1) Klaun in letter 5 Gentze/Fredersdorf: I figured it was "Klaue" myself, as in "claw", of an animal, speaking metaphorically, not a claw can get in or out, but in English it's mouse, so that's what I wrote.
2) Fritz giving Groeben a Windhund: on the one hand, earliest sign of his interest in Italian Greyhounds/whippets, sure, most likely explanation. Otoh, with all the elaborate mythological "Wind" allusions in the earlier letter, I wonder whether it wasn't instead yet another elaborate bad pun and what was given wasn't a dog at all. But maybe I'm overthinking things here. One thing is sure, though, I totally get why Volz & Co. didn't publish these letters, and it's not about prudery, it's that they're as funny as most inside jokes are to people not on the inside and otherwise smack less of high spirits than of wannabe fratboyness and cheer. (For comparison, Fritz to Wilhelmine or Voltaire when in a good mood: feels way less forced and more relaxed.)
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Some more observations
Date: 2023-05-16 05:52 am (UTC)2) Fritz giving Groeben a Windhund: on the one hand, earliest sign of his interest in Italian Greyhounds/whippets, sure, most likely explanation. Otoh, with all the elaborate mythological "Wind" allusions in the earlier letter, I wonder whether it wasn't instead yet another elaborate bad pun and what was given wasn't a dog at all. But maybe I'm overthinking things here. One thing is sure, though, I totally get why Volz & Co. didn't publish these letters, and it's not about prudery, it's that they're as funny as most inside jokes are to people not on the inside and otherwise smack less of high spirits than of wannabe fratboyness and cheer. (For comparison, Fritz to Wilhelmine or Voltaire when in a good mood: feels way less forced and more relaxed.)