Rotterdam, 1772
Shortly after Caroline Mathilde's arrest, writings appeared that were intended to give the impression of authentic reports: ‘Written by Queen Caroline Mathilde herself during her imprisonment at Kronburg Fortress’ is the claim made in this publication, which appeared in French and Dutch.
Frankfurt and Leipzig, 1772
This small pamphlet, illustrated with engravings of the imprisonment and execution, testifies to the sensational nature of the events.
Rotterdam, 1773
This small volume contains fictional letters allegedly written by Queen Caroline Mathilde during her imprisonment and sent to a ‘Count of ***’ for review.
Boston, 1777
It is uncertain whether this collection of letters, supposedly translated from English, was actually published in Boston. In it, Caroline Mathilde refers to the parallel fate of her great-grandmother, Princess Sophie Dorothea of Celle, who is incorrectly named ‘Christine’ here.
London, 1789
This edition also collects fictional writings that claim to be manuscripts from the briefcase of an unnamed but important contemporary (‘un Grand’).
Amsterdam, 1935
The works of this Austrian author with Jewish roots were banned by the Nazis. Neumann went into exile in England in 1934, where he wrote his novel about Struensee. It contains numerous factual and historical errors and portrays an exaggerated personality characterised by strong will and ambition.
Stuttgart, 1983
The comprehensive biography by biologist and physician Stefan Winkle, author of numerous studies on the history of epidemics in Europe, opened up a whole new perspective on Struensee for the first time by comprehensively acknowledging his achievements in the field of medicine and placing them in the context of his time.
Leipzig, 1943
The novel ‘about the People's Chancellor Struensee’, as the subtitle reads, first published in 1935, continues the narrative of the innocent and naive queen. This narrative is the counterpart to the exaggeration of Struensee as a power-hungry ‘dictator’ whose seductive arts the weak and inexperienced queen succumbed to.
Frankfurt am Main, 1995
The rather superficial and bombastic novel by Danish author Maria Helleberg (born 1956) serves up numerous clichés. It makes it clear how much the image of Caroline Mathilde remains subject to the conventions of the time: Helleberg portrays her as an emancipated woman who experiences sexual liberation in her relationship with Struensee.
Munich, Vienna, 2001
The novel by Swedish author P.O. Enquist, originally published in 1999, deals with the events at a high literary level and is based on numerous historical sources. The material is updated not by adapting the characters to contemporary interests, but by impressively reflecting on the eternal question of the changeability of society. His novel was produced as a radio play by NDR and SWR in 2002.
Vienna, 2003
This book by the German youth author and historian is representative of a contemporary approach to the biography of Caroline Mathilde and the Struensee affair. The events are embedded in a cultural and historical context, at least in outline, and brought to life with the help of numerous historical sources. The focus is on the contrast between social conventions and the personal desire for self-fulfilment.
2010
Director Wilfrid Hauke's docudrama was lavishly filmed on location in England, Denmark and Celle. Reenactments are supplemented by interviews with international experts and original documents relating to the Struensee affair. Nicki v. Tempelhoff and Emily Cox were among those who appeared in the film.