1740 and All That

So, Dirk Fahlenkamp's Fritz and Fredersdorf book: is essentially, though it doesn't say so, a reedition of Richter's letters (which he duly notes are his one and only transcription used) - an edition with really great annotations, presented not as footnotes but as main text. Also he has a bit of a thematic reordering going on, i.e. first we get the majority of letters, which are medically themed, and then we get a collection of the alchemy themed and then one of the musically themed letters (i.e. Fredersdorf (i.e. Fredersdorf as manager and agent of the opera and orchestra musicians, basically). Aside from the undeniable fact that medical problems really take up a great deal of the existing Fritz/Fredersdorf correspondance, you can also tell that our editor/author has already written a book about 18th century medicine. The bibliography also lists several more. If you need to look up any threatment method our heroes might have used, or did use, this is your book to consult.

Speaking of the bibliography, I'm grateful there is one at the end, because Fahlenkamp doesn't use footnotes. This is a problem regarding one particular point, to which I'll get soon; anyway, the bibliography means I can at least make two guesses as to where he might have the intel from. But first time more overall observations: one of the attractions of the book is that he was also able to look up and scan some of the original letters, including our very favourite one about telling Frederdorf to be at the window so Fritz can see him when riding out but not to open it and have a fire burning (April 1754), and my sneaky second fave, Fritz kidding Fredersdorf about only drinking the elixir he sends him and nothing else or he will lose "the male power of love" for life. Other illustrations include photos of Zernikow and the mulberry trees (mine are just as good), of the landscape of Gratz, Fredersdorf's home town in Pomerania, of the registry listing Fredersdorf's baptism (as with Shakespeare and many other non-nobles, we don't actually know Fredersdorf's exact birthday; we do know on which day he was baptized, because that's the kind of information which was registered, and the relevant church archive survived), and of the golden snuff box with the bullet in it that saved Fritz' life in the 7 Years War. Fahlenkamp also provides information for just about everyone ever mentioned in the letters, and going by the bibliography, I can see that he used the same "Fritz and music" books I had read for the musicians, for example.

On the downside: given just how much we've ready by now, there is very little information here I hadn't seen before. For example, Fahlenkamp duly provides both versions of the Fritz/Fredersdorf origin story, i.e. either Fredersdorf was summoned to Küstrin to cheer up the Prince, or Fritz spotted him in Frankfurt an der Oder during the concert the students had prepared for him as a Christmas gift, and while hinting the first one is his personal favourite doesn't pretend one is better sourced than the other. OTOH, he's an unquestioning believer in the authenticity of Catt. (At which point I feel like exclaiming Koser, thou hast lived in vain! Am I the only one who ever reads the goddam preface?!?) There is some new stuff, including the frustratingly not annotated whomper I mentioned. And I was reminded of things I had read in Richter's edition but either not registered or forgotten. when reading the Richter edition. Plus, of course, Fahlenkamp isn't a nationalistic homophobe writing in 1926 insisting on Fritz' fatherly love for Fredersdorf, Wilhelmine being a hysterical woman, and the German national destiny.

Now, here are the new-to-me or brought-back-to-my-memory items:

( Fredersdorf''s family background, discussed )

( Fritz' gift of Zernikow to Fredersdorf and Fritz' titles at the beginning of his reign with what they imply )

( Old Dessauer, Young Carel, Alkmene, Vestris the Dancer and the art of the very selected quote )

( The Charge of Embezzlement, discussed )


In conclusion: footnotes referencing sources are your friends, history writers. We're as addicted to all the tabloid melodrama as any, but we really want to know where it comes from.