Karin Michaelis
Encyclopedia
Karin Michaelis was a Danish journalist and author.
.
and partly in a manor house north of Randers. In 1892 she moved to Copenhagen, to become trained as a piano teacher, where she became acquainted with the writer Sophus Michaelis
(1865–1932), whom she married in 1895. The couple earned their living predominantly through theater reviews. In 1911 the marriage was terminated.
Michaelis was active in humanitarian work in
Austria
. Her great friendship with Eugenie Schwarzwald
stood not only for her connection with Vienna
but also for her social engagement in this country.
Early on, Karin Michaelis warned of the danger arising from Mussolini
und Hitler
. In 1932 she took part in an anti-war congress in Amsterdam
. From 1933 on she took in German emigrants on her property in Thurø
, including Bertolt Brecht
and his wife Helene Weigel
. After the rise of fascism
, her books were banned in Germany and Italy. In 1940, with the invasion of Denmark, she herself emigrated to America; in 1946, after the end of World War II
, she returned to Denmark. She is buried in the Thurø cemetery.
In 1910 she published Den farlige Alder (The Dangerous Age). It is the story of Elsie Lindtner, who, after divorcing her husband, attempts to rekindle a relationship with a younger man who had once worshipped her from afar. When this relationship fails as well, she resolves to spend her life traveling throughout the world with a female friend. The book created a great sensation, because it began to cut through tabooed themes like the sexual desires of a 40 year old woman. The novel was translated many times and filmed several times, including a 1927 version with Asta Nielsen
.
In 1914, Glaedens Skole (School of Joy) was published, about a reform school in Vienna led by her friend, the Austrian pedagogue Eugenie Schwarzwald. Michaelis also wrote a series of books about the growing up experiences of a girl Bibi. The Bibi books came in seven volumes from 1929 to 1939 and became a big international success. In these novels for adolescents, readers meet the stationmaster's daughter Bibi, who is motherless, but as a result free. She is an idealistic tomboy who rides free on the streetcars and fights ceaselessly for animal causes.
Finally, the autobiographies Little Troll and Vidunderlige Verden (Wonderful World) were published in the 1940s.
Early life
Karin Michaelis was the daughter of a telegraph official and noted Freemason, Jacob Anthonius Brøndum (1837–1921), and his wife Nielsine Petrine Bech (1839–1932). Her mother contributed to the family's meager income by making wreaths; her grandmother and an aunt played a large role in her early upbringing. In Pigen med Glasskaarene (Girl with Glass Pieces) (first volume of the master work Træet på Godt og Ondt, written in the period 1924-30), she gave a picture of that milieu. In school she was teased because she was small, chubby, and suffered from strabismusStrabismus
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. It typically involves a lack of coordination between the extraocular muscles, which prevents bringing the gaze of each eye to the same point in space and preventing proper binocular vision, which may adversely...
.
Copenhagen and Marriage to Sophus Michaelis
In her youth Michaelis was a private teacher for a few years, partly in LæsøLæsø
Læsø is the largest island in the North Sea bay of Kattegat, and is located off the northeast coast of the Jutland Peninsula, the Danish mainland. Læsø is also the name of the municipality on that island...
and partly in a manor house north of Randers. In 1892 she moved to Copenhagen, to become trained as a piano teacher, where she became acquainted with the writer Sophus Michaelis
Sophus Michaëlis
Sophus Michaëlis was a Danish poet, novelist and playwright. Among his works are the novels Giovanna from 1901 and Den evige søvn from 1912, and the play Revolutionsbryllup from 1906.-References:...
(1865–1932), whom she married in 1895. The couple earned their living predominantly through theater reviews. In 1911 the marriage was terminated.
Second Marriage and Writing Career
The following year, Michaelis married the Norwegian-American diplomat Charles Emil Stangeland in New Rochelle, New York. She had met Stangeland the previous year while returning from the U.S. to Denmark aboard a ship. He was a political economist, educated at Columbia University, and at the time of his marriage to Michaelis was posted to Bolivia as secretary to the American Legation. Stangeland was unhappy with the literary and political activities of his wife, who just at this time experienced a breakthrough as an author with Den farlige Alder (The Dangerous Age). They were separated in 1917 and divorced in 1930. There were no children from either marriage.Political and Social Activity
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Michaelis was active in humanitarian work in
Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Her great friendship with Eugenie Schwarzwald
Eugenie Schwarzwald
Eugenie Schwarzwald, née Nußbaum, was born June 4, 1872, in Polupanovka, near Ternopil, in Austria-Hungary and died on August 7, 1940, in Zurich. She was an Austrian philanthropist, writer and pedagogue developing and supporting education for girls in Austria...
stood not only for her connection with 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...
but also for her social engagement in this country.
Early on, Karin Michaelis warned of the danger arising from Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
und Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. In 1932 she took part in an anti-war congress in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. From 1933 on she took in German emigrants on her property in Thurø
Thurø
Thurø is a small Danish island in the south-east of Funen and belongs to the Svendborg municipality. Connected to Svendborg proper by a small bridge, Thurø has around 3699 inhabitants....
, including Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
and his wife Helene Weigel
Helene Weigel
Helene Weigel was a distinguished German actress. She was the second wife of Bertolt Brecht, and together they had a son Stefan Brecht and daughter Barbara Brecht-Schall .The daughter of a Jewish lawyer, she became a Communist Party member from 1930 and Artistic Director of the...
. After the rise of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
, her books were banned in Germany and Italy. In 1940, with the invasion of Denmark, she herself emigrated to America; in 1946, after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she returned to Denmark. She is buried in the Thurø cemetery.
Works
In the course of 50 years, Karin Michaelis wrote 36 novels for adults, 9 children's books, and 2 autobiographies, plus many other books and a number of newspaper and periodical articles.In 1910 she published Den farlige Alder (The Dangerous Age). It is the story of Elsie Lindtner, who, after divorcing her husband, attempts to rekindle a relationship with a younger man who had once worshipped her from afar. When this relationship fails as well, she resolves to spend her life traveling throughout the world with a female friend. The book created a great sensation, because it began to cut through tabooed themes like the sexual desires of a 40 year old woman. The novel was translated many times and filmed several times, including a 1927 version with Asta Nielsen
Asta Nielsen
Asta Nielsen , was a Danish silent film actress who was one of the most popular leading ladies of the 1910s and one of the first international movie stars. Seventy of Nielsen's 74 films were made in Germany where she was known simply as Die Asta...
.
In 1914, Glaedens Skole (School of Joy) was published, about a reform school in Vienna led by her friend, the Austrian pedagogue Eugenie Schwarzwald. Michaelis also wrote a series of books about the growing up experiences of a girl Bibi. The Bibi books came in seven volumes from 1929 to 1939 and became a big international success. In these novels for adolescents, readers meet the stationmaster's daughter Bibi, who is motherless, but as a result free. She is an idealistic tomboy who rides free on the streetcars and fights ceaselessly for animal causes.
Finally, the autobiographies Little Troll and Vidunderlige Verden (Wonderful World) were published in the 1940s.