On the employment status of Andrei Bolotov in Königsberg

Abstract

This article deals with Andrey Bolotov’s official employment status during his time in Königsberg (April 1758 — March 1762). The work considers the historiographic tradition originating from Bolotov’s memoirs, the Königsberg pages of which were written more than 30 years after the events described. Bolotov’s memoirs are compared with his correspondence of the time and the archival materials of the Russian administration of East Prussia during the Seven Years’ War. It is concluded that Bolotov’s status was ambivalent. Although serving as a translator at the governor’s office, he never had an official rank. The study makes it possi­ble to clarify the role that Bolotov had in the local Russian administration as well as to under­stand his attitude to service in that difficult period for the Russian nobility.

Keywords

• andrey bolotov
• nikolay korf
• vasily suvorov
• memoirs
• seven years’ war
• east prussia
• königsberg
• russian nobility