Well, here's the thing. At least one biographer speculates that December may have been when they met, but nobody knows. Some place it earlier. I personally don't like it at all, because 1) it doesn't give them much time to bond before Fritz leaves, and 2), Fritz is under a lot of emotional stress at this time, yes, but his physical situation is about as good as it gets. By this point--okay, the coat is in tatters, but he's gotten new clothes from FW, so he's probably not visibly shabby enough that Fredersdorf would even offer...I guess unless he's specifically asking about the coat. (Okay, you don't have to have my personal characterization of Fritz, but I feel like if you asked if you target the coat and ask if you can take it away for mending, his visceral reaction is "No!", whereas if you make a blanket offer to help him out with his clothing situation, and the coat is right there in plain sight, he might hesitatingly offer it up, with a lot of "This is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing I own right now," and anyway. My Fritz is incredibly defensive and contrary, but maybe Fredersdorf finds a way, idk.)
But anyway, be aware that by the end of 1731, Fritz's situation is as good as it gets at Küstrin: he's got better clothes, better food, more freedom, more visits from friends who even get to stay the night, he's been on a trip away, and he's being offered a way out of prison. The biggest immediate source of distress right now is the pressure into a marriage he doesn't want, and yeah, that's significant. That was traumatic. But I just wonder if, at this period in his life, he's desperate enough to latch onto Fredersdorf against all the odds like he does. That's why I personally always set their meeting before August.
In favor of a later date, maybe taking and keeping Fredersdorf is his act of silent defiance against the marriage. Maybe it's the only choice he gets to make as to who he has around him, so he takes it. And also in favor of a later date, if he doesn't meet Fredersdorf until November/December, then by implication, he hasn't had music in his life for over a year, barring maybe that one brief visit to Berlin. That has to be brutal.
I go with earlier, but it's your call. I've tried to offer pros and cons in both directions.
Re: The emails
Sent: Dec 6
Well, here's the thing. At least one biographer speculates that December may have been when they met, but nobody knows. Some place it earlier. I personally don't like it at all, because 1) it doesn't give them much time to bond before Fritz leaves, and 2), Fritz is under a lot of emotional stress at this time, yes, but his physical situation is about as good as it gets. By this point--okay, the coat is in tatters, but he's gotten new clothes from FW, so he's probably not visibly shabby enough that Fredersdorf would even offer...I guess unless he's specifically asking about the coat. (Okay, you don't have to have my personal characterization of Fritz, but I feel like if you asked if you target the coat and ask if you can take it away for mending, his visceral reaction is "No!", whereas if you make a blanket offer to help him out with his clothing situation, and the coat is right there in plain sight, he might hesitatingly offer it up, with a lot of "This is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing I own right now," and anyway. My Fritz is incredibly defensive and contrary, but maybe Fredersdorf finds a way, idk.)
But anyway, be aware that by the end of 1731, Fritz's situation is as good as it gets at Küstrin: he's got better clothes, better food, more freedom, more visits from friends who even get to stay the night, he's been on a trip away, and he's being offered a way out of prison. The biggest immediate source of distress right now is the pressure into a marriage he doesn't want, and yeah, that's significant. That was traumatic. But I just wonder if, at this period in his life, he's desperate enough to latch onto Fredersdorf against all the odds like he does. That's why I personally always set their meeting before August.
In favor of a later date, maybe taking and keeping Fredersdorf is his act of silent defiance against the marriage. Maybe it's the only choice he gets to make as to who he has around him, so he takes it. And also in favor of a later date, if he doesn't meet Fredersdorf until November/December, then by implication, he hasn't had music in his life for over a year, barring maybe that one brief visit to Berlin. That has to be brutal.
I go with earlier, but it's your call. I've tried to offer pros and cons in both directions.