The second and third "Im Spiegel seiner Zeitgenossen" volumes by Volz often overlap with Jessen, who clearly has used them as a key source, though Volz is unsurprisingly even more Prussia-centric (with the very occasional MT quote). There are a lot of "Yay Fritz! Der Einzige!" fannish letters from all sides in volume 2, often by the same people (read: German writers) who in volume 3, subcategory "literature" go "...but why doesn't he love us back?" I also find it, shall we say, interesting that Volz manages to quote quite a lot of Lehndorff, and not just the passages dealing with Fritz directly but the pen portraits of other people, like the Fredersdorff one, the Eichel one, the James Keith one, even several entries on Amalie... but not a single entry about Heinrich. Not one. (He does say in his footnote as to who Lehndorff was the first time he quotes from the diaries that "he was almost adoringly attached to Prince August Wilhelm and Prince Heinrich". Volz, my man, while it's true Lehndorff adored AW, too, there is a significant difference in tone in his entries about either Prince. I know your volumes are Fritz focused, but if you take the time to round the portrait by including pen portraits of other significant figures in his life by Lehndorff, it stumps me that you go for the Amalie quotes over any Heinrich at all. Can it be a case of "no straight explanation"?)

Anyway, what Volz does include are letters from AW and Ferdinand about the AW catastrophe to Mina, letters from Ulrike to AW on the same subject, and letters from Wilhelmine to AW which I'd seen partially quoted in the biographies. They're still not completely reprinted here, but far longer than in either the Oster Wilhelmine biography or the Ziebura AW biography, and thus I found out that AW offering to rejoin the army as a simple volunteer (to counteract the idea that he was deserting in the hour of need - bear in mind he couldn't have rejoined as an officer, due to Fritz being "I'll never entrust you with another command in my life!") was actually Wilhelmine's idea, among other things. (Reminder: Fritz said this was nuts and didn't permit it.)

So, key quotes with new to us stuff:

Ferdinand to Mina, July 31st 1757: The situation of my brother August Wilhelm causes unspeakable sadness to me. You know how much I love him, and you will easily deduce how much I am affected by the misfortune that still ies ahead for him. I know that he got blamed entirely for the disaster at Lausitz. I know one will go as far as destroy his reputation. If the public one day learns which kind of orders he's received, it would understand that he simply was following them, and that he's not to blame. My heart is bleeding when I think of it, and I sense that this affair will have the most evil consequences. I've just learned that my brother August Wilhelm has arrived in Dresden. You'll understand what this means. I don't dare to say anything further.


AW to Mina, August 1st 1757: You will be surprised, dear sister-in-law, to find me here. (...) As things stand now, one wants to blame me for everything. One writes honor-destroying letters to me, glowers at me at the first encounter and gives me and all the generals under my command the compliment that by law, we'd all have deserved to lose our head. Following this, I've left the army, went to Bautzen and wrote. I got a despicable letter in reply. (...) My one consolation is that all the generals have been fair to me; they had tears in their eyes when I left and agreed with my behavior. My brother Heinrich has done something which I won't be able to thank him enough for for as long as I shall live. He has refused the command of the army I had left; for he did not want to build his glory on my downfall (AW's command after Heinrich's refusal went to Ferd(inand) the brother of EC. I will never forget this.


AW to Mina, 13th August 1757: Our great man is so enthralled with himself, doesn't ask anyone for advice, acts hastily in his rashness, and in his temper he doesn't believe true reports. If luck turns against him, he pulls out of the game and blames the innocent. That's why he wants the public to blame Moritz for the loss of the battle (of Kolin) and me for the misfortune of Zittau. Anyone who can leave this galley is in luck. The danger of losing life and health, arms and legs, that's nothing; any soldier is threatened by this in any war. But losing honor and reputation, that's too much, and in no army in the world a commander is threatened by this without being guilty. Anyone who is guilty should be punished by the laws of war. Forgive me rambling, but anyone whose heart is full will spill over in words.



Wilhelmine to AW, 24th August 1757: Your information makes me desperate. But three things may comfort you. Firstly, your experience is still completely unknown. Secondly, the reports to Berlin which the King has written himself name you as the liberator of the garnison of Zittau. And finally, you haven't done anything without asking for advice first. That you are mortified by what happened is only natural. But given the misery all of you are in, you must forget all of this and do everything for a reconciliation. You have no idea what an evil effect the enstrangement between the two of will have. I could tell you things in this regard which would greatly surprise you. But most of all, don't confide into many people, dear brother. They do you ill service, some out of foolishness, some out of recklessness, some out of selfishness. I speak with comlete frankness and with the sincerity I owe to you, and which you have demanded from me.


Ulrike to AW, September 13th 1757: Your letter from August 13th has touched me deeply. I'm deeply affected by anything concerning you, and sincerely share your grief. May heaven grant me the ability to lighten it somehow! Tell me frankly whether I can be of service to you. I can't hide from you that there is much talk about this affair, but you don't get blamed. This would be a natural cause to write to the King about what kind of rumors are making the rounds regarding this quarrel. One would have to declare them as evidently false, and make some pretty strong remarks, in order to pave the way to reconciliation. But I won't do anyting without your wish so I don't make things even worse. God give you patience and the ability not to give into your distress! You mean too much for me not to do all I can for you.

Wihlelmine to AW, September 29th 1757: Despite being half dead, dear brother, I get up to write you. I hope you've received the letter I'd previously written. Oh, dear brother, how miserable we all are! (..) But you don't know how your indifference comes across in a time where we all need to help and comfort each other, instead of remaining hurt. Dear God, please show in this time of misfortune your kindness of heart with which you've always won the devotion of anyone who knows you. Please, consider, it is your brother, your blood and more against whom you feel such bitterness. Forget what has happened! I am convinced that he will do the same. Oh, if you'd know how much honor you would win with such a high minded behavior, how much it would touch him in these difficult times! Forgive me for talking to you in this way. I'd give my life to see you all reconciled again. And I probably will have only a short span left to live. I shall use this little time to act and figure out anything that could help all of you. My fate will be that of my family, if death won't cut my thread of life off sooner. Be convinced that I do love you tenderly and sincerely, that I do you the justice you deserve, and that I would do the impossible to make you happy. Please remain alive, restore your health, which does worry me alot, and forgive my eagerness and the loyalty in which I may talk too frankly.


Wilhelmine to AW, November 19th 1757: Only yesterday, your letter has arrived, which has made me infinitely happy, for I take it as a proof for your recovery. You do me justice by counting on my friendship. Be convinced no one shares your joys and grievances more sincerely than I. (...) Allow me to talk openly about your current situation, as a true friend and tenderly loving sister. I won't speak about the quarrell with the King. His first bouts of anger were too violent. The letters which you have forwarded to me bear witness to this, and I am convinced that he has repented his behaviour too late. But what I have to tell you now isn't about him. I will only talk about what affects you, personally, as a loving sister. You say you want to give up your regiments and withdraw into private life. The first may work, but regarding the second, I must tell you something which you have to see as the greatest effort my love for you produces, for I say it only with the greatest reluctance. If we were at peace, your decision could not be faulted. But in times of war, when the entire state is overwhelmed with enemies and close to its downfall, your reputation would be endangered if you as the successor to the throne would settle down in Berlin and would only observe the miseries of a country which you should defend. Will not this behavior hurt your fame and enstrange the hearts of your future subjects from you? Your quarrel with the King is well known, but not its cause. The letters which you received are surely hidden by silence. Consider how your plan will come across to the public. I can only repeat, dear brother: the best which you could do for your restoration is to write to the King and ask to join the war as a simple volunteer. If he declines this, no one can blame you. If he allows it, no one can accuse you of having shirked your duty. Your argument cuts me to the heart; and in any quarrel, someone has to make the first step. But as things are now, I don't hope for a reconciliation. I am convinced, though, that he would be happy about such a turn of events, and sooner or later, everything would get into balance again. This is my sincere conviction; you may follow her, if you wish.

Wilhelmine to AW, December 14th 1757:

My valet says he's found you well. I thus hope your current sickness is only political in nature. As he said, he's found you alone with your books. Your letter has touched me deeply. Honestly, I can't reply to you. When I wrote to you, I hadn't known the latest letters which you have received. But what you say about hatred, I can swear to you on my life to be wrong. You are mistaken. I can prove the opposite to you by letters I have received; in them, he shows himself extremely distressed at your indifference.

Wilhelmine to AW, January 5th 1758: I was full of joy to receive your dear letter today. I understand your current situation has to be very embarrassing to you. I don't want to touch this chord anymore, otherwise you might scold me as biased and partial, and regard me as stubborn. Still, I wish you'd find means and ways to make peace. If you could bring yourself to return to the army, I am utterl convinced that you would receive satisfaction sooner or later. But your behavior is believed to be defiance and indifference. As a monarch, he demands the first step from the other party. Please put yourself in his shoes. He regards himself as the injured party.
"Why," you will reply to me, "doesn't he let my conduct be examined by a war tribunal then?" "Should I," he would answer, "expose my brother and successor in this way? Such a procedure wreck terrible havoc. I have contented myself with confronting him with his mistakes, though this I did harshly, but among ourselves, and regarded the public, I have preserved his honor. Why does he cause things which should remain secret to become public through his own subsequent behavior? I shall never give anything when pressured: for I must retain my authority."
This is how the King thinks. He knows you too well to despise you. I repeat: if the affair happened again and he'd act in cold blood, he would surely express himself more thoughtfully. But what has happened has happened; there is no remedy for the past, just, maybe, for the future. I assure you, people talk about your adventure. In vain I swear that you're just ill; one doesn't believe me. Currently, the winter quarters serve as an excuse. But if this is over, I fear you will wrong yourself if you don't find means and ways for a reconciliaton. I speak as a sister and true friend. Your well being, your happiness are as close to my heart as my own. But as much as your situation distresses me, I can look at it more coldbloodedly than you can, and I assure you, I am not the only one feeling this way. If you could hear what people say you'd see many feel similarly. Frankness is an important part of friendship, and I owe you both. I am not lecturing you; I don't reject your point of view, I try to do it justice, and will gladly use any insight of yours you care to tell me. But when grief attacks the mind, one often can't judge freely. I feel your entire distress and suffer with you. Measured ambition is the inspiration of virtue. Yours is laudable; it has to move you to action. Your philosophy must guide you to self discipline. Dear brother, I demand much of you. But I know what you are capable of, because I know your heart.

Ulrike to AW, April 1758: It deeply distresses me that this argument continues. God knows how much I love and esteem you, and how gladly I would sacrifice any of my life's conveniences for you. But I fear the public will not judge your inaction well at a time when glory calls all heroes to action, and when possibly even the King himself wishes that you could forget the past. There is nothing shameful or low about giving in to one's King and lord. Blood and friendship are good advocates with a brother. He is energetic, rash, and the distress he's had heighten his impulsiveness even more. You know, this is our family flaw, but your heart and his are worth each other's. Often the heart proves to be a lie what we might have said in our first rashness. God knows only tender friendship lets me talk like this, and that I am acting on my own here! I'd give my life for your happiness and would find no comfort if you were to take what I have to say ill.

AW to Mina, Oranienburg, May 1758 (he's now dying, with just a few more weeks to live): My sister Ulrike who doesn't know my cause very well, or the character of the one whom I am dealing with, has sent me a long letter. She says that my reputation will suffer through my inaction and that I should forget the impulsivities of a brother who loves me. I know she means well. (...) But if I am inactive, it is not through my fault; gods be my witness. I can't possible humiliate myself so much that I forget what I owe to myself. This isn't an argument between brothers, nor is it a family matter. I have no claims on the King, but I don't wish anything more than never to see him again. (...) As long as he lives, I have no honor, no distinction and no opportunity to restore my reputation. Forgive my ramblings about my affairs.