Dorothea Schlözer: The first German female doctor and her tragedy

Dorothea Schlözer: The first German female doctor and her tragedy

Today we take a look at the remarkable life of Dorothea Schlözer, a pioneer of women's rights and academic challenges in the Age of Enlightenment. Born on August 10, 1770 in Göttingen, the daughter of Professor August Ludwig von Schlözer was distinguished by exceptional intellectual abilities. She learned to write at the age of four and began studying geometry a year later. At just 16, she spoke ten languages, making her a true scholar of her time. On September 17, 1787, she became the second woman in Germany to receive a doctorate. phil., without dissertation and defense, a circumstance that illustrates the challenges for women in academic circles, such as WDR time signal reported.

Did you know that Dorothea caused a stir not only with her academic education, but also with her role in society? She was one of the first women to insist on a double name after marriage when she married the Imperial Baron Mattheus Rodde in 1792. They had three children together: Augusta, Dorothea and August Ludwig. In Lübeck she ran a prestigious salon that became a meeting place for intellectual circles and consolidated her influence as a salonnière.

Pioneering work and its final years

While Schlözer constantly fought to consolidate her place in a world dominated by men, the role model for women remained severely limited in the 18th and 19th centuries. Until women were officially admitted to university studies in the early 20th century, they were often overshadowed by their male colleagues. Despite these adversities, she provided new perspectives through her work and her salon. She made several trips to Paris and focused on networking with French scholars, even Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Joséphine, which further increased her influence.

Unfortunately, Dorothea Schlözer's last years were marked by personal misfortune. She experienced several deaths in the family, including that of her daughter Augusta and her son August Ludwig. On July 12, 1825, at the age of 54, she died of pneumonia in Avignon, France, and was buried there.

A legacy for future generations

In 1882, a women's trade school was founded in Lübeck, which was later named after Dorothea Schlözer. The Georg-August University of Göttingen also honors her legacy: Since 2009, it has supported female scientists as part of the Dorothea Schlözer program and has awarded the Dorothea Schlözer Medal since 1958. These awards and programs are an impressive sign of the progress in gender equality, which Dorothea Schlözer has promoted so strongly Wikipedia is mentioned.

The writings about women in emancipation address how Dorothea Schlözer and her contemporaries, including important figures such as Clara Zetkin, laid the foundation for the progress of the women's movement. A new book by Barbara Beuys about the pioneers of emancipation honors these successes of the women's movement in the German Empire, and the achievements lost in the turmoil of the First World War are an essential part of this story, like Deutschlandfunk illuminated.

Dorothea Schlözer remains a shining example of the struggle and successes attributed to the women's movement in the 19th century. Her commitment to education and equality continues to have an impact today and inspires many who stand up for their rights.