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Katte Textual Criticism: Catt (DO NOT REPLY)
Introduction
Henri de Catt was Friedrich's reader from 1758 to 1782. He was born 1725 and died 1795. He was not an eyewitness to nor closely associated with any of the events of 1730.
The memoirs from which this passage is taken (p. 35) are based on the diary he kept from 1758-1760. In the memoirs, he reports hearing this account directly from Friedrich on April 25, 1758, and he presents the account in direct discourse. His diary, at least as published, contains no mention of Katte. Memoirs and diary were both published in 1885. He became estranged from Friedrich in 1782. We don't know the exact composition and and revision chronology of his memoirs.
I can't actually find the copy of the memoirs and diary that I downloaded from online, but if you want the pdf, just let me know.
The translation is that of F.S. Flint, 1917, available here (pp. 61-62).
Text
»Katte, que je ne pus faire avertir du malheur qui le menaçait, s'opiniâtra à rester, et il fut conduit à la forteresse. Ah, mon cher, quelle déplorable histoire, et à quelle barbarie j'ai été livré dans cette infernale citadelle; personne ne me parlait, et n'osait me parler, on me laissait à moi-même et à mes tristes idées sur mon ami Katte, dont le sort me peinait plus que le mien, on me donnait mon manger par un petit guichet, et ce manger toujours exécrable était exactement ce qu'il fallait pour ne pas mourir de faim; dans la suite, on me mit un plat à mon dîner, et je croyais que tout allait finir, quand un matin un vieux officier entra chez moi, avec plusiers grenadiers, tous fondant en larmes. ›Ah mon Prince, mon cher, mon pauvre Prince,‹ disait l'officier, en sanglotant, ›mon bon Prince.‹ Je crus certes qu'on allait me couper la tête. ›Eh bien parlez, dois-je mourir? je suis tout prêt que les barbares m'expédient, et vite.‹ ›Non, mon cher Prince, non, vous ne mourrez pas, mais permettez que ces grenadiers vous conduisent à la fenêtre, et vous tiennent là.‹
»Ils me tinrent en effet la tête, pour que je visse ce qui allait se passer. Bon Dieu, quel spectacle terrible, mon cher, mon cher mon fidèle Katte, qu'on allait exécuter sous ma fenêtre, je voulus tendre la main à mon ami, on me la repoussait; ›Ah Katte,‹ m'écriai-je, je m'évanouis, et je trompai la barbarie de ceux qui me forçaient à voir ce cruel et ce barbare spectacle.«
Translation
"Katte, whom I was not able to warn of the danger that threatened him, persisted in remaining behind, and he was sent to the fortress. Ah, my dear sir, what a deplorable story, and what barbarity I was made to suffer in that infernal citadel. Nobody spoke to me, dared not speak to me. I was left to myself and to my gloomy ideas about my friend Katte, whose fate troubled me more than my own. I was given my food through a little wicket, and this food, which was always execrable, was exactly what was necessary to prevent me from dying of hunger. Afterwards, I was given one dish for my dinner, and I thought that the end was coming, when one morning an old officer entered my room, with several grenadiers, all weeping. 'Ah, my Prince, my dear, my poor Prince,' said the officer, sobbing, 'my good Prince.' I certainly thought that my head was to be cut off. 'Well, then, speak. Am I to die? I am quite ready for these barbarians to execute me, and quickly.' 'No, my dear Prince, no, you will not die; but permit these grenadiers to lead you to the window and to hold you there.'
"In fact, they held my head, so that I might see all that happened. Good god, what a terrible spectacle! My dear, my dear, my faithful Katte was to be executed under my window. I tried to hold my hand out to him; it was pushed back. 'Ah, Katte,' I cried, and fainted, and I thwarted the barbarity of those who forced me to see this cruel and barbarous spectacle."
Henri de Catt was Friedrich's reader from 1758 to 1782. He was born 1725 and died 1795. He was not an eyewitness to nor closely associated with any of the events of 1730.
The memoirs from which this passage is taken (p. 35) are based on the diary he kept from 1758-1760. In the memoirs, he reports hearing this account directly from Friedrich on April 25, 1758, and he presents the account in direct discourse. His diary, at least as published, contains no mention of Katte. Memoirs and diary were both published in 1885. He became estranged from Friedrich in 1782. We don't know the exact composition and and revision chronology of his memoirs.
I can't actually find the copy of the memoirs and diary that I downloaded from online, but if you want the pdf, just let me know.
The translation is that of F.S. Flint, 1917, available here (pp. 61-62).
Text
»Katte, que je ne pus faire avertir du malheur qui le menaçait, s'opiniâtra à rester, et il fut conduit à la forteresse. Ah, mon cher, quelle déplorable histoire, et à quelle barbarie j'ai été livré dans cette infernale citadelle; personne ne me parlait, et n'osait me parler, on me laissait à moi-même et à mes tristes idées sur mon ami Katte, dont le sort me peinait plus que le mien, on me donnait mon manger par un petit guichet, et ce manger toujours exécrable était exactement ce qu'il fallait pour ne pas mourir de faim; dans la suite, on me mit un plat à mon dîner, et je croyais que tout allait finir, quand un matin un vieux officier entra chez moi, avec plusiers grenadiers, tous fondant en larmes. ›Ah mon Prince, mon cher, mon pauvre Prince,‹ disait l'officier, en sanglotant, ›mon bon Prince.‹ Je crus certes qu'on allait me couper la tête. ›Eh bien parlez, dois-je mourir? je suis tout prêt que les barbares m'expédient, et vite.‹ ›Non, mon cher Prince, non, vous ne mourrez pas, mais permettez que ces grenadiers vous conduisent à la fenêtre, et vous tiennent là.‹
»Ils me tinrent en effet la tête, pour que je visse ce qui allait se passer. Bon Dieu, quel spectacle terrible, mon cher, mon cher mon fidèle Katte, qu'on allait exécuter sous ma fenêtre, je voulus tendre la main à mon ami, on me la repoussait; ›Ah Katte,‹ m'écriai-je, je m'évanouis, et je trompai la barbarie de ceux qui me forçaient à voir ce cruel et ce barbare spectacle.«
Translation
"Katte, whom I was not able to warn of the danger that threatened him, persisted in remaining behind, and he was sent to the fortress. Ah, my dear sir, what a deplorable story, and what barbarity I was made to suffer in that infernal citadel. Nobody spoke to me, dared not speak to me. I was left to myself and to my gloomy ideas about my friend Katte, whose fate troubled me more than my own. I was given my food through a little wicket, and this food, which was always execrable, was exactly what was necessary to prevent me from dying of hunger. Afterwards, I was given one dish for my dinner, and I thought that the end was coming, when one morning an old officer entered my room, with several grenadiers, all weeping. 'Ah, my Prince, my dear, my poor Prince,' said the officer, sobbing, 'my good Prince.' I certainly thought that my head was to be cut off. 'Well, then, speak. Am I to die? I am quite ready for these barbarians to execute me, and quickly.' 'No, my dear Prince, no, you will not die; but permit these grenadiers to lead you to the window and to hold you there.'
"In fact, they held my head, so that I might see all that happened. Good god, what a terrible spectacle! My dear, my dear, my faithful Katte was to be executed under my window. I tried to hold my hand out to him; it was pushed back. 'Ah, Katte,' I cried, and fainted, and I thwarted the barbarity of those who forced me to see this cruel and barbarous spectacle."