Christiane von Goethe (Born: Vulpius)(1765 – 1816)

Christiane Vulpius gained permanent memory in history through her relationship with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Vulpius was born in Weimar, Germany on June 1, 1765. Goethe and Vulpius met while Goethe was living in Weimar. She became his life partner in 1788. At that time the prominent society of Weimar scorned the uneducated young woman. The social exclusion ended finally when, at Goethes request, Johanna Schopenhauer agreed to invite her to one of Schopenhauer’s intellectual tee discussions. Goethe and Vulpius married in 1806. They had 5 children, but only one son survived childhood. The surviving son, Karl August von Goethe, was born on December 25, 1789. Vulpius died on June 6, 1816, 16 years before her older husband.