A more endearing yet utterly FW anecdote is the one we already know, which seems to have been based on Manteuffel's report (or at least Manteuffel's reports include it as well), which is his pastor exhorting him to forgive all his enemies if he wants God to forgive him, whereupon FW replies he doesn't have enemies except "die canaille", i.e. "that bastard", his brother-in-law G2, and promptly tells SD "Fieke, write to your brother that I forgive him all the wrongs he did me - but only after I am dead, not before!"
Gotta say, while I guess Hervey is right when saying FW and G2 couldn't stand each other because of their alikeness, I do wonder which wrongs G2 did committ against FW in FW's mind, given that FW was the one who won that fight when they were boys. Morgenstern names inheriting three crowns and marrying Caroline without deserving any of it, but those are not specific actions aimed at FW. The 1729 almost duel affair? Encouraging Fritz' escape attempt? (Which G2 did not, but FW remained convinced he did.) Other things?
Aaaanyway. What's always worth remembering is that in the last years of his life, FW was in constant physical pain due to his illnesses, and his idea of self medication was to drink, which didn't help his general temper problem. If you're in constant pain and have a hair trigger temper, you lash out at familiar targets. For FW, these were his oldest children, Gundling, G2 and (if she brought up the English marriage project or otherwise argued with him), SD.
Re: Reports from the Dresden State Archive - FW
Gotta say, while I guess Hervey is right when saying FW and G2 couldn't stand each other because of their alikeness, I do wonder which wrongs G2 did committ against FW in FW's mind, given that FW was the one who won that fight when they were boys. Morgenstern names inheriting three crowns and marrying Caroline without deserving any of it, but those are not specific actions aimed at FW. The 1729 almost duel affair? Encouraging Fritz' escape attempt? (Which G2 did not, but FW remained convinced he did.) Other things?
Aaaanyway. What's always worth remembering is that in the last years of his life, FW was in constant physical pain due to his illnesses, and his idea of self medication was to drink, which didn't help his general temper problem. If you're in constant pain and have a hair trigger temper, you lash out at familiar targets. For FW, these were his oldest children, Gundling, G2 and (if she brought up the English marriage project or otherwise argued with him), SD.