Geschichte des Pugatschew'schen Aufruhrs. Aus dem Russischen des Alexander Puschkin von H. Brandeis [History of the Pugachev Rebellion; in the original: Istoriia Pugachevskogo bunta] by Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich (Puschkin, Puskin); Hirschmann Brandeis, translator - 1840

Stuttgart: Johann Friedrich Cast, 1840. Octavo (19 × 11.5 cm). Publisher's printed green wrappers; XVIII, 258 pp. Light wear to wrapper edges; else about very good; an uncut and unopened copy. First German translation of Pushkin's controversial narrative of the peasant uprising led by the Don Cossack Emelian Ivanovich Pugachev (1742-1775), and almost certainly the first translation of the work into any language other than Russian. Pushkin's lively interest in this popular revolt inspired him to write both his better-known novel 'The Captain's Daughter' (1836) and this non-fiction account of the events. In addition to traveling to the site of the rebellion, Pushkin also studied archival documents related to the life of Pugachev, who was executed in Moscow. In spite of his initial reservations, Tsar Nicholas I granted Pushkin's request to publish the work, but required the title to be changed. It was published in 1834. Pushkin's considerable sympathy towards Pugachev and the impoverished masses scandalized numerous conservative critics. The translator, Hirschmann Brandeis (born 1793), was a German medical doctor and historian of medicine; this appears to be his only published book-length translation. With twenty pages of often highly subjective geographica, historical, and linguistic notes by the author, which form an interesting case study of the early reception of Russian culture in Germany. Among other things, Brandeis discusses the concept of "samozvanets" (usurpator), Russian hospitality, and gives a rather romantic account of the Cossacks. Interestingly, the year 1840 saw a number of translations of Pushkin's poetry and prose into German, a result of the growing interest in the poet after his untimely death. Cat. Russica P-1193. Quite scarce, especially in such excellent condition. In North America, KVK and OCLC only show copies at Columbia, Harvard, and Syracuse.