Fanny Lewald

Fanny Lewald (24 March 1811 – 5 August 1889) was a German novelist and essayist and a women's rights activist.

Life and career

Fanny Lewald was born at Königsberg in East Prussia in 1811 to a bourgeois, Jewish family. Her father, David Markus (later Lewald) was a wine merchant. Lewald's father was unusual in the attention he gave his children, he stood in contrast to his peers in Georgian and Victorian society—who delegated childcare to nannies and their education to "public" schools, tutors, and governesses. Markus gave Lewald the best education available to girls in East Prussia and supervised further education at home. Her formal schooling began at the Ulrich School, unfortunately the school closed then Lewald was fifteen. Without any secondary education available to her, Lewald was forced to stay home and perform household chores. During this time her father set up a rigid schedule that included education in the home for her.

At a family outing she met a young theological student name Leopold Bock. They intended to marry, however, her betrothed died before the wedding took place. Lewald was permitted to convert to Christianity after Leopold's death, however due to her pragmatic nature and her father's rationalistic philosophy she was unable to accept any religion wholeheartedly—especially one that relied on more faith than reason. Her religious beliefs were likely a form of deism.

In 1832, Markus took Lewald with him on an extended business trip through Germany. They stayed in Berlin and Baden-Baden for several weeks. During this time Lewald met important political figures through her uncle, Friedrich Jacob Lewald. Her time with her uncle was her first real exposure to the outside political world of Prussia.