cahn | Historical Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 44

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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.)

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From:

selenak

Also, I am irresistibly compelled to remember Zimmermann saying that someone (who we think is Luchessini) told Zimmermann that Fritz said he was still having Socratic love right before the Seven Years' War. Doesn't have to have been just Glasow! :

Verily. But if their reconciliation went that far, wouldn't Peter have received a more personal letter to his dying request re: Jägersdorf than a polite standard secretary penned one? I mean, yes, there's a war going on and Fritz is accordingly busy, but the war is going well for Fritz right then and also, it's winter quarters time. Not that this objection should stop fanfiction! I'm just playing advocatus diaboli.

From:

mildred_of_midgard

I know, I know. It's highly unlikely. ;)

But in all scholarly seriousness, are you with me on the signature and probable date, though? It at least makes sense of the bau and the "chagrin, affairen, arbeit, und sorgen"!

From:

selenak

Having seen the signatures, I agree that the one from the Peter letter looks far, far more like King Fritz in the 1750s than Crown Prince Fritz in the 1720s, so yes, I'm with you!

From:

mildred_of_midgard

Well, now that we feel pretty good about Knobelsdorff as the intended recipient*, the tone of the final letter does make sense: "Sorry to hear it, hope you get better, happy to help out your family, but no signs that I'm going to be writing to anyone about my great depression after you die, either."

* Btw, when I was entertaining possible candidates, I decided it felt too familiar to fit Peter, but not familiar enough to fit Fredersdorf. Knobelsdorff fits perfectly.