Frederick the Great, discussion post 6

[cahn]

...I think we need another one (seriously, you guys, this is THE BEST) and I'd better make it now before I disappear into the wilds of music performance.

(also, as of this week there are two Frederician fics in the yuletide archive and eeeeeeeeeee)
(huh, only one of them is actually tagged with Frederick the Great even though two with Maria Theresia and Wilhelmine, eeeeeee this is awesome I CAN'T WAIT)

Frederick the Great masterpost

Comments

Re: Katte's Death: The Documentary Hypothesis

[mildred_of_midgard]

Thank you! My search results were giving me hints via my very poor German that it might be the son of Münchow.

Gottfried Traugott Gallus is the guy writing the Geschichte der Mark Brandenburg in 1803, quoting the letter from Münchow. He's like an earlier Fontane.

Per Carlyle, Münchow had a 7-yo son who--okay, Carlyle is quotable in brief as always, although unreadable in full:

"Many things, books among others, are, under cunning contrivance, smuggled in by the judicious Munchow, willing to risk himself in such a service. For example, Munchow has a son, a clever boy of seven years old; who, to the wonder of neighbors, goes into child's-petticoats again; and testifies the liveliest desire to be admitted to the Prince, and bear him company a little! Surely the law of No-company does not extend to that of an innocent child? The innocent child has a row of pockets all round the inside of his long gown; and goes laden, miscellaneously, like a ship of the desert, or cockboat not forbidden to cross the line. Then there are stools, one stool at least indispensable to human nature; and the inside of this, once you open it, is a chest-of-drawers, containing paper, ink, new literature and much else. No end to Munchow'a good-will, and his ingenuity is great."

Oh, look, his source is Preuss, volume i, page 46.

So, okay, eyewitness, but seven-year-old eyewitness.

On the other hand, I feel like that story got told around the dinner table in future years...