This paper is about a poem of 1773–1774 by Derzhavin which was not published in its time – an “Epistle“ adressed to lieutenant-colonel Ivan I. Mikhel’son. Dealing with the the Pugačev-Rebellion of 1773–1775, the poem tells the story of how the city of Kazan’ was conquered by Pugačev and then freed by Mikhel’son and his regular troops. Why did Derzhavin not wish to publish his poem? Due to a lack of data, an answer to this question must be hypothetical, yet it stimulates an analysis of the literary, biographical, social and political circumstances under which the “Epistle“ was created and then not published.

This article is written in German.

Keywords: G. Derzhavin, Pugachev-Rebellion, Ivan Mikhel’son, Kazan’, chinopochitanie, M. Lomonosov