Franziska von Reitzenstein
Encyclopedia
Franziska Freifrau von Reitzenstein, née von Nyss, alias "Franz von Nemmersdorf" (September 19, 1834 – June 4, 1896) was a German novelist.
. She was well educated and moved in aristocratic and noble circles. In 1849 she married the royal Bavarian Rittmeister
Freiherr
von Reitzenstein. After her husband died in 1853, she travelled to several places of Italy and was inspired to write by Karl Gutzkow
. She randomized her male pen name "Franz" in a topographical, statistical lexicon, whereas Nemmersdorf was the former name of a settlement in East Prussia
, today Mayakovskoye
.
Under her pen name she wrote novels in particular, also some with historical themes. Later she followed in Paolo Mantegazza
's footsteps and dedicated her work Kampf der Geschlechter to him, which dealt with the relations between women and men and of the question of women's rights. She wrote also for journals and newspapers, amongst them the "Allgemeine Zeitung
" in Augsburg
, the "Münchener Zeitung" (literally: Munich
's newspaper) as well as the appending "Unterhaltungsblatt" (entertainment paper), also Keil's „Die Gartenlaube“ and several papers in Vienna
. Von Reitzenstein owned a house in Munich, where she lived with her cats, which was why she was called "cat baroness" by her neighbors She is buried in the Old Southern Cemetery
in Munich. Her grave tomb was designed by Friedrich von Thiersch.
Biography
Von Reitzenstein was born the daughter of a judicial counselor (Oberappellations-Gerichtsrat) in Castle Härdenstein in SwabiaSwabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
. She was well educated and moved in aristocratic and noble circles. In 1849 she married the royal Bavarian Rittmeister
Rittmeister
Rotamaster was the military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in charge of a squadron , the equivalent of O3 or Captain, in the German-speaking armies, Austro-Hungarian, Polish-Lithuanian, Russian and some other states.The exact name of this rank maintains a variety of spellings in different...
Freiherr
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
von Reitzenstein. After her husband died in 1853, she travelled to several places of Italy and was inspired to write by Karl Gutzkow
Karl Gutzkow
Karl Ferdinand Gutzkow was a German writer notable in the Young Germany movement of the mid-19th century.-Life:...
. She randomized her male pen name "Franz" in a topographical, statistical lexicon, whereas Nemmersdorf was the former name of a settlement in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, today Mayakovskoye
Mayakovskoye
Nemmersdorf in East Prussia was one of the first pre-war ethnic German villages to fall to the advancing Red Army in World War 2. On October 21, 1944 it was the scene of a massacre perpetrated by the Soviet soldiers against German civilians and French and Belgian noncombattants. Determining the...
.
Under her pen name she wrote novels in particular, also some with historical themes. Later she followed in Paolo Mantegazza
Paolo Mantegazza
Paolo Mantegazza was a prominent Italian neurologist, physiologist and anthropologist, noted for his experimental investigation of coca leaves into its effects on the human psyche. He was also an author of fiction.-Life:...
's footsteps and dedicated her work Kampf der Geschlechter to him, which dealt with the relations between women and men and of the question of women's rights. She wrote also for journals and newspapers, amongst them the "Allgemeine Zeitung
Allgemeine Zeitung
The Allgemeine Zeitung was in the first part of the 19th century the leading political daily journal in Germany. It has been widely recognised as the first world class German journal and is a symbol of the German press abroad....
" in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, the "Münchener Zeitung" (literally: Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
's newspaper) as well as the appending "Unterhaltungsblatt" (entertainment paper), also Keil's „Die Gartenlaube“ and several papers in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Von Reitzenstein owned a house in Munich, where she lived with her cats, which was why she was called "cat baroness" by her neighbors She is buried in the Old Southern Cemetery
Alter Südfriedhof
The Alter Südfriedhof is a cemetery in Munich, Germany. It was founded by Duke Albrecht V as a plague cemetery in 1563 about half a kilometer south of the Sendlinger Gate between Thalkirchner and Pestalozzistraße.-History:...
in Munich. Her grave tomb was designed by Friedrich von Thiersch.
Works
- Von der Newa an die Weichsel ("From the NevaNeva RiverThe Neva is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length , it is the third largest river in Europe in terms of average discharge .The Neva is the only river flowing from Lake...
to the VistulaVistulaThe Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
"), in Unterhaltungen am häuslichen Herd published by Karl Gutzkow - Unter den Ruinen ("Under the Ruins", a novel about RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, 4 vol.), Leipzig, 1861, - Moderne Gesellschaft ("Modern Society", novel, 4 vol.), Leipzig, 1863
- La Stella (ItalianItalian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
for the star, an anecdote), Munich, 1863, prior published in Neue Münchener Zeitung - Doge und Papst ("DogeDogeDoge is a dialectal Italian word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context. The wife of a Doge is styled a Dogaressa....
and PopePopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
", a historical novel about the 17th century and about Pope Paul VIPope Paul VIPaul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, 2 vol.), Breslau, 1865 - Gozzi’s Rache ("Revenge of GozziGozziGozzi is an Italian surname, and may refer to:* Carlo Gozzi , Italian dramatist* Gasparo Gozzi , Italian critic and dramatist* Simone Gozzi, Italian footballer...
", novella), published in the evening paper of the Bayerische Zeitung, 1865 - Allein in der Welt ("Alone in the World", novel, 3 vol.), Berlin, 1868
- Ein moderner Werther ("A Modern WertherThe Sorrows of Young WertherThe Sorrows of Young Werther is an epistolary and loosely autobiographical novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, first published in 1774; a revised edition of the novel was published in 1787...
", novella) - Späte Sühne ("Late Atonement") in Julius Grosse's and Franz Grandauer's revue "Propyläen", 1869
- Unter den Waffen ("Under Arms", novel, 3 vol.), Berlin, 1869, reprinted in 1872
- Ritter unserer Zeit ("Knights of our Time", 3 vol.), NurembergNurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, 1873 - Die Verworfene und Reine ("The Corrupt and the Pure")
- Ein dämonisches Weib ("A Demonic Woman"), 1873
- Ein Gentleman (4 vol.), Jena, 1874
- Ein Ehestandsdrama ("A Matrimonial Drama", 4 vol.), Jena 1876
- Die Masken des Glückes ("The Masks of Luck"), Berlin, 1876
- Gebt Raum! ("Make Way!", 3 vol.), Dresden, 1880
- Das Rätsel des Lebens ("The Enigma of Life", novel, 2 vol.), Leipzig, 1894
- Der Kampf der Geschlechter - Eine Studie aus dem Leben und für das Leben ("The Battle of the Sexes - a Study from Life and for Life", Leipzig, 1891
- Aus gärender Zeit - Studie aus dem Leben ("An Age of Ferment"), Stuttgart, 1895
Sources
- Nemmersdorf, Franz v. (German), Lexikon deutscher Frauen der Feder.
- Reitzenstein, Franziska von (German), Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon