Else Lasker-Schüler
Else Lasker-Schüler was a notable German-Jewish poet, playwright, and a prominent figure in the Expressionist movement. Born on February 11, 1869, in Wuppertal, Germany, she came from a well-off family, which allowed her some privilege in a society that was increasingly hostile to Jews. Lasker-Schüler faced a series of personal and health challenges throughout her life, including prolonged illnesses that kept her from traditional schooling, leading her to develop a close bond with her mother. Her tumultuous personal life included two marriages and an affair that resulted in the birth of a child, all of which deeply influenced her artistic output.
Despite the rise of the Nazis and the subsequent need to flee Germany, she continued to draw inspiration from her experiences, addressing themes of anti-Semitism in her works. After relocating to Palestine, Lasker-Schüler struggled both financially and emotionally, ultimately leading to a decline in her health. She passed away on January 22, 1945, just before significant shifts would occur in the Jewish world, including the establishment of the State of Israel. Lasker-Schüler's legacy endures through her impactful and evocative writings, reflecting the complexities of her life and the broader cultural and political turmoil of her time.
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Subject Terms
Else Lasker-Schüler
Poet
- Born: February 11, 1869
- Birthplace: Wuppertal, Elberfeld, Germany
- Died: January 22, 1945
- Place of death: Jerusalem, Israel
Biography
Else Lasker-Schueler was born on February 11, 1869, in Wuppertal, Elberfeld, Germany, the daughter of Aron and Jeanette Schueller. Her family was Jewish and reasonably wealthy, as her father was a banker. In the Germany of the Kaiser that mattered little, for her family was assimilated, but once World War I swept away the old regime, things would change.
Even from an early age, her life was troubled by various illnesses, to the extent that she was not able to attend school. Instead she was taught at home, and as a result identified strongly with her mother. In 1894, she maried Johathan Berthold Lasker, a physician in Berlin, but throughout her marriage she had a liaison with another man, Peter Hille, with whom she had a child. By 1903, the affair was too much for their marriage, and after a divorce she married Georg Levin, a composer and writer. However, that marriage was on the rocks by 1910, and in 1912 they divorced, leaving her in significant financial difficulty. However, she wrote determinedly throughout this period, often drawing upon her personal troubles as raw materials for her art.
Even when the Nazis rose to power and Lasker-Schueler had to flee Germany, she saw it as a potential source of artistic works, particularly for her second play, a fable of anti-Semitism. She ultimately settled in Palestine, but she found no comfort in the Jewish homeland. Unable to afford to heat the tiny room she had taken in Jerusalem, she began a process of mental and spiritual decline that eventually destroyed her physical health as well. She died on January 22, 1945, never knowing that Nazis would soon fall and within a few years an independent State of Israel would rise in Palestine to provide a legal homeland as well as a spiritual one for Jewish people everywhere.