“Moscow is on fire”: Napoleon’s letters are being sold at auction
11 letters of the French emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte were put up for auction, where, in particular, he wrote about “burnt Moscow”.
The letters are sold including dispatches (mail) from the Kremlin, the Bangkok Post reports.
In one of the letters that Napoleon wrote on September 18, 1812, the emperor writes that he arrived in Moscow and saw that the city was practically destroyed by fire.
The reason was the “scorched earth” policy pursued by the Russians at that time.
| Photo: libarchives/napoleonbonapartepodcast |
“Today I examined the main quarters. This city used to be fascinating. I say ‘was’ because today more than half of it has been destroyed by fire.” – writes Napoleon.
In another letter, which sold for $58,300, Napoleon writes about the city’s alcohol supply.
“We have found cellars full of wine and liquor, which we shall greatly need”– noted the emperor.
Not all records of the French emperor are sold.
In particular, the letter dated October 20, 1812, in which Napoleon promises to destroy the Kremlin, which at the time was both an imperial palace and a military fortress, did not make it to the auction.
In 2012, this letter was sold at an auction for 187.5 thousand euros.
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| Photo: Philadelphia Historical Paper Company Raab Collection/Bangkok Post |
It is noted that 11 letters decided to be put up for sale after a Napoleon hat was sold on it for $1.9 million.
Nathan Raab, president of the Philadelphia Historical Paper Dealer Company, which sells Napoleon’s letters, said that “the letter from Moscow is extremely rare.”
We previously reported that 250-year-old love letters addressed to captured sailors were found in Britain.
Read also: We are waiting for borscht and hugs: letters are sent to soldiers through the website “Hello, soldier!”
