Introduction Voltaire corresponded regularly with Friedrich from 1736 until his death in 1778, and was employed at his court from 1750 to 1753. In 1753, they had a falling out, after which they resumed correspondence but did not see each other in person again.
In 1752, an anonymous pamphlet began to circulate in places like London and Amsterdam, describing Friedrich's court as a place of homosexual licentiousness and Friedrich as a receptive homosexual. Voltaire denied authorship, but when his memoirs were published posthumously in 1784, they reused a lot of the same material. The memoirs contain a brief account of Katte's execution.
I have been unable to turn up a copy of the pamphlet, but the French original (p. 15) and the English translation (pp. 26-27) that came out in the same year are both available on Google Books.
Voltaire was not closely involved with the events of 1730, and his memoirs show a general lack of reliable knowledge of recent Prussian history. Still, since he knew Friedrich personally and Friedrich may have spoken to him about Katte's execution, or he may have heard a version of events in common currency at the Berlin and Potsdam courts, Voltaire is still an interesting and relevant source.
Text Le Prince était depuis quelques semaines dans son château de Custrin, lorsqu'un jour un vieil Officier, suivi de quatre Grenadiers, entra dans sa chambre, fondant en larmes. Fréderic ne douta pas qu'on ne vînt lui couper le cou; mais l'Officier, toujours pleurant, le fit prendre par les quatre Grenadiers, qui le placerent à la fenêtre, & qui lui tinrent la tête tandis qu'on coupait celle de son ami Kat sur un échafaud dressé immédiatement sous sa croisée. Il tendit la main à Kat & s'évanouit. Le pere était présent à ce spectacle.
Translation The Prince had been some weeks in his Palace at Custrin, when one day an old officer, followed by four grenadiers, immediately entered his chamber, melted in tears. Frederic had no doubt he was going to be made a head shorter; but, the officer still weeping, ordered the grenadiers to take him to the window, and hold his head out of it, that he might be obliged to look on the execution of his friend Kat, upon a scaffold expresly [sic] built there for that purpose. He saw, stretched out his hand, and fainted. The father was present at this exhibition.
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Katte Textual Criticism: Voltaire (DO NOT REPLY)
Date: 2020-01-04 12:14 pm (UTC)Voltaire corresponded regularly with Friedrich from 1736 until his death in 1778, and was employed at his court from 1750 to 1753. In 1753, they had a falling out, after which they resumed correspondence but did not see each other in person again.
In 1752, an anonymous pamphlet began to circulate in places like London and Amsterdam, describing Friedrich's court as a place of homosexual licentiousness and Friedrich as a receptive homosexual. Voltaire denied authorship, but when his memoirs were published posthumously in 1784, they reused a lot of the same material. The memoirs contain a brief account of Katte's execution.
I have been unable to turn up a copy of the pamphlet, but the French original (p. 15) and the English translation (pp. 26-27) that came out in the same year are both available on Google Books.
Voltaire was not closely involved with the events of 1730, and his memoirs show a general lack of reliable knowledge of recent Prussian history. Still, since he knew Friedrich personally and Friedrich may have spoken to him about Katte's execution, or he may have heard a version of events in common currency at the Berlin and Potsdam courts, Voltaire is still an interesting and relevant source.
Text
Le Prince était depuis quelques semaines dans son château de Custrin, lorsqu'un jour un vieil Officier, suivi de quatre Grenadiers, entra dans sa chambre, fondant en larmes. Fréderic ne douta pas qu'on ne vînt lui couper le cou; mais l'Officier, toujours pleurant, le fit prendre par les quatre Grenadiers, qui le placerent à la fenêtre, & qui lui tinrent la tête tandis qu'on coupait celle de son ami Kat sur un échafaud dressé immédiatement sous sa croisée. Il tendit la main à Kat & s'évanouit. Le pere était présent à ce spectacle.
Translation
The Prince had been some weeks in his Palace at Custrin, when one day an old officer, followed by four grenadiers, immediately entered his chamber, melted in tears. Frederic had no doubt he was going to be made a head shorter; but, the officer still weeping, ordered the grenadiers to take him to the window, and hold his head out of it, that he might be obliged to look on the execution of his friend Kat, upon a scaffold expresly [sic] built there for that purpose. He saw, stretched out his hand, and fainted. The father was present at this exhibition.