Lepel definitely does not imply any suicide attempt. Hoffbauer quotes the entire report, along with everyone else‘s full report, except for the fragment by Anonyomous (maybe Müller), of which there is only a fragment. I don‘t have the time to translate all the reports beyond the quotes I‘ve already given, but I can scan those pages like I did the map so you can have a look.
Anyway, what Lepel is describing pretty much sounds like a nervous breakdown; crying, moaning, not or little eating, and the „I can see Katte“ claim which depending on whether you believe Fritz meant it literally, metaphorically or either Fritz or Lepel made it up was or wasn‘t a hallucination. In the later report - not the first one - there‘s the „he believes he, too, will die“ thing, but, like I said: at no point does any of this sound as if Lepel thinks Fritz is going to harm himself. Given that pre-Katte‘s execution, Fritz seems to have been in more of a bravado mood, the contrast must have been especially striking.
Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version
I don‘t have the time to translate all the reports beyond the quotes I‘ve already given, but I can scan those pages like I did the map so you can have a look.
I volunteer as tribute translator! I want to do it anyway for Rheinsberg, provide transcribed and translated text, and having gambitten express interest is a great motivator. :) And you can correct any mistakes I make or anywhere I get stumped with the German.
the „I can see Katte“ claim which depending on whether you believe Fritz meant it literally, metaphorically or either Fritz or Lepel made it up was or wasn‘t a hallucination.
I'm always amazed that people just straightforwardly state that this is a hallucination. PTSD flashback, metaphor, and extremely vivid memory all seem way more likely to me than psychotic hallucination.
Given that pre-Katte‘s execution, Fritz seems to have been in more of a bravado mood, the contrast must have been especially striking.
This is so true and so sad. :( And then he recovers and proceeds to alternate between cooperation and bravado, and idiot biographers conclude, "Obviously never really loved Katte! The nervous breakdown only lasted a day or two. I myself have permanent nervous breakdowns anytime I lose anyone I love, and never recover, which is why I'm capable of writing this biography. Alternatively, the reader should conclude that I too am a psychopath. At best, I've had the great good fortune of never losing anyone, which seems unlikely since I am an old man in the nineteenth century and antibiotics haven't been invented yet. Anyway, the takeaway is that Fritz was super cold and calculating!"
SMH.
Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version
I'm always amazed that people just straightforwardly state that this is a hallucination. PTSD flashback, metaphor, and extremely vivid memory all seem way more likely to me than psychotic hallucination.
It's like no one remembers Hamlet, and the first time Hamlet says he sees his father. At which point he doesn't mean it literally and is surprised Horatio takes it that way.
Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version
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Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version
Anyway, what Lepel is describing pretty much sounds like a nervous breakdown; crying, moaning, not or little eating, and the „I can see Katte“ claim which depending on whether you believe Fritz meant it literally, metaphorically or either Fritz or Lepel made it up was or wasn‘t a hallucination. In the later report - not the first one - there‘s the „he believes he, too, will die“ thing, but, like I said: at no point does any of this sound as if Lepel thinks Fritz is going to harm himself. Given that pre-Katte‘s execution, Fritz seems to have been in more of a bravado mood, the contrast must have been especially striking.
Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version
I volunteer as
tributetranslator! I want to do it anyway for Rheinsberg, provide transcribed and translated text, and havingthe „I can see Katte“ claim which depending on whether you believe Fritz meant it literally, metaphorically or either Fritz or Lepel made it up was or wasn‘t a hallucination.
I'm always amazed that people just straightforwardly state that this is a hallucination. PTSD flashback, metaphor, and extremely vivid memory all seem way more likely to me than psychotic hallucination.
Given that pre-Katte‘s execution, Fritz seems to have been in more of a bravado mood, the contrast must have been especially striking.
This is so true and so sad. :( And then he recovers and proceeds to alternate between cooperation and bravado, and idiot biographers conclude, "Obviously never really loved Katte! The nervous breakdown only lasted a day or two. I myself have permanent nervous breakdowns anytime I lose anyone I love, and never recover, which is why I'm capable of writing this biography. Alternatively, the reader should conclude that I too am a psychopath. At best, I've had the great good fortune of never losing anyone, which seems unlikely since I am an old man in the nineteenth century and antibiotics haven't been invented yet. Anyway, the takeaway is that Fritz was super cold and calculating!"
SMH.
Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version
It's like no one remembers Hamlet, and the first time Hamlet says he sees his father. At which point he doesn't mean it literally and is surprised Horatio takes it that way.
Re: Katte at Küstrin: The Theodor Hoffbauer Version