Erinnerungen an Kotzebue in der Familie Nietzsche
In December 1911, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche penned her personal reflections on August von Kotzebue, prompted by Baroness Elisabet von Rosen’s recently published Revaler Theaterchronik. Rather than focusing on Kotzebue’s tenure at the Reval Theatre, Förster-Nietzsche used the occasion to explore her family’s historical ties to the controversial playwright. Her essay, published in the St. Petersburger Zeitung an 1 January 1912 and reprinted two decades later in the Revalsche Zeitung, provides a unique familial perspective on Kotzebue, challenging dominant narratives in 19th and early 20th-century German literary historiography. This blog post delves into Förster-Nietzsche’s portrayal of Kotzebue within the Nietzsche family, situating it within broader discussions of his public reception and Friedrich Nietzsche’s own critical engagement with his work.