March: National Women's History Month (U.S.A.)


Significant Women in German, Austrian, Swiss History

A select set of short biographies representing the many women in German History who have made significant contributions to the culture.

A special tribute is given to the thousands of unnamed, unknown "Trümmerfrauen" who immediately undertook the rebuilding effort after thedevastation of World War II.

The links below lead to short biographies in English and German.
Short biographies in German of many of these people are also available integrated into a composite at:

http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/paschons/language_http/German/culthist.html

St. Adelheid von Vilich Religion

St. Afra von Augsburg Religion

Arendt, Hannah Philosophy

Arnim, Bettina von (Born: Brentano) Literature

Bach, Anna Magdalena (Born: Wilcke) Music

Bach, Maria (Born: Bach) Music

Bachmann, Ingeborg Literature

Baum, Vicki (Hedwig) Popular literature/Film

Becke-Goehring, Margot Science

Becker, Paula Painter

Bernstein, Ingrid (Sarah Kirsch) Literature

Blamauer, Karoline Music/Entertainment

Bl. Blandian (Maria magdalena Merten) Religion

Bora, Katherina von (Religion)

Braun, Lily (Born: von Kretschmann) Politics/Women's movement

Brion, Friederike Romance

Buff, Charlotte Romance

Bülo, Cosima von (born: de Flavigny) Music/Administration

St. Cordula von Köln Religion

de Flavigny, Cosima Music/Administration

Dietrich, Marlene (originally Marie Magdalene Dietrich) Entertainment/Film

Droste-Hülshoff, Anette von Literature

Eisler, Ruth Elfriede Politics

Eiβner, Clara Politics/ Feminism

St. Elisabeth von Thüringen Government/Religion

Engelen-Kefer, Ursula Government/Politics/Labor

Fischer, Ruth Politics

Förster-Nietzsche, Elisabeth (Born: Nietzsche), Philosophy/Politics

Freud, Anna Psychology

Gerhardinger, Maria Theresia Education/Religion

Goeppert-Mayer, Maria (Born: Goeppert), Science

Goethe, Christiane von (Born: Vulpius) Romance/ Literature

Golke, Ruth Politics

Gandersheim, Hroswita von Literature/Religion

Graf, Steffi Sports

Günderrode, Karoline von Literatur

Gutermann, Sophie Literatur

Halmich, Regina (article of 2006) Updated information Sports

St. Hedwig von Schlesien Religion

St. Helena Religion

Helm, Brigitte (born Schittenhelm) Entertainment/Film

Hensel, Fanny (born Mendelssohn) Music

Herschel, Caroline Lucretia Science

St. Hildegard von Bingen Religion/Music/Science

Ihlenfeld, Christa Literatue

Höß, Maria Kreszentia Religion

Hroswita von Gandersheim Literature/Religion

Huch, Ricarda Literature/ History

St. Irmina von Öhren Religion

Karoline von Brandenburg-Ansbach Government

Kaschnitz, Marie Luise Literatur

Kelly, Petra (born Lehmann) Politics

Kestner, Charlotte (born Buff) Literature

Kickuth, Rita Education/ Government

Kinsky, Bertha Literature/ Peace Activist

Kirsch, Sarah (born Ingrid Bernstein) Literature

Klum, Heidi, Model/ Entertainment/Film

Knef, Hildegard, Entertainment/Film

Koch, Marita Sports

Kohl, Hannalore Politics

Kolb, Anette

Kollwitz, Käthe

Krapp, Katherina (Religion)

Kretschmann, Lily von Politics/Women's movement

St. Kunigunde von Luxembourg Religion/Government

Kutschera, Maria Entertainment/singer

Langgässner, Elizabeth Literature

La Roche, Sophie (born Gutermann) Literature

Lasker-Schüler, Else Literature

Le Fort, Gertrud von Literature

Lehmann, Lotte Music

Lehmann, Petra Politics

Lenya, Lotte Music/Entertainment

Limbach, Jutta (born Ryneck) Politics/Law

Liszt, Cosima (born: de Flavigny)  Music/Administration

Longuet, Jenny (born: Marx) Politics

Luther, Katherina (born: von Bora) Religion

Luxemburg, Rosa Politics/Revolutionary

Mallinckrodt, Pauline Education/Religion

Maria Teresa Government

Maria Antonia Josepha von Österreich-Lothringen Government

Marie-Antoinette Government

Marx, Jenny  (daughter) Politics

Marx, Jenny (mother) (born: von Westphallen) Politics

St. Mathilda Government/Religion

Matthäus-Maier, Ingrid Politics/Banking

St. Mechthilde von Hackeborn Music/Religion

Meinhof, Ulrika Terrorist

Meitner, Lisa Science

Melanchthon, Katherine (born: Krapp) Religion

Mendelssohn, Fanny Music

Merkel, Angela Government

Merten, Maria Magdalena (Blessed Blandina) Religion

Miegel, Agnes Literature

Modersohn-Becker, Paula (Born: Modersohn) Painter

Mozart, Constanze (Born: Weber) Romance/Music

Münter, Gabriele Artist

Nietzsche, Elisabeth Philosophy/Politics

Neuber, Caroline (Born: Weißborn)Theater

Nisch, Ulrika Franziska Religion

Noddack, Ida Science

St. Notburga von Rattenberg Religion

Pokorny, Renate Government/Women's Issues/ Labor

Radvanyi, Netty Literature

Reilling, Netty Literature

Reitsch, Hanna Aviation

Renner, Eleonore Johanna, Politics

Riefenstahl, Leni Film

Rinser, Luisa Literature

Ryneck, Jutta Politics/Law

Sachs, Nelly (Leonie) Literature

Salomon, Alice Education/ Social Work/ Feminism

Schittenhelm, Brigitte Entertainment/Film

Schüler, Else Literature (Else Lasker-Schüler)

Schardt, Charlotte von Literature

Schmidt, Renate (Born: Pokorny) Government/ Women's Issues/ Labor

Scholl, Sophie Student/ Anti-Nazi Resistance

Schopenhauer, Johanna (Born: Trosiener) Literature

Schumann, Clara (born: Wieck) Music

Seghers, Anna (Born: Reilling) Literature

Seidel, Ina Literature

Sponer, Hertha Science

Strauss und Torney, Lulu von Literature

Streitel, Franziska Religion

Stein, Charlotte von (Born: von Schardt) Literature

Stein, St. Edith (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) Philosophy/Religion

Süssmut, Rita (Born: Kickuth) Education/ Government

Suttner, Bertha von (Born: Kinsky) Literature/ Peace Activist

Tacke, Ida, Science

Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Born: Edith Stein) Philosophy/Religion

Thyssen, Amelia zur Helle Business

Trapp, Maria von (Born: Kutschera) Entertainment, singer

Trosiener, Johanna Literature

St. Ursula von Köln (may or may not have existed, but remains a very known and popular figure) Religion

Vulpius, Christiane Romance/ Literature

St. Walpurgis Religion

Westphallen, Jenny von Policics

Wagner, Cosima (born: de Flavigny) Music/Administration

Weber, Constanze Romance/Music

Weißborn, Caroline Theater

St. Wiboranda von St. Gallen Religion

Wieck, Clara Josephine (Clara Schumann) Music

Wilcke, Anna Magdalena (Anna Magdalena Bach) Music

Wolf, Christa (Born: Ihlenfeld) Literature

Zetkin, Clara (Born: Eiβner) Politics/ Feminism

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Sincere thanks to the Luann Dummer Center for Women for support in this project during the Summer of 2008.

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This page was last updated on August 6, 2008.