I have read (I need a Turkish particle for this) that after the escape attempt, FW said no more education for AW, because French and philosophy had led Fritz astray.
Me: *facepalm*
Then, of course, when Fritz came to the throne, he was like, "Okay, younger bros, you're all getting educations now, which I will generously micromanage! Just think how lucky you are now that I'm in charge. In *my* day, we didn't get educations, and if we did, we had to see to it ourselves, no help from the monarch. I'm sure as adults, you'll all proceed to demonstrate your undying gratitude toward me for overseeing your education like this."
"Our Insane Family: The Next Generation" ensues.
Speaking of insane families and generations, I was looking at selenak's YT letter, and this line about SD jumped out at me: "emotionally abusive, too, especially towards her daughter. She also had had a traumatic childhood herself"
*sings, Lion King-style*: The ciiiiiircle, the ciiiiiircle of abuse!
Re: Alternate universes where everyone is at least incrementally more happy
You know how I think I had more conflicts with my parents than my siblings did, because my unshakeably strong sense of self and belief that my parents were stupid meant that I was willing to stand and die by my convictions, instead of playing along? I think Fritz might have had more conflict with FW than his siblings not only because he was the heir (which is related to why, say, Wilhelmine didn't get the focus of Dad's abuse), but because he and FW shared that terrier aspect to their personalities.
Whereas AW might have been like, "Yeah, sure, Dad, whatever you say. Sounds great," after Fritz was dead, and FW might have had some relief (mixed up with all the guilt and defensiveness) that things had worked out in the end for the benefit of Prussia. And maybe even (because humans are great at rationalizing, watch Fritz rationalize everything ever) convinced himself that Divine Providence had a hand in Fritz's death, thus absolving FW. How convenient!
Btw, I have read (I need a Turkish particle for this) that after the escape attempt, FW said no more education for AW, because French and philosophy had led Fritz astray.
Me: *facepalm*
Then, of course, when Fritz came to the throne, he was like, "Okay, younger bros, you're all getting educations now, which I will generously micromanage! Just think how lucky you are now that I'm in charge. In *my* day, we didn't get educations, and if we did, we had to see to it ourselves, no help from the monarch. I'm sure as adults, you'll all proceed to demonstrate your undying gratitude toward me for overseeing your education like this."
"Our Insane Family: The Next Generation" ensues.
Speaking of insane families and generations, I was looking at
*sings, Lion King-style*: The ciiiiiircle, the ciiiiiircle of abuse!
/o\