Details:

August von Kotzebue autographed handwritten letter (ALS) in German, dated September 10, 1803, from Berlin. Addressed to German lawyer and politician Ferdinand Beneke, the letter is written on one page of a folded sheet and signed "Kotzebue" at the conclusion.

The letter is accompanied by its original integral address leaf, addressed to Ferdinand Beneke in Hamburg, retaining a red wax seal and contemporary docketing.

Measures approximately 8 x 9.75 inches. Very good to fine condition with scattered staining, age toning, original folds, and some wrinkling. The integral address leaf exhibits paper loss associated with the original wax seal.

August von Kotzebue (1761–1819) was a prolific German dramatist, novelist, and political writer whose theatrical works enjoyed enormous popularity throughout Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He wrote more than 200 plays, many of which were translated and performed internationally, and held diplomatic and administrative positions in Russian service. An outspoken conservative and critic of German nationalism and liberal student movements, Kotzebue became a controversial political figure. On March 23, 1819, he was assassinated in Mannheim by Karl Ludwig Sand, a radical student associated with the Burschenschaft movement. His murder helped precipitate the Carlsbad Decrees, which imposed sweeping restrictions on universities, the press, and political activities throughout the German Confederation.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11705 1419708-1