Literature of Revolution in the Newspaper of the Duchy of Courland: Mitauische Zeitung (1789–1795)

Abstract

The break in intelligibility caused by exceptional events encourages interpretation, attempts at explanation, the search for causes, and the projection of consequences, thus creating relevant literature. Newspaper references to the vast textual space dealing with the French Revolution, through bookshop or library announcements, book reviews, and significant quotations, guided their readers’ choices. Thus, the selection of readings illustrated the characteristics of local reception. This study examines the information published in the newspaper of the Duchy of Courland, Mitauische Zeitung, about print matter that reflects and interprets revolutionary events and their analysis, in order to diagnose the specificities of this cultural transfer.

Keywords

• french revolution
• duchy of courland
• mitauische zeitung
• baltic germans