On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.

[83] Two policemen approached him after

he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck 
On 3 January 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown.[83] Two policemen approached him after
he caused a public disturbance in the streets of Turin. What happened remains unknown, but an
often-repeated tale from shortly after his death states that Nietzsche witnessed the flogging of a
horse at the other end of the Piazza Carlo Alberto, ran to the horse, threw his arms around its neck
to protect it, then collapsed to the ground. [84][85]
In the following few days, Nietzsche sent short writings—known as the Wahnzettel ("Madness
Letters")—to a number of friends including Cosima Wagner and Jacob Burckhardt. Most of them
were signed "Dionysus", though some were also signed "der Gekreuzigte" meaning "the crucified
one". To his former colleague Burckhardt, Nietzsche wrote: "I have had Caiaphas put in fetters. Also,
last year I was crucified by the German doctors in a very drawn-out manner. Wilhelm, Bismarck, and
all anti-Semites abolished."[86] Additionally, he commanded the German emperor to go to Rome to be
shot and summoned the European powers to take military action against Germany, [87] that the pope
should be put in jail and that he, Nietzsche, created the world and was in the process of having all
anti-Semites shot dead.[88]
On 6 January 1889, Burckhardt showed the letter he had received from Nietzsche to Overbeck. The
following day, Overbeck