Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 44

[cahn]

Not only are these posts still going, there is now (more) original research going on in them deciphering and translating letters in archives that apparently no one has bothered to look at before?? (Which has now conclusively exonerated Fritz's valet/chamberlain Fredersdorf from the charge that he was dismissed because of financial irregularities and died shortly thereafter "ashamed of his lost honor," as Wikipedia would have it. I'M JUST SAYING.)

Comments

The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[selenak]

Letter 1:


I didn‘t want to omit notifying your grace that His Majesty the King will arrive at Potsdam tomorrow morning around 9 or 10 am. And since His Majesty the King is willing to pay for all the incurred debts, no matter how they were produced, his Highness has gracefully ordered me to have your Grace make a list of all. And upon our arrivel, I‘m supposed to pick it up the extraction from you.

Your Grace may take care not to forget a thing, for His Highness wants to clear up all once and for all, so that you won‘t keep getting inconvenienced all the time, and if something gets forgotten, it won‘t be paid later.

In conclusion I have the honour
of remaining with all due respect
Your Grace‘s most obedient servant

C Glasow
Berlin January 11th 1757

The Sanssouci reparations should also be listed, the (P)XXX glXXX for which I don‘t have to be there should XbeXXX and also be listed.

Translator and guesser note: We know Fritz returned to Potsdam for early January from Saxony for a short visit. On the surface, this seems pretty straightforward - i.e. Fredersdorf should list all remaining expenses from his time in office and Fritz is willing to pay them all so that Fredersdorf won‘t be bothered with any more paperwork - but given we know Glasow and his buddy Völcker have already commissioned a forged signet of Fredersdorf at this point, I can‘t help but wonder whether they just want some actual Fredersdorf letters, preferably with a signet imprint, so that they can claim their own money demands are actually Fredersdorf‘s.

Second letter:

Your Grace may have to compensate from the court budget purse the vacant 1027 Reichstaler horse fodder money for the bill written 19991 rth 12g& on the beginning of each month. But there has been added the additional sum of 7991 Reichstaler, wardrobe and coffee debts of 242 Reichstahler, which amounts in summation to 80233 Reichsthaler 12 Gulden, payable for the month January 1757.

Furtherly, I reccommend myself to your obliging renembrance, and have the honour to be with all due respect

Your Graces most obedient servant

C Glasow

P.S. Pray pay the wardrobe debts first.

The horse fodder is listed with 485 Reichstaler 8 Gulden, the reparation additionally with 38 Reichstaler 8 Gulden starting with this month.

Translator and guesser comment: Coffee, of course, is Völcker‘s department, and wardrobe presumably Glasow‘s as the current main valet cum Treasurer. This does not seem to fit with the idea Fritz wants all remaining Fredersdorf caused expenses paid so Fredersdorf won‘t be bothered anymore, but it fits very well with Glasow getting cheeky and wanting Fredersdorf to pay for the horse fodder which may be the same one later showing up in the Leining and Fredersdorf correspondence while filching the money for said fodder away to himself. But that‘s just a guess, and I suppose it‘s just as possible both letters are straightforwardly what they appear to be, letters concerned with due bills and paperwork upon a change of office holder.

It‘s worth pointing out, though, that if you compare Glasow to Leining, Gentze and Anderson, he uses the usual 18th century polite phrases but does not mention anything personal, like Fredersdorf‘s health, or a shared acquaintance (other than the King), nor does he ask for advice, nor does he make a joke or a personal complaint. There‘s no sense these two men know each other particularly well, and yet Glasow has joined Fritz‘ service in 1755 (I think? Mildred?), or at least that‘s when he gets noticed because he goes along on the Netherlands trip. So while there is a sense of connection between Fredersdorf and the other three letter writers - not that they are bff, but that these men didn‘t just work with each other but have a personal relationship - there is none of that here. As ever, that‘s just my impression.

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[mildred_of_midgard]

I am frankly astonished that any of my guesses at that handwriting resulted in something you could render into a sensible meaning!

This does not seem to fit with the idea Fritz wants all remaining Fredersdorf caused expenses paid so Fredersdorf won‘t be bothered anymore, but it fits very well with Glasow getting cheeky and wanting Fredersdorf to pay for the horse fodder which may be the same one later showing up in the Leining and Fredersdorf correspondence while filching the money for said fodder away to himself.

Hmm, yes, could be! I definitely, when reading this and seeing Glasow report all these numbers, went, "We know what you're up to, Glasow! Posterity is on to you!" ;)

It‘s worth pointing out, though, that if you compare Glasow to Leining, Gentze and Anderson, he uses the usual 18th century polite phrases but does not mention anything personal, like Fredersdorf‘s health, or a shared acquaintance (other than the King), nor does he ask for advice

Advice: Don't embezzle, you will get caught. :P

yet Glasow has joined Fritz‘ service in 1755 (I think? Mildred?)

Manger says 1755, and I think he's the only one who gives a firm date. If it's true, and if Glasow went to war with Fritz in mid-1756, then Glasow and Fredersdorf were in each other's circles for a year and a half at best. So it doens't *necessarily* mean anything that they don't have a personal relationship, though with the benefit of hindsight, it does make one wonder.

So while there is a sense of connection between Fredersdorf and the other three letter writers - not that they are bff, but that these men didn‘t just work with each other but have a personal relationship - there is none of that here. As ever, that‘s just my impression.

No, that definitely stands out to me too. Given the rumors that Glasow drove Fredersdorf out, or that Fredersdorf stepped down because of jealousy of Glasow, I wonder if there were visible tensions betwen the two. Like, did Fredersdorf dislike/disapprove of Glasow? Was Glasow avoiding him because he didn't want Fredersdorf's eagle eye on his activities? Was there anything other than "one hot guy is getting older and new hot guy is younger" that inspired these rumors?

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[selenak]

Well, I couldn't let you do all that decyphering work in vain, now, could I. :)

if Glasow went to war with Fritz in mid-1756, then Glasow and Fredersdorf were in each other's circles for a year and a half at best. So it doens't *necessarily* mean anything that they don't have a personal relationship, though with the benefit of hindsight, it does make one wonder.

True, it's not exactly firm evidence, but ambiguous.


Given the rumors that Glasow drove Fredersdorf out, or that Fredersdorf stepped down because of jealousy of Glasow, I wonder if there were visible tensions betwen the two. Like, did Fredersdorf dislike/disapprove of Glasow? Was Glasow avoiding him because he didn't want Fredersdorf's eagle eye on his activities? Was there anything other than "one hot guy is getting older and new hot guy is younger" that inspired these rumors?

My guess is that it's a bit of all this. Mind you, I don't think Glasow had any kind of grand plan when he caught Fritz' eye. He probably thought hey, that's a sweet deal, and at first assumed it meant Fredersdorf was out of the picture, and if he was arrogant enough, thought this meant he was the new Fredersdorf. When he realised Fredersdorf wasn't really gone, and was a sharp customer, he probably was relieved at first he went with Fritz to war and Fredersdorf did not - and then he saw that a) war time Fritz was a different thing than peace time Fritz, and b) now that he was de facto Treasurer, with no more supervisor, there was lots of money to be made! Especially if/when Völcker pointed this out as well, and ordered the fake signet. Meanwhile, I wouldn't be surprised if Fredersdorf did wonder whether any dislike or distrust he may have had for Glasow was simply due to the fact Glasow was the hot red Porsche of hussars, and told himself not to be ridiculous.

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[cahn]

When he realised Fredersdorf wasn't really gone, and was a sharp customer, he probably was relieved at first he went with Fritz to war and Fredersdorf did not - and then he saw that a) war time Fritz was a different thing than peace time Fritz, and b) now that he was de facto Treasurer, with no more supervisor, there was lots of money to be made! Especially if/when Völcker pointed this out as well, and ordered the fake signet.

Heh, I buy this, and Glasow not having a grand plan. needs someone behind him who's more ruthless, doesn't he

Meanwhile, I wouldn't be surprised if Fredersdorf did wonder whether any dislike or distrust he may have had for Glasow was simply due to the fact Glasow was the hot red Porsche of hussars, and told himself not to be ridiculous.

Awwwww this is totally my headcanon now!

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[mildred_of_midgard]

Meanwhile, I wouldn't be surprised if Fredersdorf did wonder whether any dislike or distrust he may have had for Glasow was simply due to the fact Glasow was the hot red Porsche of hussars, and told himself not to be ridiculous.

Love it! Would read that fic! Especially as a sequel to "The Adventure of the Time-Travelling Valet." (Hey, we have a whole cast of characters for this episode now, including Joseph Benda and Mrs. Leining!)

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[cahn]

So while there is a sense of connection between Fredersdorf and the other three letter writers - not that they are bff, but that these men didn‘t just work with each other but have a personal relationship - there is none of that here.

Hee, I also noticed the lack of personal detail but my observation was something along the lines of "these letters are MUCH more boring than the other ones!" :D

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[selenak]

Which is a valid way of expressing the same thing! To be fair, I didn't translate (beyond one paragraph) Leining's most boring letter which is all about the bills otherwise, but still, even that one has a more personal couple of sentences.

Re: The two letters from Glasow to Fredersdorf - Translation

[mildred_of_midgard]

Yeah, I didn't get as far as "no personal relationship" either, only as far as "no personal comments, only bureaucracy" (and also "so maybe I don't have to publish these, which would get me out of having to worry about deciphering all the handwriting" :P). Like we agreed, it's not conclusive evidence, but it's definitely suggestive, so I'm glad Selena pointed it out!

(Also fic, she someone should write fic about this episode!)