Moric Beňovský, de vertaling en receptie van zijn memoires in het Nederlands

Móric Beňovský has aroused the interest of Europe and the whole world since the 18th century. The nobleman from Vrbové, Slovakia, reached Kamchatka, Siberia and Madagascar, managed to help Poland with its national uprising and became a colonel in the French army. He later wrote Mémoires et Voyages, an autobiography, which became a bestseller in its time. These memoirs were quickly translated into many languages, including Dutch, and the life of Count Beňovský inspired many prominent writers. The original manuscript is currently in the British Library in London, it is written in French and in total it is a work of about a thousand pages. Naturally, the Netherlands has shown interest in Beňovský's travels – not only because it was a world bestseller, but also because the history of the Netherlands is closely linked to sea voyages. Dutch translation was made by P.A. Loosjes between the years 1735 and 1813, published in Haarlem under the name Gedenkschriften en reizen des Graaven van Benyowsky, door hem zelven beschreeven en naar de Engelsche vertaling van het oorsprokenlijk handschrift overgezet. It was reissued in a more modern version in Amsterdam in 1840. These two editions differ in some essential details, and differences are also recorded in editions in other languages. Móric Beňovský's life was controversial, as was the publication of his works. Not only the memoirs themselves were a success. Many authors were inspired by Beňovský and this is how novels, plays and later films were created.