The last letter from Katte to Fritz is in Preuss, volume 1, page 50.
Preuss (vol 1 p 65), thinks Hans Heinrich's two younger sons died in 1745 and 1748, which would rule out both of them killing each other in 1748. But I kind of trust the Wust people more?
I figured out where all the birth and death dates in Wikipedia come from that contradict the Wust people and Fontane and whatnot: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. It seems to be a major source for Wikipedia biographical entries.
From Preuss, it sounds like Fritz handed the Field Marshal promotion (document or insignia or whatever) to Hans Heinrich in person. I've been wondering about that for months. Also, Hans Heinrich accompanied him on the trip to Königsberg. I wonder how awkward that was. o.O Good thing Algarotti was there!
Finally, from Katte's last letter:
The prince royal must remember what I said to him one day in Brandenburg on the submission which he owes to his father, refering to the examples of Absalom.
It occurred to me that selenak told us that FW was making Absalom comparisons during the lead-up to Katte's execution.
Now, everyone is very steeped in the Bible, so, are two people going to come up with this independently? Yes, of course.
And Katte was raised in the 18th century, so did he tell Fritz that it was natural for fathers to be strict and you still had to obey them? I've always thought so. I worked it into fic before I'd even seen this letter.
But how plausible is it that irreligious Katte used the Absalom argument with irreligious Fritz in the pre-escape days? I.e. before Katte decided to go outspokenly 100% religious after apparently a lifetime of not caring?
And what are the odds that Grumbkow, or someone, came and had a talk with condemned Katte? "Look, kid, you're toast. You want to help save your prince? This is what the King wants to hear. 'It's not his fault, check. He's just an instrument of God, check. Don't listen to friends who support you, and only listen to friends who oppose you, because those are the ones who have your best interests in mind, check. Absalom comparison, check. Reject predestination, check.'"
Like, is there anything that FW cares about that isn't on this list? If Katte isn't getting outside hints, he's doing an A+ job of getting inside FW's head.
And if Katte really cares that much about predestination and the fifth commandment and all that...why wait this many months to say it to Fritz? Surely he could have gotten permission to send this exact letter in September or October, if his values and priorities aligned so thoroughly with FW's. But no, in late September he's still going, "Yes, I'd've gone with Fritz if he'd left, I just didn't think he would."
If I were an Agatha Christie character, I'd be suspicious that that November 1 about-face was a little bit calculated.
Re: A Katte Related Correspondance, or: No Mercy Like Hohenzollern Mercy
The last letter from Katte to Fritz is in Preuss, volume 1, page 50.
Preuss (vol 1 p 65), thinks Hans Heinrich's two younger sons died in 1745 and 1748, which would rule out both of them killing each other in 1748. But I kind of trust the Wust people more?
I figured out where all the birth and death dates in Wikipedia come from that contradict the Wust people and Fontane and whatnot: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. It seems to be a major source for Wikipedia biographical entries.
From Preuss, it sounds like Fritz handed the Field Marshal promotion (document or insignia or whatever) to Hans Heinrich in person. I've been wondering about that for months. Also, Hans Heinrich accompanied him on the trip to Königsberg. I wonder how awkward that was. o.O Good thing Algarotti was there!
Finally, from Katte's last letter:
The prince royal must remember what I said to him one day in Brandenburg on the submission which he owes to his father, refering to the examples of Absalom.
It occurred to me that
Now, everyone is very steeped in the Bible, so, are two people going to come up with this independently? Yes, of course.
And Katte was raised in the 18th century, so did he tell Fritz that it was natural for fathers to be strict and you still had to obey them? I've always thought so. I worked it into fic before I'd even seen this letter.
But how plausible is it that irreligious Katte used the Absalom argument with irreligious Fritz in the pre-escape days? I.e. before Katte decided to go outspokenly 100% religious after apparently a lifetime of not caring?
And what are the odds that Grumbkow, or someone, came and had a talk with condemned Katte? "Look, kid, you're toast. You want to help save your prince? This is what the King wants to hear. 'It's not his fault, check. He's just an instrument of God, check. Don't listen to friends who support you, and only listen to friends who oppose you, because those are the ones who have your best interests in mind, check. Absalom comparison, check. Reject predestination, check.'"
Like, is there anything that FW cares about that isn't on this list? If Katte isn't getting outside hints, he's doing an A+ job of getting inside FW's head.
And if Katte really cares that much about predestination and the fifth commandment and all that...why wait this many months to say it to Fritz? Surely he could have gotten permission to send this exact letter in September or October, if his values and priorities aligned so thoroughly with FW's. But no, in late September he's still going, "Yes, I'd've gone with Fritz if he'd left, I just didn't think he would."
If I were an Agatha Christie character, I'd be suspicious that that November 1 about-face was a little bit calculated.