Asprey's version: "[Fritz] also sent [Katte] a large chest of incriminating letters and a thousand ducats raised in part by his selling the semiprecious stones he had pried from the Order of the Saxon Eagle and replaced with glass."
The stones from the Saxon order thing is from the protocols quoted by Koser. I don't recall a chest mentioned, though.
Reading more Zimmermann brings more interesting info, as it turns out. Because Zimmermann mentions Henri de Catt gave someone named Laveaux various descriptions for Laveaux' Life Of Fritz (Vie de Frederic II, Roi de Prusse, 1789), which means many years before Catt's own memoirs were published, he was a source for various biographers. Zimmermann also mentions Catt telling him - Zimmermann himself, that is, they knew each other, of course - anecdotes, including Fritz' reaction to Hochkirch. OH, and about the suicide box. Is there anyone Catt hasn‘t told, one wonders at this point? BTW Zimmernann spells him "Cat". (Whereas Katte is Catt. Why make life easier for posterity?) Zimmermann has no idea why Catt was dismissed eventually but is sure Fritz loved him dearly.
Lucchessini does look like a good candidate for the "Sex just before the 7 Years War" Story, because Zimmermann assures us no one, but no one, looked sharper into Fritz' heart than "this witty, learned and amiable Italian". And "a famous prince" told Zimmermann that Fritz entrusted Lucchessini with ALL his secrets. Lucchessini also read German books and told Fritz all Fritz wasn't missing, so you know, that pamphlet was INFORMED. Lucchessini should totally have written Fritz' biography, not that hack Laveaux. But Lucchessini is now the Prussian Ambassador in Warsaw and into politics, much to Zimmermann's regret. And who knows, maybe he's afraid of certain people destroying his career if he writes the big Fritz tell all!
Glasow for 1756 Alcibiades: would also explain the lack of trial (again).
Re: Zimmermann sets the record straight
The stones from the Saxon order thing is from the protocols quoted by Koser. I don't recall a chest mentioned, though.
Reading more Zimmermann brings more interesting info, as it turns out. Because Zimmermann mentions Henri de Catt gave someone named Laveaux various descriptions for Laveaux' Life Of Fritz (Vie de Frederic II, Roi de Prusse, 1789), which means many years before Catt's own memoirs were published, he was a source for various biographers. Zimmermann also mentions Catt telling him - Zimmermann himself, that is, they knew each other, of course - anecdotes, including Fritz' reaction to Hochkirch. OH, and about the suicide box. Is there anyone Catt hasn‘t told, one wonders at this point? BTW Zimmernann spells him "Cat". (Whereas Katte is Catt. Why make life easier for posterity?) Zimmermann has no idea why Catt was dismissed eventually but is sure Fritz loved him dearly.
Lucchessini does look like a good candidate for the "Sex just before the 7 Years War" Story, because Zimmermann assures us no one, but no one, looked sharper into Fritz' heart than "this witty, learned and amiable Italian". And "a famous prince" told Zimmermann that Fritz entrusted Lucchessini with ALL his secrets. Lucchessini also read German books and told Fritz all Fritz wasn't missing, so you know, that pamphlet was INFORMED. Lucchessini should totally have written Fritz' biography, not that hack Laveaux. But Lucchessini is now the Prussian Ambassador in Warsaw and into politics, much to Zimmermann's regret. And who knows, maybe he's afraid of certain people destroying his career if he writes the big Fritz tell all!
Glasow for 1756 Alcibiades: would also explain the lack of trial (again).