> Otto Böhtlingk, whose forefathers adopted the Dutch nationality
> in order to be able to settle as merchants in the Russian Empire.

According to the research of Agnes Stache-Weiske, this claim, which 
can be found in various places (e.g. Windisch, Kern, Mylius), is not 
true. It is correct that Böhtlingk's father belonged to the Dutch 
merchant community in St. Petersburg, but according to Stache-Weiske 
this says nothing about his nationality. A relatively sure indication, 
however, is the religious affiliation of the family, which from the 
beginning belonged to the German Lutheran congregation in St. 
Petersburg and not to the Dutch Reformed Church.

Böhtlingk's father only acquired Russian citizenship shortly before 
his death, but only for himself and not for his family. It was only 
when he was awarded the title of nobility that Otto Böhtlingk himself 
became a Russian citizen in 1888.

Compare Agnes Stache-Weiske: "... für die Wißenschaft, der ich von 
ganzer Seele lebe", Otto Böhtlingk (1815-1904): ein Gelehrtenleben, 
rekonstruiert und beschrieben anhand seiner Briefe, Wiesbaden: 
Harrassowitz 2017,, p. 12 f.

Best,
Roland Steiner



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