E. Marlitt
E. Marlitt, born Eugenie John on December 5, 1825, in Arnstadt, Thuringia, was a notable German author who initially pursued a career in music. Recognized for her musical talent, she received early training under the patronage of Princess Mathilde von Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Marlitt furthered her studies at the Vienna Conservatory and enjoyed a brief career as an opera singer before losing her hearing, which ended her performances. She transitioned to writing, motivated by the rich experiences of her life in the royal court and her travels, publishing her first novel, "Die Zwölf Apostel," in 1865, followed by the successful "Goldelse" in 1867. Her works often addressed social prejudices and gained significant popularity, contributing to a doubling of readership for the literary journal Gartenlaube, where many of her stories were featured. Despite never marrying, Marlitt found contentment in her later years at her villa, Marlittsheim, where she lived with her brother and his family until her passing. Marlitt's legacy remains influential in German literature.
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E. Marlitt
Writer
- Born: December 5, 1825
- Birthplace: Arnstadt, Thuringia, Germany
- Died: June 22, 1887
Biography
E. Marlitt was born Eugenie John on December 5, 1825, in Arnstadt, Thuringia, Germany. Her father was a prosperous merchant. At an early age, Marlitt displayed musical talent, which attracted the attention of Princess Mathilde von Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. The princess convinced Marlitt’s parents to send her to live in the royal residence where she would receive formal musical instruction. Marlitt spent her childhood in the court of the princess where her musical talents flourished.
From 1844 to 1846, Marlitt received additional musical training at the Vienna Conservatory. Afterwards, she performed as an opera singer in cities such as Leipzig and Vienna. However, Marlitt’s musical career was cut short when she developed partial deafness and was forced to abandon the stage.
For the next decade, Marlitt worked as a reader and travel companion to the Princess of Schwarzburg. Life in the royal court, as well as her many travels, provided Marlitt with an abundance of interesting stories. Eventually, she began to pen these stories and in 1865, she published her first novel, Die Zwolf Apostel. This work was followed by Goldelse (1867), which, due to its popularity, served to establish Marlitt’s literary career.
Several more well-received works followed, most of which were published in the literary journal Gartenlaube. Marlitt’s writing, which was commonly directed against social prejudices, was in such demand that the circulation of the Gartenlaube doubled within the next ten years.
In her later years, Marlitt continued to work as a freelance writer. Her success brought her sufficient monetary reward and she was able to purchase a large villa which she named Marlittsheim. Although Marlitt never married, she lived the remainder of her life happily at Marlittsheim with her brother Alfred and his family.