Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-15
SAGE'S INTIMATE
HUNTED FOR CLUE
kietzsche's Sister Believes
"Don Enrico" Knows
Collapse Cause.

~ the Associated Press.
TURIN, Italy, June 15.-A polemic
over the cause of Friedrich Nietzsche' s
collapse and lapse into insanity has led
to search for a mysterious Don
Enrico' who was an intimate OF the
philosopher and who, II still alive, may
be In Argentina.
DR.. Elizabeth Nietzsche Forster, the
sage's sister, is heading the search. In
her old age she lives at Weimar, Ger
many, where she has founded the
Nietzsche Archives.
She desires proof which Don Enrico,
whose last name she cannot recall, may
be able to furnish to refute statements
casting a reflection on Nietzsche's
family as being responsible for his loss
Of mental faculties.
Particular emphasis has been placed
by some writer's on family irritations
as the probable direct cause Of the
savant's collapse, while others hold
that the family was not to blame, but
rather antagonists OF no blood relation
ship together with Nietzsches habit OF
taking overdoses of stimulants.
Could Decide Point.
Don Enrico, 1t appears, is the person
best in a position to clear up the point.
He was in close contact with the
philosopher during the latter's sojourn
in Turin in 1888 and 1889, just prior
to the mental affection, and wrote sew
eral letters to DR.. Forsters husband,
the late DR.. Bernard Forster, descrlb-
ing Nietzsche's habits.
He is said to have gone to Argentina
q years ago, but what has become OF
him since is a mystery.
In her attempt to clarity the matter,
DR.. Forster enlisted the aid of Italo
Zingarelli, Vienna correspondent OF La
Stampa of this city, and the latter pub
lished an article here requesting lnfor-
nation on Enrico's whereabouts.
The Don Enrico in question was en-
ployed in 1888 in the library OF the
University of Turin. Being of German
and Italian parentage, he understood
both languages and was called upon
to act as interpreter between Nietzsche
and Pascuale d'Ercole. professor of
philosophy at the university, in several
conferences on points Of mutual
interests.
Served as Interpreter.
He continued the acquaintance with
the philosopher after his work as In
terpreter was finished, and started
writing to Dr. ForSter'S husband when
he learned from the savant that the
doctor had been in Paraguay working
on a colonization plan. The idea in
terested him in as much as he often
had thought of establishing colony
of Italian peasants in that country.
In exchange for the long letters DR..
Forster wrote him about South America,
he wrote frequently of his personal
friendship with Nietzsche and Of the
latter's mode of life in Turin. telling
Of the disastrous physical and moral
effects caused on the philosopher by
certain letters he received from Ger
many and by his habit of taking stimu-
1ants.
Describing his last meeting with
Nietzsche, Enrico said he found him in
a cafe and the two set cut for a walk
Enrico communicated to his fr4end that
he Intended to leave shortly for Ger
many and the latter advised against It,
Don't 60 to Germany" Nietzsche
said. because there all the noble hearts
and all the best souls are called scoun-
drels."
Drew Letter From Pocket.
The philosopher drew letter from
his pocket. which fell to the paving,
and while Enrico was gathering up the
sheets that had been scattered by the
wind Neitzsche disappeared, walking
rapidly away. They never saw each
other again.
Don Enrico sent the letter to DR.
Forster, and the latter's widow, in men
tioning it recently, declared she never
in her life had read anything 50 ma
lignant
He who wrote it." she said, IF he
still lives, must know that he broke the
noblest heart and MORALLY wounded one
of the fineEt spirits" She did not dis
close who was the author Of the missive.
DR.. Forster feels now that the mys-
FERROUS Don Enrico. by getting in touch
with her at the Nietzsche archives In
Weimar, could help her to establish
definitely what was the prime factor
leading to her brothers collapse.