18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 37

[cahn]

More diaries of our favorite 18th-century Prussian diary-keeper have been unearthed and have been synopsized!

January 18th: Blessed be thou to me! Under your light, my Prince Heinrich was born!

Comments

[selenak]

You know, I always wondered a bit why Fredersdorf went to Paris to begin with, given that he didn't speak the language (as far as we know, personal headcanon aside) and unlike the Prussian nobility hadn't been raised to regard Paris as Mecca, to use Fritz' simile, but good lord, yes, that this was as close as Fritz got to going himself makes a lot of sense.

Heartbreaking three letters tale: it occured to me to countercheck this against Schöning's the SECOND Chamber Hussar's story; my write up doesn't mention it, and I don't recall it from there, but otoh it might still be there and I just don't remember, I only read that text once. Anyway, I still thinkg we're on good grounds to say that whoever Lehndorff's source was, it wasn't Schöning. But Lehndorff was on good terms with Luccessini and the other last few readers, and any of them could have told him.

[mildred_of_midgard]

given that he didn't speak the language (as far as we know, personal headcanon aside) and unlike the Prussian nobility hadn't been raised to regard Paris as Mecca

I hope he at least enjoyed the opera!

Schöning: I started reading through it, and I got to the part where he talks about Fritz's death, and he says, "Towards the evening of August 15, he lost all consciousness, and died in this state of unconsciousness on the morning of August 17, at 20 Minuten auf 3 Uhr."

Selena, "auf" is not a way of telling time I'm familiar with, and Google isn't helping either. The time I know for Fritz's death is 2:20 am. Is that what he's saying here? That would not be my first guess as to how to interpret that, but who knows!

The other place that would be likely to have the story of the last three letters is the 1786 pamphlet on his last hours and death, but it's not there either. It gives the time of death as 2:19.

Other tidbits from Schöning: Fritz moved out of Sans Souci in late November or even December. For some reason I thought it was October! This contradicts one of my fics. :P

Schöning also said he loved Sans Souci so much he would sometimes move in as early as March (normally not until April) and not leave until December! I assume the weather played a role here, but I like to imagine Fritz going, "I'm freezing but it's WORTH IT!" :D

Also, we debated a while ago whether Fritz played the harpsichord (as Massie claimed), and I adduced some evidence that he did. Schöning says he played the clavier a little, so more evidence.

[selenak]

20 Minuten auf 3 Uhr."

It's a bit old fashioned, but also related to more modern slang. For example, "Viertel vier" isn't 4:15, it's 3:15, since it hails from "viertel auf Vier". So yes, it means 2:20.

FW dragged out the time for his favourite palace, Wusterhausen till late November, too, but having been in both, I think Sanssouci is less warmth/cold insulated.

(Knobelsdorff: Not my fault!)

[mildred_of_midgard]

Thank you!

"Viertel vier" isn't 4:15, it's 3:15

See, that I knew,

since it hails from "viertel auf Vier".

...but that I didn't know. TIL!

but having been in both, I think Sanssouci is less warmth/cold insulated.

FW: See, this is why you gotta take your architectural cues from the Dutch, who prioritized comfort over conspicuous consumption!

(Knobelsdorff: Not my fault!)

Heee! Well, apparently Colbert's objections about Versailles were overridden by Louis, so you're in good company, Knobelsdorff.

(Versailles: also impossible to heat.)

ETA: I am reminded that while Louis XIV suffered sleeping all night in the state bed for the sake of his majesty, Louis XV, less majestic as well as less heroic, would apparently be put to bed by his nobles in the state bed, then sneak off to a smaller, easier to heat nook, sleep there, and sneak back in the next morning in time to be "woken up" in the state bed.

I'm with you on that, XV!