Friedrich Staps
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Staps was an attempted assassin on Napoleon during the negotiations at Schönbrunn
.
and Leipzig
. As a strictly religious young man he saw Napoleon's occupation as the sole reason for the misery of the German people and thus became his opponent.
He set out to assassinate Napoleon and went first to Vienna
and from there, on 13 of October, to Schönbrunn where Napoleon was to observe a military parade. One of Napoleons aides, general Rapp
, became suspicious of the young man approaching the emperor after previously being refused an audition, and had him arrested. A knife was found and Staps then admitted his plans to kill the emperor. Napoleon asked if Staps would thank him if he was pardoned, to which Staps replied: "I would kill you no less."
He was executed by firing squad on the 17 of October.
Schönbrunn
Schönbrunn may refer to:*Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria*Schönbrunn , a municipality in Rhein-Neckar , Baden-Württemberg, Germany*Schönbrunn , a village in the Fichtelgebirge mountains in Bavaria, Germany...
.
Biography
He was a son of a pastor and became a merchant, working at ErfurtErfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
and Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. As a strictly religious young man he saw Napoleon's occupation as the sole reason for the misery of the German people and thus became his opponent.
He set out to assassinate Napoleon and went first to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and from there, on 13 of October, to Schönbrunn where Napoleon was to observe a military parade. One of Napoleons aides, general Rapp
Jean Rapp
Jean Rapp was a French Army general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.Rapp was born the son of the janitor of the town-hall of Colmar. He began theological studies to became a clergy man, but with his build and heated character, he was better suited to the military,...
, became suspicious of the young man approaching the emperor after previously being refused an audition, and had him arrested. A knife was found and Staps then admitted his plans to kill the emperor. Napoleon asked if Staps would thank him if he was pardoned, to which Staps replied: "I would kill you no less."
He was executed by firing squad on the 17 of October.
Literature
- August Fournier: Napoleon I., eine Biographie. Drei Bände, 4. Aufl. Wien/Leipzig 1922; hier Bd. 2, S. 307.
See also
- Treaty of SchönbrunnTreaty of SchönbrunnThe Treaty of Schönbrunn , sometimes known as the Treaty of Vienna, was signed between France and Austria at the Schönbrunn Palace of Vienna on 14 October 1809. This treaty ended the Fifth Coalition during the Napoleonic Wars...