It's not that I expect Suhm to help him escape. Look at what happened to the people who did! It's just that there are better ways to validate an abuse victim than "But have you tried appeasing your abuser?" "YES!" "Try harder!"
Also, at this point Fritz isn't asking for help with a secret escape plan. He's asking Suhm to ask August to try harder to get FW to *let* him go to Dresden or Warsaw or St. Petersburg or China or wherever that isn't Wusterhausen. Which is something August will try later, at Zeithain in June 1730, and FW will give the famous response: "Yes--if there's a war on."
Again: might not be politically feasible for August to push too hard. But there are better ways of communicating that to 16-yo Fritz. And honest to god, I think there are better ways of asking him to cooperate more with his father for his own ends.
I know that I wouldn't have known any better ways in the 18th century either. There was no internet and no psychology section in the bookstore. And I know Suhm was totally put on the spot there. But the fact remains that, while I don't blame Suhm any more than I blame anyone else who wanted to help but couldn't figure out a more effective way of doing it...the effect on Fritz of all these messages he was getting was still profoundly psychologically damaging.
FTR: I do not consider it anyone's job to rescue someone else's abused kid at their own expense. I myself am not rescuing any abused kids, including ones closely related to me. It's just seeing Suhm inadvertently reinforce the wrong message that's painful. But I forgive him, because I know if he could have figured out a better way, he would have done it.
This is October 1728, so 9 months after the January Dresden visit.
Re: Saxon envoys
Also, at this point Fritz isn't asking for help with a secret escape plan. He's asking Suhm to ask August to try harder to get FW to *let* him go to Dresden or Warsaw or St. Petersburg or China or wherever that isn't Wusterhausen. Which is something August will try later, at Zeithain in June 1730, and FW will give the famous response: "Yes--if there's a war on."
Again: might not be politically feasible for August to push too hard. But there are better ways of communicating that to 16-yo Fritz. And honest to god, I think there are better ways of asking him to cooperate more with his father for his own ends.
I know that I wouldn't have known any better ways in the 18th century either. There was no internet and no psychology section in the bookstore. And I know Suhm was totally put on the spot there. But the fact remains that, while I don't blame Suhm any more than I blame anyone else who wanted to help but couldn't figure out a more effective way of doing it...the effect on Fritz of all these messages he was getting was still profoundly psychologically damaging.
FTR: I do not consider it anyone's job to rescue someone else's abused kid at their own expense. I myself am not rescuing any abused kids, including ones closely related to me. It's just seeing Suhm inadvertently reinforce the wrong message that's painful. But I forgive him, because I know if he could have figured out a better way, he would have done it.
This is October 1728, so 9 months after the January Dresden visit.