Dorothea Schlözer: The first German doctor and her tragedy

Dorothea Schlözer: The first German doctor and her tragedy

Göttingen, Deutschland - Today we take a look at the remarkable life of Dorothea Schlözer, a pioneer for women's rights and academic challenges in the age of education. Born on August 10, 1770 in Göttingen, the daughter of Professor August Ludwig von Schlözer was characterized by exceptional intellectual skills. At the age of four she learned to write and dealt with geometry a year later. At only 16 she dominated ten languages, which made her a real scholar of her time. On September 17, 1787, she received his doctorate in Germany as a second woman in Germany Phil., Without dissertation and defense, a fact that illustrates the challenges for women in academic circles, such as WDR Zeichen Did you know that Dorothea caused a stir not only with her academic training, but also with her role in the society? She was one of the first women who insisted on a double name after the marriage when she married the Reich Freiherr Mattheus Rodde in 1792. Together they had three children: Augusta, Dorothea and August Ludwig. In Lübeck she led a respected salon that became a meeting point for intellectual circles and strengthened her influence as a salonnière.

pioneering work and their last years

While Schlözer continuously fought to consolidate their place in a world dominated by men, the woman's role model remained severely restricted in the 18th and 19th centuries. Until the official approval of women on university studies in the early 20th century, they often stood in the shadow of their male colleagues. Despite this adversity, she conveyed new perspectives through her work and her salon. She made several trips to Paris and focused on networking with French scholars, even with Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Joséphine, which increased her influence.

Unfortunately, Dorothea Schlözer's last years were shaped 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, she died of pneumonia in Avignon, France at the age of 54.

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 Göttingen also honors its legacy: since 2009 it has been supporting scientists as part of the Dorothea Schlözer program and has been giving the Dorothea Schlözer medal since 1958. These awards and programs are an impressive sign of the progress in the gender equality that Dorothea Schlözer has promoted as strongly as in Wikipedia

The writings about women in emancipation, such as 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 recognizes these successes of the women's movement in the German Empire, and the lost achievements in the turmoil of the First World War are an essential part of this story, such as Deutschlandfunk illuminated.

Dorothea Schlözer remains a shining example of the struggle and the successes that are attributed to the women's movement in the 19th century. Your use for education and equality still has an impact and inspires many who stand up for their rights.