..which is now over, including the "Lies" episode they always do a bit later where they talk about some things they left out and/or did/said wrongly and realized too late, or were caught out on.
In general, it's a nice introduction to the subject, and the mistakes aren't of the type that completely distort the story. (The potato anecdote made it as true fact, and also Fritz was the sole organizer and idea haver of the First Polish Partition, but what else is new.) They also do a nice job keeping things balanced - there's neither the 19th century style Fritz worship nor the proto Nazi Fritz demonisation that happened/happens post WW2 in some quarters. It did crack me up that in the big 7 Years War episode, they solved the problem of all the battles by presenting it as a Wrestling Match, including the Second Miracle of the House of Brandenburg.
Heinrich made it into the series, but on the sidelines; he's mentioned in two episodes as most important support to Fritz in the 7 Years War, especially once there was really dire need for generals who manage to preserve their armies lives a bit better than the boss, and in the Wrestling Sequence, he's Fritz' coach (which wouldn't please either of them if they saw it). Fredersdorf never gets mentioned by name, but in the last episode in a distorted and factually wrong manner ("in the last 20 years of his life he lived with his valet whose room was next to his"), whereas Algarotti not only makes it as Fritz' lover by name in episode 2 but is also amply talked about in the "Lies" episode where we get the orgasm poem story. Given that Prinzsorgenfrei recently did a poll on Tumblr where Fredersdorf finished even behind CASANOVA (he who met Fritz only once - or twice, can't remember - ) in terms of popularity as a Fritz boyfriend, I can only conclude that I predicted this all too well in my speculation about Fritz fandom if there was a tv series and how Fritz/Fredersdorf would be treated and dismissed as the safe, boring ship.
(Never mind, Fredersdorf. As Mildred once said, you weren't just Caroline's favourite husband, you also were Fritz' favourite husband.)
More seriously, I can see the Orgasm Poem as a big attraction which promoted Algarotti to post Katte fave, but does Tim Blanning (who, no surprise, gets mentioned as a source in the last ep) quote the adorable Gott Bewahre Dir letter to Fredersdorf at all, asks she who still hasn't read Blanning?
including the "Lies" episode they always do a bit later where they talk about some things they left out and/or did/said wrongly and realized too late, or were caught out on.
Am I remembering that you said you left a comment on one of the early episodes? Did any of that get included?
The potato anecdote made it as true fact
Haha, also in the Reinhard Mey song "Friedrichstraße" that you told me about (because it has Katte) and that I've been listening to for German practice.
I can only conclude that I predicted this all too well in my speculation about Fritz fandom if there was a tv series and how Fritz/Fredersdorf would be treated and dismissed as the safe, boring ship.
Honestly, I feel like there's an echo chamber here: people don't dislike the ship so much as it's not on their radar, because people don't talk about it. It was only barely on my radar when you asked me what I thought about it back at the beginning of salon. The thing on people's radar (at least in the English-speaking world) is the "6 most loved" list, but Eichel also makes that list!
but does Tim Blanning (who, no surprise, gets mentioned as a source in the last ep) quote the adorable Gott Bewahre Dir letter to Fredersdorf at all, asks she who still hasn't read Blanning?
He does not quote the adorable letter, I had to find that one on my own by copy-pasting the Trier letters into Google translate, but he does refer to the language as that of a "husband":
Frederick’s numerous letters to Fredersdorf are intimate in tone and substance— what one might expect from a doting husband. Significantly, he used the intimate second-person Du form, not the impersonal third-person usually employed when addressing a servant. Much of the correspondence is taken up with Frederick reporting on his own health, which was often bad, and expressing tender concern for Fredersdorf’s own ailments, which were even worse. Both men suffered regularly from anal problems. “I am suffering from hemorrhoids,” reported Frederick in March 1747, for example, adding that, as it happened after an enema, the affliction may have been caused by a defective tube. In April 1754 he informed Fredersdorf that he had celebrated the latter’s recovery from illness with two bottles of Hungarian wine. He added that on this occasion “Carel” had squealed when being tickled, this being a reference to Carl Friedrich von Pirch, one of the royal pages who carried messages to and from Fredersdorf. Fifteen years old at the time, Carel was dubbed “White Mene” by Frederick because he was blond, as opposed to “Black Mene,” Frederick’s favorite dog. However, Frederick added, Carel had also been “very naughty” and so was to have his pocket money docked. There is much more of this playful banter in the correspondence with unmistakable homoerotic overtones.
Alas no. Instead, they read someone else's comment that SD had wanted to run away with Fritz. (This variation is new to me.) And said that it's even uncertain whether or not she knew about his plans, but no, she did not want to run away with him. Mind you, I have no doubt that if SD could have, in safety, gone with Fritz to Hannover and England in 1730, she'd have been on the first carriage, but her dream picture of this was an official journey with pomp and ceremony, not an escape, and I don't think she would have supported the running away with Katte plan.
Incidentally, something that never came up was that SD wasn't a dream mother herself, but this doesn't surprise me. This is a series of short videos, SD's relationship with Fritz was compared with FW's relationship with him loving and supportive, and her brand of dysfunctionality and abuse affected mainly her daughters. Fritz did feel the impossibility to please both parents at the same time as well, and at least twice in the 1730s he mentions it to Wilhelmine in a less than SD praising way, but still, given the narrative space available for parental abuse, it's no wonder FW gets it all to himself. But for longer stories, I would include stuff like Wilhelmine mentioning during the big panicked burning and rewriting of papers she burned many a letter with SD critical stuff, not just FW critical stuff, and was extra panicked because of that.
He does not quote the adorable letter, I had to find that one on my own by copy-pasting the Trier letters into Google translate, but he does refer to the language as that of a "husband":
Well, good for him, but it's a nice descriptive paragraph, but if I were to write a shipping manifesto, I would quote the most adorable letter where Fredersdorf is asked to be at the window so Fritz can see him when riding out but NOT to open the window, and to have the fireplace active, because that embodies "doting husband" and is good shipping fodder. (Also, there's no heterosexual explanation unless you go full Richter and postulate that two years younger than Fredersdorf Fritz saw Fredersdorf as a son. ) Plus the fact Fritz wrote this after knowing Fredersdorf for eons, not in the heat of first passion, is what makes it the ice of the shipping cake for me.
but if I were to write a shipping manifesto, I would quote the most adorable letter where Fredersdorf is asked to be at the window so Fritz can see him when riding out but NOT to open the window, and to have the fireplace active, because that embodies "doting husband" and is good shipping fodder.
SAME! You may remember I fell in love instantly with that letter and immediately shared it with salon.
Sadly, I don't think Blanning is writing a shipping manifesto for Fritz/Fredersdorf, just a "Fritz was gay, people" manifesto, which is why Carel gets so much space in that paragraph.
that two years younger than Fredersdorf Fritz
Four years! Or, three and a half, but close enough: Fredersdorf was born mid-1708, Fritz January 1712.
Plus the fact Fritz wrote this after knowing Fredersdorf for eons, not in the heat of first passion, is what makes it the ice of the shipping cake for me.
<3
It's definitely the healthiest, and the one I would recommend irl. That doesn't meant it's the one I'm most fannish about. ;) Similarly, Fritz is not the head of state I would vote for real life. I just find him more interesting than all the other heads of state.
Frederick’s numerous letters to Fredersdorf are intimate in tone and substance— what one might expect from a doting husband. Significantly, he used the intimate second-person Du form, not the impersonal third-person usually employed when addressing a servant.
I forgot to say this, but I was surprised by how few Frederik letters to Moltke involve "Du." Only like 5 out of the 70.
Wow, I'm looking at one of the letters, and he manages to pack in the word "heart" 6 times in the first two sentences. I told you, he just piles on the repetition so that the quantity becomes striking!
Gott seegene Jhm, mein hertz allerliebster Moltke. Vohr sein hertz lieben Brief dancke ich Jhm, Du mein hertzens allerbester und getreuster Freund, hertzlich; ich wünsche von Grund meines Hertzens meinen alten erligen hertz lieben Moltke wieder bey mich zu sehen. Gott überschütte Jhm mit seinem Seegen und erhalte Jhm noch viele unzahliche Jahre frisch und gesund, so soll ich nicht ab lassen Gott dem Allerhochsten auf meine Knie vohr zu danken. Adieu
Frederick’s numerous letters to Fredersdorf are intimate in tone and substance— what one might expect from a doting husband. Significantly, he used the intimate second-person Du form, not the impersonal third-person usually employed when addressing a servant.
I forgot to say this, but I was surprised by how few of Frederik's letters to Moltke involve "Du." Only like 5 out of the 70. It's amazing how much warmth he manages to pack into "Er" and "Ihm."
Wow, though, I'm looking at a random letter now, and Frederik feels the need to repeat the word "heart" 6 times in the first two sentences. And then again for a grand flourish at the end. I told you, he just piles on the repetition so that the quantity becomes striking!
Gott seegene Jhm, mein hertz allerliebster Moltke. Vohr sein hertz lieben Brief dancke ich Jhm, Du mein hertzens allerbester und getreuster Freund, hertzlich; ich wünsche von Grund meines Hertzens meinen alten erligen hertz lieben Moltke wieder bey mich zu sehen. Gott überschütte Jhm mit seinem Seegen und erhalte Jhm noch viele unzähliche Jahre frisch und gesund, so soll ich nicht ab lassen Gott dem Allerhöchsten auf meine Knie vohr zu danken. Adieu, Du mein hertzens lieber Freund, Gott erhalte Jhm. Sein beständinger getreuer Freund vorbleibe ich biss im Tode.
God bless him, my dearest Moltke. Before his heartily dear letter, I thank him, you, my very best and most loyal friend, heartily; I wish from the bottom of my heart to see my old, dear hearted Moltke again with me. May God shower him with his blessing and keep him fresh and healthy for many countless years to come, so I shall not stop thanking God the Most High on my knees. Adieu, my dearest friend, may God preserve him. I will remain his constant, faithful friend until death.
That's a whole letter.
Wilhelmine: See, Fritz, that's the kind of letter I was talking about! "I love you, my sister, my sister, I love you"!
I was surprised by how few of Frederik's letters to Moltke involve "Du."
Well, Moltke isn't a former valet, Moltke is a nobleman. I'm more surprised there's any Du at all at this point in time.
Late in the 18th century, a young Goethe in love with noblewoman Charlotte von Stein annoys her by writing Du in his letters, while she keeps insisting on Sie. The letters are in German, btw, not French. And I had recently the chance to read the very touching engagement letters between a young Jewish-German couple written in 1803 - 1804, he's a peddler, she's a housemaid; they waver between Sie and Du, and it's exactly the transition period where the last vestiges of 18th century letter habits still cling on but are in the process of being discarded.
I mean, I can see why Gustav Volz when translating the Fritz/Wilhelmine letters changed the mode of address to "Du" and why the editors of the "Solange wir zu zweit sind" edition kept this, though it confused me a lot for a while. To us, using a formal mode of adress to someone you love is just weird. But it really was the standard for most of that century unless the recipient of the letter was of significantly lower rank, even among family members, so I'm more surprised that Frederik used Du at all. Now, obviously, in the last third of the century this changes, starting with the bourgoisie - when Goethe or Schiller as students write letters to their fellow student male friends, it's Du and last name (not first name), and of course the mode of address in "Don Carlos" is a direct plot point in the Carlos and Posa reunion scene early on, plus love letters go for Du more and more, too. But the consciousness of rank still applies even among non nobles. Again with the Mozarts because we have a lot of family letters as a good example of the second half of the 18th century non noble German speakers: It's Du between siblings and spouses, and from the parents to the children, but even adult children call their father Sie.
Incidentally, I have zero idea of how Danish language habits were in the 18th century, but in modern day Danish tv shows like Borgen, everyone says Du to everyone else. If the Danish equivalent to Du was already far more in use back then, then it might have rubbed off, despite the Oldenburg royal family not talking Danish but German (and French, presumably), given that Frederik hangs out with all those prostitutes on a regular basis (who presumably are non noble and non-German).
Note on your translation - my guess is that "erligen" stands for "ehrlichen", i.e. "honest". Otherwise, good lord, yes.
Another note on Du versus Er versus Sie and the transition: schoolboy Jacob Grimm (one of the fairy tale brothers), subject of the princes of Hesse-Kassel, who attends on a scholarship (due to being brilliant) a school where there are otherwise mainly nobles very much seethes in resentment when adressed as "Er" by the teacher, who calls the noble boys Sie, and sees it as a direct put down he still remembers decades later when writing about it. This is late 18th century as well.
Lastly: mind you, except for the Grimm example all I've said applies to letter writing habits, which are of course heavily influenced by and in direct imitation of French culture. The assumption is that there was more Du used in verbal communication even among the nobility. And we do have examples for that, like Lehndorff's diary entry about the Hohenzollern Sibling Argument on the occasion of visiting Dear Old Wusterhausen, where he transcribes the exchange between Heinrich and Amalie in German, and suddenly it's Du whereas we know in their letters all the siblings adressed each other as Sie. (Except for Heinrich's very first preserved letter to little Ferdinand, the half French, half German one, where it's Du, but that one is from a teenager to a kid still in single digits of age.)
Interesting! I think my surprise came from reading the letters quickly, thinking, "Oh, he 'Du's Moltke!" and extrapolating too much and thinking he did it regularly, then realizing that there weren't nearly as many as I thought I remembered. If I'd never seen a "Du", I don't think I have batted an eye.
That said, I also didn't realize how surprising it was, so thank you for the historical context!
even adult children call their father Sie.
See, I was thinking the "Du" went with all Frederik's references to Moltke as his father and himself as son, but I didn't know that you wouldn't expect a "Du" there either!
Well, I see why people find these letters so surprising.
Incidentally, I have zero idea of how Danish language habits were in the 18th century
Same, but I'll let you know if that changes. I'm trying to study a little every day.
Note on your translation - my guess is that "erligen" stands for "ehrlichen", i.e. "honest".
Ah, yes, good catch. I hadn't noticed that Google omitted that. (For the sake of speed, all my translations are run through Google and given one quick cleanup--I do not have time to be doing the translation myself, especially if, as here, I have to type up the German because it can't be copy-pasted, or, as with Lehndorff, the copy-paste job needs serious cleaning up.)
I also, looking back, see Google left out two of the "heart"s probably because it's more fluent in English to just say "dearest." But since I was trying to call attention to all the uses of "heart" here: there are 7 total, Cahn!
See, I was thinking the "Du" went with all Frederik's references to Moltke as his father and himself as son, but I didn't know that you wouldn't expect a "Du" there either!
As an example, here's Mozart's last letter to his father Leopold:
"Mon très cher père! Diesen Augenblick höre ich eine Nachricht, die mich sehr niederschlägt. Nun höre ich aber, dass Sie wirklich krank seien! Wie sehnlich ich einer tröstenden Nachricht von Ihnen selbst entgegensehe, brauche ich Ihnen doch wohl nicht zu sagen; und ich hoffe es auch gewiss - obwohl ich es mir zur Gewohnheit gemacht habe, mir immer in allen Dingen das Schlimmste vorzustellen - da der Tod (genau zu nehmen) der wahre Endzweck unseres Lebens ist, so habe ich mich seit ein paar Jahren mit diesem wahren, besten Freunde des Menschen so bekannt gemacht, dass sein Bild nicht allein nichts Schreckendes mehr für mich hat, sondern recht viel Beruhigendes und Tröstendes! [...] Sollten Sie aber wider alles Vermuten nicht besser sein, so bitte ich Sie, mir die reine Wahrheit zu schreiben, damit ich so geschwind als es menschenmöglich ist, in Ihren Armen sein kann; ich beschwöre Sie bei allem was - uns heilig ist."
(Starting the letter in French and continuing in German is fairly typical for the Mozarts.)
On a very different note, behold this fanart depicting the first meeting between Fritz and Voltaire!
Looking more closely at the "Du" letters from Frederik, of the 5, all do so in connection with Moltke as his friend, 3 only use "du" in connection with "friend", 1 uses "du" and "friend" together and then continues using "du", and only 1 letter uses "du" throughout.
7: Only in connection with "friend". Not an apology letter.
10. Only in connection with "friend". Probably an apology letter.
13. Only in connection with "friend". Very much an apology letter.
14. Also in connection with "friend", but first in connection with "heart and father" and throughout. An apology letter.
15. First in connection with "friend". An apology letter.
These are short, so I'm going to write them up.
7: The one you've already seen.
10. Gott seegene und erhalte meinen hertz lieben Moltcke. Sey nicht betrybt, ich bin Dein Fründ und so lange ich lebe, vorbleibe ich sein treuer Freund, und sein and der seinigen Vatter. Gott erhalte Jhm, das ist mein Hertzens Wunsch. Friderich R.
"Sey nicht betrybt" is why I'm taking this as an apology letter.
13. Mein hertz lieber Moltcke. Ich bitte Jhm von Grunde der Seelen um Vergebung; mein hitzieger Kopf ist allwieder dar gewest. Gott seegene und erhalte Jhm, und Gott der Allmächtige lasse all den Seegen und das Wohlergehen über Jhm und seiner gantzen Famillie ergehen, wass in der heiligen Schrifft versprochen ist; der komme auf Jhm und auf sein gantzes Haus. Dieses wünschet in Aufrichtichkeit sein beständig getreuer Freund und Sohn Friderich R.
Gott seegene und erhalte Dich, mein hertzens lieber Freundt. -- Nie mahlen widertuhen.
Ich habe gefehlet, das erkenne ich; sey nur nicht vertrübt, und vorgeb es mich.
14. Gott seegene Dich, mein Hertz und mein Vatter. Mein allerteurester hertz allerliebster Moltcke. Du bist mein Freund und mein Vatter. Pater Peccavi, ich habe gesündieget; ich liebe Dich von Hertzens Grund und vorbliebe biss in mein Grab Dein aufrichtig getreuer Friderich R.
Gott segene und erhalte Dich, Du mein Hertz aller allerliebster Moltcke; Dein bin und bleibe ich, so lange ich mich rühren kann.
15. Mein hertz allerliebster Moltcke, Freünd und Vatter. Jch bitte um Vergebung. Gott seegene und erhalte Jhm. Du bist mein Hertzens allerliebster Freünd, vergib mich um Gottes willen, wen ich Dich beleidiget habe; ich liebe Dich mit Hertz, Muht, und Bluht biss an min Ende, solches vorsichert Dich Din aufrichtig getreüer Sohn, Friderich R.
Now, he does also refer to Moltke as his friend many times in the third person throughout this collection, but I'm thinking the age difference being 12 years makes it possible for him to see Moltke as a friend and a father, as someone whose children he can be a father (and mother) to, apparently as someone he can be a father to (because of the rank difference), and of course as a subject, hence the usual "Er".
Also, 13-15 are from summer 1752, the year of the marriage and the constant apologizing, and 10 *may* be from January 1752, but the year isn't sure.
OH HEY my Danish studies are paying off! I can't read the whole footnote, but I read all but a few words that I didn't know when I first read these letters. :D
And letter 7 is from earlier in 1751, when Louise was still alive. So it kind of looks like all or almost all the Du letters are from an 18 month period that included, but wasn't limited to, the nadir of the Frederik/Moltke relationship. Interesting. Possibly Frederik's trying to compensate with more intimacy.
OH interesting. If you take the 1752 date for sure, then there's only one "Du" letter that *isn't* an apology letter from the "worst of" period. And that one is the one that has no content aside from "I want to see you again," which doesn't *feel* like an apology letter, unless it's a followup to an apology letter and he's getting the silent treatment. But since we have no direct evidence for that, we'll say 3 and possibly 4 of the 5 are apologies during what we think is the worst period.
On a very different note, behold this fanart depicting the first meeting between Fritz and Voltaire!
It did crack me up that in the big 7 Years War episode, they solved the problem of all the battles by presenting it as a Wrestling Match, including the Second Miracle of the House of Brandenburg.
Especially this, LOL!
and in the Wrestling Sequence, he's Fritz' coach
AHAHAHAHA
(which wouldn't please either of them if they saw it)
...so true!
(Never mind, Fredersdorf. As Mildred once said, you weren't just Caroline's favourite husband, you also were Fritz' favourite husband.)
<3 How many people can say that they were two people's favorite husband?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
In general, it's a nice introduction to the subject, and the mistakes aren't of the type that completely distort the story. (The potato anecdote made it as true fact, and also Fritz was the sole organizer and idea haver of the First Polish Partition, but what else is new.) They also do a nice job keeping things balanced - there's neither the 19th century style Fritz worship nor the proto Nazi Fritz demonisation that happened/happens post WW2 in some quarters. It did crack me up that in the big 7 Years War episode, they solved the problem of all the battles by presenting it as a Wrestling Match, including the Second Miracle of the House of Brandenburg.
Heinrich made it into the series, but on the sidelines; he's mentioned in two episodes as most important support to Fritz in the 7 Years War, especially once there was really dire need for generals who manage to preserve their armies lives a bit better than the boss, and in the Wrestling Sequence, he's Fritz' coach (which wouldn't please either of them if they saw it). Fredersdorf never gets mentioned by name, but in the last episode in a distorted and factually wrong manner ("in the last 20 years of his life he lived with his valet whose room was next to his"), whereas Algarotti not only makes it as Fritz' lover by name in episode 2 but is also amply talked about in the "Lies" episode where we get the orgasm poem story. Given that Prinzsorgenfrei recently did a poll on Tumblr where Fredersdorf finished even behind CASANOVA (he who met Fritz only once - or twice, can't remember - ) in terms of popularity as a Fritz boyfriend, I can only conclude that I predicted this all too well in my speculation about Fritz fandom if there was a tv series and how Fritz/Fredersdorf would be treated and dismissed as the safe, boring ship.
(Never mind, Fredersdorf. As Mildred once said, you weren't just Caroline's favourite husband, you also were Fritz' favourite husband.)
More seriously, I can see the Orgasm Poem as a big attraction which promoted Algarotti to post Katte fave, but does Tim Blanning (who, no surprise, gets mentioned as a source in the last ep) quote the adorable Gott Bewahre Dir letter to Fredersdorf at all, asks she who still hasn't read Blanning?
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
Am I remembering that you said you left a comment on one of the early episodes? Did any of that get included?
The potato anecdote made it as true fact
Haha, also in the Reinhard Mey song "Friedrichstraße" that you told me about (because it has Katte) and that I've been listening to for German practice.
I can only conclude that I predicted this all too well in my speculation about Fritz fandom if there was a tv series and how Fritz/Fredersdorf would be treated and dismissed as the safe, boring ship.
Honestly, I feel like there's an echo chamber here: people don't dislike the ship so much as it's not on their radar, because people don't talk about it. It was only barely on my radar when you asked me what I thought about it back at the beginning of salon. The thing on people's radar (at least in the English-speaking world) is the "6 most loved" list, but Eichel also makes that list!
but does Tim Blanning (who, no surprise, gets mentioned as a source in the last ep) quote the adorable Gott Bewahre Dir letter to Fredersdorf at all, asks she who still hasn't read Blanning?
He does not quote the adorable letter, I had to find that one on my own by copy-pasting the Trier letters into Google translate, but he does refer to the language as that of a "husband":
Frederick’s numerous letters to Fredersdorf are intimate in tone and substance— what one might expect from a doting husband. Significantly, he used the intimate second-person Du form, not the impersonal third-person usually employed when addressing a servant. Much of the correspondence is taken up with Frederick reporting on his own health, which was often bad, and expressing tender concern for Fredersdorf’s own ailments, which were even worse. Both men suffered regularly from anal problems. “I am suffering from hemorrhoids,” reported Frederick in March 1747, for example, adding that, as it happened after an enema, the affliction may have been caused by a defective tube. In April 1754 he informed Fredersdorf that he had celebrated the latter’s recovery from illness with two bottles of Hungarian wine. He added that on this occasion “Carel” had squealed when being tickled, this being a reference to Carl Friedrich von Pirch, one of the royal pages who carried messages to and from Fredersdorf. Fifteen years old at the time, Carel was dubbed “White Mene” by Frederick because he was blond, as opposed to “Black Mene,” Frederick’s favorite dog. However, Frederick added, Carel had also been “very naughty” and so was to have his pocket money docked. There is much more of this playful banter in the correspondence with unmistakable homoerotic overtones.
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
Alas no. Instead, they read someone else's comment that SD had wanted to run away with Fritz. (This variation is new to me.) And said that it's even uncertain whether or not she knew about his plans, but no, she did not want to run away with him. Mind you, I have no doubt that if SD could have, in safety, gone with Fritz to Hannover and England in 1730, she'd have been on the first carriage, but her dream picture of this was an official journey with pomp and ceremony, not an escape, and I don't think she would have supported the running away with Katte plan.
Incidentally, something that never came up was that SD wasn't a dream mother herself, but this doesn't surprise me. This is a series of short videos, SD's relationship with Fritz was compared with FW's relationship with him loving and supportive, and her brand of dysfunctionality and abuse affected mainly her daughters. Fritz did feel the impossibility to please both parents at the same time as well, and at least twice in the 1730s he mentions it to Wilhelmine in a less than SD praising way, but still, given the narrative space available for parental abuse, it's no wonder FW gets it all to himself. But for longer stories, I would include stuff like Wilhelmine mentioning during the big panicked burning and rewriting of papers she burned many a letter with SD critical stuff, not just FW critical stuff, and was extra panicked because of that.
He does not quote the adorable letter, I had to find that one on my own by copy-pasting the Trier letters into Google translate, but he does refer to the language as that of a "husband":
Well, good for him, but it's a nice descriptive paragraph, but if I were to write a shipping manifesto, I would quote the most adorable letter where Fredersdorf is asked to be at the window so Fritz can see him when riding out but NOT to open the window, and to have the fireplace active, because that embodies "doting husband" and is good shipping fodder. (Also, there's no heterosexual explanation unless you go full Richter and postulate that two years younger than Fredersdorf Fritz saw Fredersdorf as a son. ) Plus the fact Fritz wrote this after knowing Fredersdorf for eons, not in the heat of first passion, is what makes it the ice of the shipping cake for me.
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
SAME! You may remember I fell in love instantly with that letter and immediately shared it with salon.
Sadly, I don't think Blanning is writing a shipping manifesto for Fritz/Fredersdorf, just a "Fritz was gay, people" manifesto, which is why Carel gets so much space in that paragraph.
that two years younger than Fredersdorf Fritz
Four years! Or, three and a half, but close enough: Fredersdorf was born mid-1708, Fritz January 1712.
Plus the fact Fritz wrote this after knowing Fredersdorf for eons, not in the heat of first passion, is what makes it the ice of the shipping cake for me.
<3
It's definitely the healthiest, and the one I would recommend irl. That doesn't meant it's the one I'm most fannish about. ;) Similarly, Fritz is not the head of state I would vote for real life. I just find him more interesting than all the other heads of state.
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
I forgot to say this, but I was surprised by how few Frederik letters to Moltke involve "Du." Only like 5 out of the 70.
Wow, I'm looking at one of the letters, and he manages to pack in the word "heart" 6 times in the first two sentences. I told you, he just piles on the repetition so that the quantity becomes striking!
Gott seegene Jhm, mein hertz allerliebster Moltke. Vohr sein hertz lieben Brief dancke ich Jhm, Du mein hertzens allerbester und getreuster Freund, hertzlich; ich wünsche von Grund meines Hertzens meinen alten erligen hertz lieben Moltke wieder bey mich zu sehen. Gott überschütte Jhm mit seinem Seegen und erhalte Jhm noch viele unzahliche Jahre frisch und gesund, so soll ich nicht ab lassen Gott dem Allerhochsten auf meine Knie vohr zu danken. Adieu
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
I forgot to say this, but I was surprised by how few of Frederik's letters to Moltke involve "Du." Only like 5 out of the 70. It's amazing how much warmth he manages to pack into "Er" and "Ihm."
Wow, though, I'm looking at a random letter now, and Frederik feels the need to repeat the word "heart" 6 times in the first two sentences. And then again for a grand flourish at the end. I told you, he just piles on the repetition so that the quantity becomes striking!
Gott seegene Jhm, mein hertz allerliebster Moltke. Vohr sein hertz lieben Brief dancke ich Jhm, Du mein hertzens allerbester und getreuster Freund, hertzlich; ich wünsche von Grund meines Hertzens meinen alten erligen hertz lieben Moltke wieder bey mich zu sehen. Gott überschütte Jhm mit seinem Seegen und erhalte Jhm noch viele unzähliche Jahre frisch und gesund, so soll ich nicht ab lassen Gott dem Allerhöchsten auf meine Knie vohr zu danken. Adieu, Du mein hertzens lieber Freund, Gott erhalte Jhm. Sein beständinger getreuer Freund vorbleibe ich biss im Tode.
God bless him, my dearest Moltke. Before his heartily dear letter, I thank him, you, my very best and most loyal friend, heartily; I wish from the bottom of my heart to see my old, dear hearted Moltke again with me. May God shower him with his blessing and keep him fresh and healthy for many countless years to come, so I shall not stop thanking God the Most High on my knees. Adieu, my dearest friend, may God preserve him. I will remain his constant, faithful friend until death.
That's a whole letter.
Wilhelmine: See, Fritz, that's the kind of letter I was talking about! "I love you, my sister, my sister, I love you"!
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
Well, Moltke isn't a former valet, Moltke is a nobleman. I'm more surprised there's any Du at all at this point in time.
Late in the 18th century, a young Goethe in love with noblewoman Charlotte von Stein annoys her by writing Du in his letters, while she keeps insisting on Sie. The letters are in German, btw, not French. And I had recently the chance to read the very touching engagement letters between a young Jewish-German couple written in 1803 - 1804, he's a peddler, she's a housemaid; they waver between Sie and Du, and it's exactly the transition period where the last vestiges of 18th century letter habits still cling on but are in the process of being discarded.
I mean, I can see why Gustav Volz when translating the Fritz/Wilhelmine letters changed the mode of address to "Du" and why the editors of the "Solange wir zu zweit sind" edition kept this, though it confused me a lot for a while. To us, using a formal mode of adress to someone you love is just weird. But it really was the standard for most of that century unless the recipient of the letter was of significantly lower rank, even among family members, so I'm more surprised that Frederik used Du at all. Now, obviously, in the last third of the century this changes, starting with the bourgoisie - when Goethe or Schiller as students write letters to their fellow student male friends, it's Du and last name (not first name), and of course the mode of address in "Don Carlos" is a direct plot point in the Carlos and Posa reunion scene early on, plus love letters go for Du more and more, too. But the consciousness of rank still applies even among non nobles. Again with the Mozarts because we have a lot of family letters as a good example of the second half of the 18th century non noble German speakers: It's Du between siblings and spouses, and from the parents to the children, but even adult children call their father Sie.
Incidentally, I have zero idea of how Danish language habits were in the 18th century, but in modern day Danish tv shows like Borgen, everyone says Du to everyone else. If the Danish equivalent to Du was already far more in use back then, then it might have rubbed off, despite the Oldenburg royal family not talking Danish but German (and French, presumably), given that Frederik hangs out with all those prostitutes on a regular basis (who presumably are non noble and non-German).
Note on your translation - my guess is that "erligen" stands for "ehrlichen", i.e. "honest". Otherwise, good lord, yes.
Another note on Du versus Er versus Sie and the transition: schoolboy Jacob Grimm (one of the fairy tale brothers), subject of the princes of Hesse-Kassel, who attends on a scholarship (due to being brilliant) a school where there are otherwise mainly nobles very much seethes in resentment when adressed as "Er" by the teacher, who calls the noble boys Sie, and sees it as a direct put down he still remembers decades later when writing about it. This is late 18th century as well.
Lastly: mind you, except for the Grimm example all I've said applies to letter writing habits, which are of course heavily influenced by and in direct imitation of French culture. The assumption is that there was more Du used in verbal communication even among the nobility. And we do have examples for that, like Lehndorff's diary entry about the Hohenzollern Sibling Argument on the occasion of visiting Dear Old Wusterhausen, where he transcribes the exchange between Heinrich and Amalie in German, and suddenly it's Du whereas we know in their letters all the siblings adressed each other as Sie. (Except for Heinrich's very first preserved letter to little Ferdinand, the half French, half German one, where it's Du, but that one is from a teenager to a kid still in single digits of age.)
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
That said, I also didn't realize how surprising it was, so thank you for the historical context!
even adult children call their father Sie.
See, I was thinking the "Du" went with all Frederik's references to Moltke as his father and himself as son, but I didn't know that you wouldn't expect a "Du" there either!
Well, I see why people find these letters so surprising.
Incidentally, I have zero idea of how Danish language habits were in the 18th century
Same, but I'll let you know if that changes. I'm trying to study a little every day.
Note on your translation - my guess is that "erligen" stands for "ehrlichen", i.e. "honest".
Ah, yes, good catch. I hadn't noticed that Google omitted that. (For the sake of speed, all my translations are run through Google and given one quick cleanup--I do not have time to be doing the translation myself, especially if, as here, I have to type up the German because it can't be copy-pasted, or, as with Lehndorff, the copy-paste job needs serious cleaning up.)
I also, looking back, see Google left out two of the "heart"s probably because it's more fluent in English to just say "dearest." But since I was trying to call attention to all the uses of "heart" here: there are 7 total, Cahn!
Frederik: I just have a lot of feelings!
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
As an example, here's Mozart's last letter to his father Leopold:
"Mon très cher père!
Diesen Augenblick höre ich eine Nachricht, die mich sehr niederschlägt. Nun höre ich aber, dass Sie wirklich krank seien! Wie sehnlich ich einer tröstenden Nachricht von Ihnen selbst entgegensehe, brauche ich Ihnen doch wohl nicht zu sagen; und ich hoffe es auch gewiss - obwohl ich es mir zur Gewohnheit gemacht habe, mir immer in allen Dingen das Schlimmste vorzustellen - da der Tod (genau zu nehmen) der wahre Endzweck unseres Lebens ist, so habe ich mich seit ein paar Jahren mit diesem wahren, besten Freunde des Menschen so bekannt gemacht, dass sein Bild nicht allein nichts Schreckendes mehr für mich hat, sondern recht viel Beruhigendes und Tröstendes! [...] Sollten Sie aber wider alles Vermuten nicht besser sein, so bitte ich Sie, mir die reine Wahrheit zu schreiben, damit ich so geschwind als es menschenmöglich ist, in Ihren Armen sein kann; ich beschwöre Sie bei allem was - uns heilig ist."
(Starting the letter in French and continuing in German is fairly typical for the Mozarts.)
On a very different note, behold this fanart depicting the first meeting between Fritz and Voltaire!
"Du" in letters
Looking more closely at the "Du" letters from Frederik, of the 5, all do so in connection with Moltke as his friend, 3 only use "du" in connection with "friend", 1 uses "du" and "friend" together and then continues using "du", and only 1 letter uses "du" throughout.
7: Only in connection with "friend". Not an apology letter.
10. Only in connection with "friend". Probably an apology letter.
13. Only in connection with "friend". Very much an apology letter.
14. Also in connection with "friend", but first in connection with "heart and father" and throughout. An apology letter.
15. First in connection with "friend". An apology letter.
These are short, so I'm going to write them up.
7: The one you've already seen.
10. Gott seegene und erhalte meinen hertz lieben Moltcke. Sey nicht betrybt, ich bin Dein Fründ und so lange ich lebe, vorbleibe ich sein treuer Freund, und sein and der seinigen Vatter. Gott erhalte Jhm, das ist mein Hertzens Wunsch.
Friderich R.
"Sey nicht betrybt" is why I'm taking this as an apology letter.
13. Mein hertz lieber Moltcke. Ich bitte Jhm von Grunde der Seelen um Vergebung; mein hitzieger Kopf ist allwieder dar gewest. Gott seegene und erhalte Jhm, und Gott der Allmächtige lasse all den Seegen und das Wohlergehen über Jhm und seiner gantzen Famillie ergehen, wass in der heiligen Schrifft versprochen ist; der komme auf Jhm und auf sein gantzes Haus. Dieses wünschet in Aufrichtichkeit sein beständig getreuer Freund und Sohn Friderich R.
Gott seegene und erhalte Dich, mein hertzens lieber Freundt. -- Nie mahlen widertuhen.
Ich habe gefehlet, das erkenne ich; sey nur nicht vertrübt, und vorgeb es mich.
14. Gott seegene Dich, mein Hertz und mein Vatter. Mein allerteurester hertz allerliebster Moltcke. Du bist mein Freund und mein Vatter. Pater Peccavi, ich habe gesündieget; ich liebe Dich von Hertzens Grund und vorbliebe biss in mein Grab Dein aufrichtig getreuer
Friderich R.
Gott segene und erhalte Dich, Du mein Hertz aller allerliebster Moltcke; Dein bin und bleibe ich, so lange ich mich rühren kann.
15. Mein hertz allerliebster Moltcke, Freünd und Vatter. Jch bitte um Vergebung. Gott seegene und erhalte Jhm. Du bist mein Hertzens allerliebster Freünd, vergib mich um Gottes willen, wen ich Dich beleidiget habe; ich liebe Dich mit Hertz, Muht, und Bluht biss an min Ende, solches vorsichert Dich Din aufrichtig getreüer Sohn,
Friderich R.
Now, he does also refer to Moltke as his friend many times in the third person throughout this collection, but I'm thinking the age difference being 12 years makes it possible for him to see Moltke as a friend and a father, as someone whose children he can be a father (and mother) to, apparently as someone he can be a father to (because of the rank difference), and of course as a subject, hence the usual "Er".
Also, 13-15 are from summer 1752, the year of the marriage and the constant apologizing, and 10 *may* be from January 1752, but the year isn't sure.
OH HEY my Danish studies are paying off! I can't read the whole footnote, but I read all but a few words that I didn't know when I first read these letters. :D
And letter 7 is from earlier in 1751, when Louise was still alive. So it kind of looks like all or almost all the Du letters are from an 18 month period that included, but wasn't limited to, the nadir of the Frederik/Moltke relationship. Interesting. Possibly Frederik's trying to compensate with more intimacy.
OH interesting. If you take the 1752 date for sure, then there's only one "Du" letter that *isn't* an apology letter from the "worst of" period. And that one is the one that has no content aside from "I want to see you again," which doesn't *feel* like an apology letter, unless it's a followup to an apology letter and he's getting the silent treatment. But since we have no direct evidence for that, we'll say 3 and possibly 4 of the 5 are apologies during what we think is the worst period.
On a very different note, behold this fanart depicting the first meeting between Fritz and Voltaire!
Heee!
Re: Fritz in the Media: The Extra History Series
It did crack me up that in the big 7 Years War episode, they solved the problem of all the battles by presenting it as a Wrestling Match, including the Second Miracle of the House of Brandenburg.
Especially this, LOL!
and in the Wrestling Sequence, he's Fritz' coach
AHAHAHAHA
(which wouldn't please either of them if they saw it)
...so true!
(Never mind, Fredersdorf. As Mildred once said, you weren't just Caroline's favourite husband, you also were Fritz' favourite husband.)
<3 How many people can say that they were two people's favorite husband?