| Until now, only a handful of clues supported the theory of Rimbaud’s trip to Vienna. The picture changes with the discovery of a detailed German newspaper article, based on the police report of his arrest in Vienna on 26 February 1876.
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“ARTHUR RIMBAUD AND PHOTOGRAPHY” The possibility of a stay in Vienna by Arthur Rimbaud was until now principally based on indirect testimony rather than documentary certainty. The main evidence comes from Ernest Delahaye, who saw Rimbaud shortly before his departure and just after his brief return at the beginning of May 1876, just before leaving for Java. Additional indications include two undated drawings by Delahaye that appear to refer to this episode, two satirical poems illustrated by Paul Verlaine—one from early March, the other dated March 24, 1876—a letter from Germain Nouveau dated April 17, 1876, and the account of Isabelle Rimbaud, who saw her brother return home in early May 1876; some precise details were later reported by Marguerite-Yerta Méléra. And a map of Vienna Rimbaud brought back from his trip which Isabelle kept.
While these elements converged to support the theory of a trip to Vienna, the reconstruction can now include an important primary source: a detailed newspaper article in German, drawn from the police report of Rimbaud’s arrest in Vienna on 26 February 1876. The recent finding by archivists at the Vienna Archives of an article published on February 29, 1876, in the Fremden-Blatt, a supplement to the Morgen-Blatt, provides valuable and until now unknown information regarding Arthur Rimbaud’s stay in Vienna.
This German-language newspaper, intended to inform the large community of foreigners and visitors in the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, represents a first-hand source for understanding the circumstances of the poet’s Viennese episode. Below is a transliteration and literal translation of the article’s text: «(Abenteuer eines Franzosen.) Der Bewölbewächter Fuchs bemerkte Samstag nachts in der Maximilianstraße einen jungen, elegant gekleideten Mann, der anscheinend den besseren Ständen angehörte, wie er mit einem mehrläusigen Revolver in der Hand daherwankte. Er hielt ihn deshalb an und übergab ihn einem Sicherheitswachmann, der ihn aufs Polizeikommissariat in der Stadt eskortierte. Der Fremde, der nur Französisch sprach, war im Besitze einer Schachtel mit Revolverpatronen. Er gab an, Arthur Rimbaud zu heißen, verweigerte aber jede weitere Auskunft betreffs seines Nationalen. Die mittler-weile gepflogenen Erhebungen stellten fest, dass der Angehaltene ein Sprachlehrer, 22 Jahre alt, aus Charleville geboren ist und über Straßburg nach Wien gereist sei, um von hier in die Türkei zu gehen. Rimbaud bemerkte, dass es ihm nichts um die Ausführung eines Selbstmordes zu tun gewesen, er // sei dadurch in arge Verlegenheit geraten, dass ihm Samstag Nachts in einem öffentlichen Unterhaltungsorte seine Ersparnisse in der Höhe von 500 Francs gestohlen wurden. Den Revolver führte er nur zu seinem persönlichen Schutze bei sich.»
“(Adventure of a Frenchman.) On Saturday night, night-watchman Fuchs observed, on Maximilianstraße, a young man who appeared to belong to the better classes, elegantly dressed, staggering along with a multi-chambered revolver in his hand. He stopped him and handed him over to a security guard, who escorted him to the city police station. The stranger, who spoke only French, was found to be in possession of a box of revolver cartridges. He stated his name was Arthur Rimbaud, but refused to give any further information regarding his nationality. Investigations conducted in the meantime established that the detained individual is a language teacher, 22 years old, born in Charleville, who had traveled via Strasbourg to Vienna, intending to continue on to Turkey. Rimbaud remarked that he had no intention of committing suicide; he explained he was thrown into great distress when, on Saturday night in a public place of entertainment, his savings, amounting to 500 francs, had been stolen. He carried the revolver solely for his personal protection.”
Here is a point-by-point commentary on the article: Samstag nachts, Saturday night: The report specifies “Saturday night,” which here is Saturday, February 26, 1876. This allows us to determine the exact date of Rimbaud’s arrival in Vienna. This detail clarifies longstanding confusion about the timing of his departure for Vienna. Der Bewölbewächter FUCHS, the vault/watchman FUCHS, municipal night watchman: Night watchmen in Vienna were municipal employees responsible for maintaining public order at night. When petroleum-based lighting replaced oil lamps (starting in 1846), these officers continued their patrols until electric lighting arrived in 1926.
Maximilianstraße: This is a street in central Vienna, beginning at Kastnerstraße in front of the Vienna Opera. The incident thus occurred in a central, prominent area. It correspond to a mark on the map of Vienna Rimbaud brought back from his trip. einen jungen, elegant gekleideten Mann, a young, elegantly dressed man: The police report emphasizes the subject’s age and appearance. In Viennese society at the time (and in police reports), noting a person’s elegance is significant—even at night, the impression of social status was important. der anscheinend den besseren Ständen angehörte, who appeared to belong to the higher classes: This phrase confirms that Rimbaud was perceived as part of the upper, or at least respectable, social strata. This observation likely influenced how he was handled by authorities. daherwankte, was staggering along: The watchman’s neutral description leaves the precise cause open. “Staggering” could refer to drunkenness, despair, disorientation due to physical assault, or simply fatigue. The report does not specify.
einem mehrläusigen Revolver in der Hand, holding a revolver with multiple chambers: Rimbaud was carrying a revolver in his hand, a detail bound to attract comment. Historically, “Rimbaud” and “revolver” are linked, notably to the incident with Paul Verlaine (Brussels, July 10, 1873, with a Lefaucheux revolver). In this case, the revolver appears to have been unconnected to any threat. Raises question about theft report’s – he claims to have been robbed of all his savings (500 francs) in an entertainment venue, yet he still retained both his revolver and a box of cartridges. der ihn aufs Polizeikommissariat in der Stadt eskortierte, escorted him to the city police station: In 1876, the Vienna police headquarters was located at Schottenring 11, as found in the 1876 Niederösterreichischer Amts-Kalender(11th edition). This would have been the destination for such cases. Der Fremde, der nur Französisch sprach, the stranger who spoke only French:Although Rimbaud had a reputation as a polyglot, he initially presented himself as French-speaking only. This was likely a protective reflex; the record suggests he may have eventually switched to German when further pressed. einer Schachtel mit Revolverpatronen, a box of revolver cartridges: He was in possession of a box, or small case, of revolver cartridges. Given that Rimbaud claimed he had been robbed, it is notable that neither his revolver nor his ammunition were taken. Er gab an, Arthur Rimbaud zu heißen, he stated his name was Arthur Rimbaud:He identified himself as Arthur Rimbaud. The authorities appear to have been skeptical, as he would not answer further questions. verweigerte aber jede weitere Auskunft betreffs seines Nationalen, refused to provide further information about his status or nationality: In nineteenth-century German, “seines Nationalen” (his national status) can be broader than mere nationality. It can include social and professional status, administrative situation, means of support, and life plans.
The article specifies that further inquiries were undertaken—most likely on Sunday, February 27, or Monday, February 28, since the article was prepared for print on Monday evening, February 28, 1876. dass der Angehaltene, the person apprehended: This refers to Rimbaud’s real arrest and detention. He was not merely questioned or released on the street. ein Sprachlehrer, a language teacher: Rimbaud described himself as a language teacher. This matches what we know from his earlier stay in Germany, when he placed classified ads for language lessons. über Straßburg nach Wien, traveled via Strasbourg to Vienna: He traveled on the train line from Strasbourg to Vienna—the route that would eventually become part of the Orient Express. Likely he crossed the border at Avricourt. Since 1875, French trains (from the Compagnie de l’Est) terminated at Deutsch-Avricourt, with signage only in German. Passengers underwent police and customs checks, then boarded German trains running right-hand, with German signals, to Sarrebourg and Strasbourg.
um von hier in die Türkei zu gehen, intending to travel on to Turkey: This detail sheds light on a less-documented episode of Rimbaud’s life and clarifies a travel project toward Turkey that was not previously well-established. Earlier biographers (following Verlaine) referenced Russia, and Delahaye mentioned Varna on the Black Sea. It’s worth noting that in 1876, “Turkey” meant the Ottoman Empire, stretching across southeastern Europe into parts of Serbia and Romania. dass es ihm nichts um die Ausführung eines Selbstmordes zu tun gewesen, that he had no intention of suicide: Rimbaud emphasized he was not contemplating suicide, phrased in German bureaucratic language as having “no intention to execute the act of suicide.” Biographers often note the despair implied by this statement. In fact, Rimbaud’s journey “East” ended here. He stayed in Vienna for months, taking odd jobs and, reportedly, searching for those who robbed him. At the end of April or early May, he was escorted to the border and returned home to Charleville. er sei dadurch in arge Verlegenheit geraten, he found himself in great embarrassment/distress: The phrase indicates that his life plans had collapsed due to the theft; he found himself in serious distress. The choice of words underscores the depth of his predicament.
in einem öffentlichen Unterhaltungsorte, in a public place of entertainment:
In this case, further research suggests that the location may correspond to the first restaurant opened by Edmund Sacher—a notable venue in the Todesco Palais on the corner of Maximilianstraße, frequented by the Emperor’s own clientele. The use of vague language in the police report and newspaper article may be a deliberate choice, reflecting either caution or discretion when reporting incidents linked to such a high-profile establishment. After all, who could have calculated the impact of a scandal on Vienna’s reputation—the capital’s premier restaurant, and a favored haunt of the elite, implicated in an episode where a young foreign visitor is seduced, made drunk, and robbed in an elegant private salon on a Saturday night? This detail does not align with the accounts provided by Delahaye, Verlaine, or the Rimbaud family, all of whom attributed the theft to a Fiaker—an untrustworthy cab driver—likely echoing the version young Rimbaud himself related in a lost letter to Delahaye or on his return home.
This discrepancy becomes a central question in the inquiry, especially given the precise mark on the map of Vienna that Rimbaud brought back—unambiguously circling the Todesco Palais. gestohlen wurden, were stolen: This confirms a theft and the involvement of thieves. It may explain why Rimbaud remained in Vienna for more than two months—possibly to find work as a language teacher or to track down the thieves. Only as his resources ran out did he resort to begging and selling his clothes. seine Ersparnisse in der Höhe von 500 Francs, his savings amounting to 500 francs: Correspondence between Rimbaud and his mother allows us to reconstruct the larger timeline of their financial relations. Throughout his adult life, Arthur tried to repay what his upbringing and his mother’s assistance had cost. Den Revolver führte er nur zu seinem persönlichen Schutze bei sich, he carried the revolver solely for personal protection: The presence of the revolver remains, for now, a mystery. Since the newspaper article is indisputable, it seems legitimate to consider several hypotheses. Did Rimbaud travel to Vienna already armed, or was he in the process of acquiring the revolver there? Is it not plausible that during one of his encounters—perhaps as local acquaintances warned him about the dangers of his planned journey—someone suggested or facilitated the purchase of a revolver? Perhaps it was during the process of obtaining the weapon that he was lured, set up, and then robbed, possibly right inside the restaurant. The scenario where the revolver comes into play within the Sacher establishment cannot be ruled out.
Some of the historical documents on display in the “Rimbaud and Photography” section at the Biennale originate from Vienna’s annual vintage photo fair—a gathering point for collectors, dealers, curators, and enthusiasts from across Europe.
A number of Viennese dealers have readily joined in the ongoing research surrounding the identification of the small carte-de-visite portrait from the Hofbauer studio, generously sharing advice and supplementary documentation.
Vienna’s annual vintage photo fair
The article is scheduled for publication on Wednesday, July 30. L’antica fotografia è la più bella delle collezioni … Senigallia, città della fotografia, ospita nuovi spazi dedicato alla ricerca e promozione della fotografia. Atelier 41 si trova 41 via fratelli Bandiera. Senigallia diventerà la Città delle collezioni. Any question : fotografia
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