Karoline von Günderrode (1780 - 1806 )

The intellectual and writer, Karoline von Günderrode, as the von in her name implies, was from a noble family, but one which had fallen on harsh financial times. Karoline was born on Febrary 11, 1780 in Karlsruhe . Her father died when she was 6 leaving her mother to try to care for the family with limited means. The family moved to Hanau after her father’s death.

As was common in those times she was placed into a home for unmarried women in Frankfurt at age 17. The Damenstift cared for young women without means from “good families”. A formal education was not available to her, but, recognizing the value of knowledge she read incessantly in a wide variety of fields and thus achieved an outstanding self-education.

In 1801 she met Bettina and Clemens Brentano, both of whom would become outstanding figures in 19th century literature. Karoline von Günderrode and Bettina Brentano would develop a close relationship. Bettina Brentano (later von Arnim) would publish the correspondence between herself and Günderrode in 1840 with the title, Die Günderrode.

After 1804 she began to write under the male pseudonym, Tian and began to establish a reputation as a poet . Most of her poetry and plays, as well as her artistically crafted, intellectual letters were published after her death. After a failed love relationship with Friedrich Creuzer, Günderrode committed suicide in 1806 at age 26.

Die eine Klage
Karoline von Günderode

Wer die tiefste aller Wunden
Hat in Geist und Sinn empfunden
Bittrer Trennung Schmerz;
Wer geliebt was er verlohren,
Lassen muß was er erkohren,
Das geliebte Herz,

Der versteht in Lust die Thränen
Und der Liebe ewig Sehnen
Eins in Zwei zu sein,
Eins im Andern sich zu finden,
Daß der Zweiheit Gränzen schwinden Und des Daseins Pein.

Wer so ganz in Herz und Sinnen
Konnt' ein Wesen liebgewinnen
O! den tröstet's nicht
Daß für Freuden, die verlohren,
Neue werden neu gebohren: Jene sind's doch nicht.

Das geliebte, süße Leben,
Dieses Nehmen und dies Geben,
Wort und Sinn und Blick,
Dieses Suchen und dies Finden,
Dieses Denken und Empfinden Giebt kein Gott zurück.