Malwida von Meysenbug
Encyclopedia
Malwida von Meysenbug was a German writer, who was a friend of Friedrich Nietzsche
and Richard Wagner
. She also met the French writer Romain Rolland
in Rome in 1890, and is the author of Memories of an Idealist. She published the first volume anonymously in 1869.
Von Meysenbug was born at Kassel
, Hesse
. Her father Carl Rivalier descended from a family of French Huguenots, and received the title of Baron of Meysenbug from William I of Hesse-Kassel
. The ninth of ten children, she broke with her family because of her political convictions. Two of her brothers made brilliant careers, one as a minister of state
in Austria, and the other as Minister of the Karlsruhe. Von Meysenbug, however, refused to appeal to her family and lived first by joining a free community in Hamburg, and then by immigrating in 1852 to England where she lived of teaching and translating works. There, she met the republicans Ledru-Rollin, Louis Blanc
, and Gottfried Kinkel
, all political refugees. The young Carl Schurz
also became acquainted with her there.
In 1862 von Meysenbug went to Italy with Olga Herzen, the daughter of Alexander Herzen
, known as the "father of Russian socialism" (she was teaching his daughters) and resided there. Olga Herzen married Gabriel Monod
in 1873 and established herself in France, but Malwida's poor health impeded her from joining her.
Von Meysenbug introduced Nietzsche to several of his friends, including Helene von Druskowitz
. She invited Paul Rée
and Nietzsche to Sorrento
, a town which overlooks the bay of Naples
, in the autumn of 1876. There, Rée wrote The Origins of Moral Sensations, and Nietzsche began Human, All Too Human
.
Malwida von Meysenburg died in Rome in 1903 and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery
in the city.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
and Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
. She also met the French writer Romain Rolland
Romain Rolland
Romain Rolland was a French dramatist, novelist, essayist, art historian and mystic who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915.-Biography:...
in Rome in 1890, and is the author of Memories of an Idealist. She published the first volume anonymously in 1869.
Von Meysenbug was born at Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
. Her father Carl Rivalier descended from a family of French Huguenots, and received the title of Baron of Meysenbug from William I of Hesse-Kassel
William I, Elector of Hesse
William I, Elector of Hesse was the eldest surviving son of Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Mary of Great Britain, the daughter of George II.-Early life:...
. The ninth of ten children, she broke with her family because of her political convictions. Two of her brothers made brilliant careers, one as a minister of state
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
in Austria, and the other as Minister of the Karlsruhe. Von Meysenbug, however, refused to appeal to her family and lived first by joining a free community in Hamburg, and then by immigrating in 1852 to England where she lived of teaching and translating works. There, she met the republicans Ledru-Rollin, Louis Blanc
Louis Blanc
Louis Jean Joseph Charles Blanc was a French politician and historian. A socialist who favored reforms, he called for the creation of cooperatives in order to guarantee employment for the urban poor....
, and Gottfried Kinkel
Gottfried Kinkel
Johann Gottfried Kinkel was a German poet also noted for his revolutionary activities and his escape from a Prussian prison in Spandau with the help of his friend Carl Schurz.-Early life:...
, all political refugees. The young Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz
Carl Christian Schurz was a German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army General in the American Civil War. He was also an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and orator, who in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate.His wife,...
also became acquainted with her there.
In 1862 von Meysenbug went to Italy with Olga Herzen, the daughter of Alexander Herzen
Alexander Herzen
Aleksandr Ivanovich Herzen was a Russian pro-Western writer and thinker known as the "father of Russian socialism", and one of the main fathers of agrarian populism...
, known as the "father of Russian socialism" (she was teaching his daughters) and resided there. Olga Herzen married Gabriel Monod
Gabriel Monod
Gabriel Monod was a French historian, the nephew of Adolphe Monod.-Biography:Born in Ingouville, Seine-Maritime, he was educated at Le Havre then went to Paris to complete his education, lodging with the de Pressensé family...
in 1873 and established herself in France, but Malwida's poor health impeded her from joining her.
Von Meysenbug introduced Nietzsche to several of his friends, including Helene von Druskowitz
Helene von Druskowitz
Helene von Druskowitz was an Austrian philosopher, writer and music critic. She was the second woman to obtain a Doctorate in Philosophy, which she obtained in Zürich...
. She invited Paul Rée
Paul Rée
Paul Ludwig Carl Heinrich Rée was a German author and philosopher, and friend of Friedrich Nietzsche.-Biography:...
and Nietzsche to Sorrento
Sorrento
Sorrento is the name of many cities and towns:*Sorrento, Italy*Sorrento, Florida, United States*Sorrento, Louisiana, United States*Sorrento, Maine, United States*Sorrento, Victoria, a township on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia...
, a town which overlooks the bay of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, in the autumn of 1876. There, Rée wrote The Origins of Moral Sensations, and Nietzsche began Human, All Too Human
Human, All Too Human
Human, All Too Human , subtitled A Book for Free Spirits , is a book by 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, originally published in 1878...
.
Malwida von Meysenburg died in Rome in 1903 and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery
Protestant Cemetery, Rome
The Protestant Cemetery , now officially called the Cimitero acattolico and often referred to as the Cimitero degli Inglesi is a cemetery in Rome, located near Porta San Paolo alongside the Pyramid of Cestius, a small-scale Egyptian-style pyramid built in 30 BC as a tomb and later incorporated...
in the city.
See also
- Forty-EightersForty-EightersThe Forty-Eighters were Europeans who participated in or supported the revolutions of 1848 that swept Europe. In Germany, the Forty-Eighters favored unification of the German people, a more democratic government, and guarantees of human rights...
She was sympathetic with the 1848 revolutions although not an active participant.
External links
- http://sophie.byu.edu/sophiejournal/thesis/Monte_Gardiner_thesis.pdf - translation of Memoirs of an Idealist trans. Monte Gardiner