cahn | Frederick the Great discussion post 15

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cahn

...I have nothing clever to say here, just really pleased this is still going :)

rheinsberg

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From:

mildred_of_midgard

it was indeed Heinrich von Schwedt - i.e. the very one Fritz in 1733 mentions visiting (and being rowdy) in his letter to Grumbkow - who according to Zimmermann reccommended Malchow the Quack for the STD to Fritz.

The rowdy guy is totally the logical one to go to for advice on your STD.

I still love how Zimmermann has no problem with his hero having an STD. Beats being gay!

Zieten-Showalter: remind me again, from which book is this?

Sorry, I hadn't mentioned it yet. I've only just started it. Dennis Showalter, Frederick the Great: A Military History. I've been promising myself for months that as soon as my concentration started to come back, I'd revisit Fritzian military history. I don't trust Showalter more than any other biographer, but this book was the cheapest one on Kindle that I hadn't already read, hence top of my list.

my current take is "ruthless career official 100% loyal to the King but to no one else"

That makes a whoooole lot of sense, and I totally buy it. I love your take on Winterfeldt!

From:

selenak

I still love how Zimmermann has no problem with his hero having an STD. Beats being gay!

And he doesn't seem to consider you can get STD the gay way just as easily. Even 18th century medicine presumably had that one figured out.

This being said, if Fritz had STD in 1733, his options for advice how to treat it were:

Pöllnitz: would know, but would so tell Dad.

Grumbkow: would know, but even if he considers it more useful not to tell Dad will use that Knowledge as leverage on you in the future.

Fredersdorf: Might not know, depending on his sexual history which we know zilch about, and state of general Knowledge in his regiment.

Suhm: is he still in Prussia? Anyway, might be embarassing to ask someone you have a slight crush on. Also, if Dad finds out he helped you, he might strangle him for real this time.

Schwedt Cousin(s): are Princes of the blood but not brothers, thus can't be strangled by Dad, and you don't care what they think of you anyway. And they definitely had had the clap already by this Point.

From:

mildred_of_midgard

And he doesn't seem to consider you can get STD the gay way just as easily. Even 18th century medicine presumably had that one figured out.

True, but he's not exactly asserting that Fritz had an STD, therefore he wasn't gay. He's a priori asserting that he was het, and making up elaborate stories to eliminate all the counterevidence, which happen to include an STD.

This being said, if Fritz had STD in 1733, his options for advice how to treat it

Oh, lol, now I'm imagining. Yeah, that would suck. Don't tell Pöllnitz, dear lord! But was he even in Prussia in 1733? That was around the time of his travels. Yeah, Wikipedia seems to have him not returning to Berlin until 1735. So it would have to be by letter.

Suhm is still in Berlin, yes, and being from Dresden would presumably know a thing or two regardless of his own personal history, but since Fritz is at Ruppin, I think they only see each other during the winter holidays. Their Trier correspondence only starts in 1736, but they may have been writing to each other before that. Agree this would be awkward and risky, and Fritz would either have to wait until December or commit his secret to writing, where his mail could be read.

Fredersdorf: will find out discreetly and totally let people think he's asking on his own behalf if necessary!

Upon reflection, I vote Fredersdorf of your list. I'm not sure I trust the Schwedts not to talk.

From:

selenak

Point taken. Fredersdorf it would have to be!

From:

cahn

Fredersdorf: will find out discreetly and totally let people think he's asking on his own behalf if necessary!

Hahahaha, again I have the same thought as you, mildred: when selenak talked about Fredersdorf, I was like, yeah, he might well not know, but he'd find out, and be discreet about it. He'd totally be all "I'm just asking... you know, for a 'friend'!" and let people draw their own conclusions ;)