Max Unold, Paul Klee, and Alfred Kubin illustrated Voltaire's famous novel "Candide ou l'Optimisme" (in German: "Candide oder die beste aller Welten"), influenced by Chodowiecki, Monnet, and Moreau le Jeune. This study highlights the diverse history of editions and receptions of the work from its first illustration in 1778 to 1922, showing how the various artists interpreted the text through their illustrations in their own unique ways. The focus is on the German illustrations at the beginning of the 20th century and the significance that the book and Voltaire held for the German avant-garde.