LOL at Ziebura putting scare quotes around Fritz's "condolence letter" to Heinrich, because we do the same thing! When we're not calling it an "uncondolence" letter.
That said, I think "is in its egocentricity hardly to be outdone" as the only thing you say about this letter is doing Fritz an injustice. Yes, it's egocentric. Yes, as something intended to comfort Heinrich, it could not have been more rage-inducing from the perspective of the recipient. No, intent is not magic. But quoting just the "But think of how many people I lost or am worried about losing! And think about your duty to fight this war I started!" part and summing it up simply as egocentric is to ignore the context of condolence/comfort letters in Fritz's life.
The part that's most egocentric to me is the "But it wasn't my fault! Here's a list of everyone who's not me whose fault it was! Especially the guy you're grieving, let me enumerate my grievances with him." You can tell Fritz feels extremely attacked, because he's being extremely defensive. Because he has behaved really, really badly, and this letter should never have been sent, neither the first half nor the second half.
But there's too much context for "your feelings are less important than your duty to other people" and "live for someone else!" to be ignored. Namely:
1727 Fritz to Lt. Borcke, close friend and possible lover: "I ask you to write to me as well and to give me news of you, as I can say that I am extremely sorry to see you in such a sad position [i.e. sick], and that whenever I think of you, as happens very often, I can hardly prevent myself from falling into melancholy from which only you alone can save me. So spare yourself, if not for the sake of me, then for the sake of your friends, among whom I have the pleasure to count myself and to the most loyal of whom I belong. So I ask you not to die, since death is what I fear most for my friends and least for myself. I confess that I should distract you through this letter, but instead of giving pleasure to others, I rather need distraction myself to dispel my melancholy."
1730 Fritz after Katte's death, from Wilhelmine's memoirs: "It was with extreme difficulty that he was prevailed upon to take medicine. Nothing could induce him to do it, but the representation that he would also cause the queen’s death and mine, if he persisted in his own destruction."
1736 Fritz to Suhm: "Live, my dear Suhm, live, since heaven allows it; live for your friends, who, by the true attachment which they have for you, could not support the appalling thought of being separated from you. I admit and understand that you only had to expect, in the last period when you touched, only the rewards with which heaven crowns virtue, and that thus, as concerns yourself, you lose more by prolonging your days than ending your career. But, my dear Suhm, do not forget the tenderness which you owe to an infant whom you have not yet weaned in the school of philosophy. What would I have become? for I feel that I need your eyes to see, and that, losing sight of my guide, I run the risk of losing my way."
Suhm to Fritz: "When my life is odious to me, the interest you deign to take in it would be enough to make it dear to me. I therefore come back with joy to life, since heaven wants it, and Your Royal Highness wants it; but, my lord, suffer me henceforth to live only for you."
1752 Fritz to Fredersdorf: "I thought you loved me and wouldn't want to cause me grief by killing yourself. Now I don't know what to believe! But you must believe I only want what's best for you and that the diet and the medicine is only prescribed so you can recover your health again...Your illness is no laughing matter, and if you don't follow a correct diet and take the right prescribed medicine, you'll die! Think about how this would grieve me! If you love me, then listen exactly to the prescriptions! God keep you! Don't write back!"
1757 Fritz: *suicidal ideation*
Wilhelmine to Fritz: "Your letter and the letter you wrote to Voltaire, my dear brother, almost killed me. What fatal resolutions, great God! Ah! my dear brother, you say you love me, and you stab me in the heart."..."For God's sake, calm down, dearest brother! Your military situation is desperate, but there is a prospect of peace. For heaven's sake, banish all dark thoughts. Do you want to kill so many subjects who place their only hope in your person?"
So what I think is that, while Fritz can and should be blamed for: - the way he treated AW, - not admitting fault there, - using the "condolence" letter as a venue to talk about how it wasn't his fault, - having a terrible relationship with Heinrich, - starting a war and expecting Heinrich to help him win it,
I don't think it's fair to call him egocentric for: - focusing on his own feelings and the people he's lost, - trying to motivate Heinrich to live for him, - telling Heinrich to live for duty/country.
That part, while emotionally tone-deaf given all the background in the first list, of actual Fritz faults, is literally the best he can do. He was being egocentric in many ways, but the second list is how he communicates with the people he loves most, and how they communicate with him. Suhm even gave this behavior positive reinforcement by telling him it worked!
Nevertheless. Given the way hundreds of Fritz biographers shortchange Heinrich in his every appearance on page, I'm hardly going to get on the case of a Heinrich biographer for a little Fritz shortchanging. ;) Especially on the occasion of his worst behavior ever. (Not so much the letter as the background that makes that letter not at all the same thing as writing to Suhm, "But our philosophy studies!")
I just wanted to put all this context out there, so that we can at least criticize Fritz for the right things. There's no shortage of those.
Re: Heinrich readthrough!
That said, I think "is in its egocentricity hardly to be outdone" as the only thing you say about this letter is doing Fritz an injustice. Yes, it's egocentric. Yes, as something intended to comfort Heinrich, it could not have been more rage-inducing from the perspective of the recipient. No, intent is not magic. But quoting just the "But think of how many people I lost or am worried about losing! And think about your duty to fight this war I started!" part and summing it up simply as egocentric is to ignore the context of condolence/comfort letters in Fritz's life.
The part that's most egocentric to me is the "But it wasn't my fault! Here's a list of everyone who's not me whose fault it was! Especially the guy you're grieving, let me enumerate my grievances with him." You can tell Fritz feels extremely attacked, because he's being extremely defensive. Because he has behaved really, really badly, and this letter should never have been sent, neither the first half nor the second half.
But there's too much context for "your feelings are less important than your duty to other people" and "live for someone else!" to be ignored. Namely:
1727
Fritz to Lt. Borcke, close friend and possible lover: "I ask you to write to me as well and to give me news of you, as I can say that I am extremely sorry to see you in such a sad position [i.e. sick], and that whenever I think of you, as happens very often, I can hardly prevent myself from falling into melancholy from which only you alone can save me. So spare yourself, if not for the sake of me, then for the sake of your friends, among whom I have the pleasure to count myself and to the most loyal of whom I belong. So I ask you not to die, since death is what I fear most for my friends and least for myself. I confess that I should distract you through this letter, but instead of giving pleasure to others, I rather need distraction myself to dispel my melancholy."
1730
Fritz after Katte's death, from Wilhelmine's memoirs: "It was with extreme difficulty that he was prevailed upon to take medicine. Nothing could induce him to do it, but the representation that he would also cause the queen’s death and mine, if he persisted in his own destruction."
1736
Fritz to Suhm: "Live, my dear Suhm, live, since heaven allows it; live for your friends, who, by the true attachment which they have for you, could not support the appalling thought of being separated from you. I admit and understand that you only had to expect, in the last period when you touched, only the rewards with which heaven crowns virtue, and that thus, as concerns yourself, you lose more by prolonging your days than ending your career. But, my dear Suhm, do not forget the tenderness which you owe to an infant whom you have not yet weaned in the school of philosophy. What would I have become? for I feel that I need your eyes to see, and that, losing sight of my guide, I run the risk of losing my way."
Suhm to Fritz: "When my life is odious to me, the interest you deign to take in it would be enough to make it dear to me. I therefore come back with joy to life, since heaven wants it, and Your Royal Highness wants it; but, my lord, suffer me henceforth to live only for you."
1752
Fritz to Fredersdorf: "I thought you loved me and wouldn't want to cause me grief by killing yourself. Now I don't know what to believe! But you must believe I only want what's best for you and that the diet and the medicine is only prescribed so you can recover your health again...Your illness is no laughing matter, and if you don't follow a correct diet and take the right prescribed medicine, you'll die! Think about how this would grieve me! If you love me, then listen exactly to the prescriptions! God keep you! Don't write back!"
1757
Fritz: *suicidal ideation*
Wilhelmine to Fritz: "Your letter and the letter you wrote to Voltaire, my dear brother, almost killed me. What fatal resolutions, great God! Ah! my dear brother, you say you love me, and you stab me in the heart."..."For God's sake, calm down, dearest brother! Your military situation is desperate, but there is a prospect of peace. For heaven's sake, banish all dark thoughts. Do you want to kill so many subjects who place their only hope in your person?"
So what I think is that, while Fritz can and should be blamed for:
- the way he treated AW,
- not admitting fault there,
- using the "condolence" letter as a venue to talk about how it wasn't his fault,
- having a terrible relationship with Heinrich,
- starting a war and expecting Heinrich to help him win it,
I don't think it's fair to call him egocentric for:
- focusing on his own feelings and the people he's lost,
- trying to motivate Heinrich to live for him,
- telling Heinrich to live for duty/country.
That part, while emotionally tone-deaf given all the background in the first list, of actual Fritz faults, is literally the best he can do. He was being egocentric in many ways, but the second list is how he communicates with the people he loves most, and how they communicate with him. Suhm even gave this behavior positive reinforcement by telling him it worked!
Nevertheless. Given the way hundreds of Fritz biographers shortchange Heinrich in his every appearance on page, I'm hardly going to get on the case of a Heinrich biographer for a little Fritz shortchanging. ;) Especially on the occasion of his worst behavior ever. (Not so much the letter as the background that makes that letter not at all the same thing as writing to Suhm, "But our philosophy studies!")
I just wanted to put all this context out there, so that we can at least criticize Fritz for the right things. There's no shortage of those.