Claudia Schmölders, also Claudia Henn-Schmölders (born 25 October 1944 in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
) is a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
cultural scholar,
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
, and
translator
Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
.
Life
Schmölders completed a study of music, German studies, and philosophy at the Universities of Cologne, Zürich, Berlin and New York. She attained a Doctorate of Philosophy from the
Free University of Berlin
The Free University of Berlin (, often abbreviated as FU Berlin or simply FU) is a public research university in Berlin, Germany. It is consistently ranked among Germany's best universities, with particular strengths in political science and t ...
in 1973. From 1975 to 1999, she was a freelance
publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a company, a brand, or public figure – especially a celebrity – or for a work such as a book, film, or album. Publicists are public relations specialists who ...
,
literary editor A literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews.
, and
editor
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...
for different publishing firms in addition to teaching at the Universities of Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, and Berlin. She was named a
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
at the
Maison des Sciences de l'Homme
Maison des Sciences de l'Homme also known as MSH a is a research foundation based in Paris, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, ...
in Paris in 1991 and at the
Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin
The Institute for Advanced Study in Berlin (german: Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin) is an interdisciplinary institute founded in 1981 in Grunewald, Berlin, Germany, dedicated to research projects in the natural and social sciences. It is modeled ...
in 1991/92. She did her
habilitation
Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...
at
Humboldt University of Berlin
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...
with work on
physiognomy
Physiognomy (from the Greek , , meaning "nature", and , meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is the practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. The term can also refer to the general ...
and from 1998 until 2008 she served as a
private docent
''Privatdozent'' (for men) or ''Privatdozentin'' (for women), abbreviated PD, P.D. or Priv.-Doz., is an academic title conferred at some European universities, especially in German-speaking countries, to someone who holds certain formal qualific ...
at the Institute of Cultural Science of Humboldt University.
As a cultural scholar, Schmölders is concerned with the histories of physiognomy, book culture, politeness, and conversation in Europe. In addition, she has edited literary
anthologies
In book publishing
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed work ...
and translated literature and
children's books
A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...
Heinrich Mann Prize
The Heinrich Mann Prize () is an essay prize that has been awarded since 1953, first by the East German Academy of Arts, then by the Academy of Arts, Berlin. The prize, which comes with a €10,000 purse, is given annually on 27 March, Heinrich Ma ...
.
Family background
Her parents, Elisabeth Schmölders, (née Büchle) was a journalist, her father,
Günter Schmölders
Günter Schmölders (29 September 1903 in Berlin – 7 November 1991 in Munich) was a German economist at Breslau and Cologne universities.
Work
He was among the early pioneers of behavioral studies in economics. His first works dealt with th ...
, professor for economics in Breslau and after 1947 in Cologne. He was among the early pioneers of behavioral studies in economics, including works on the failure of prohibition and alcohol regulation laws. Her grand-grandfather Franz August Schmölders was professor for
orientalism
In art history, literature and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects in the Eastern world. These depictions are usually done by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. In particular, Orientalist p ...
in Breslau. Claudia Schmölders heads the Schmölders foundation in memory of her father together with Christian Opelt. The foundation has some connection with the
Verein für Socialpolitik
The Verein für Socialpolitik (), or the German Economic Association, is an important society of economists in the German-speaking area.
History
The Verein was founded in Eisenach in 1872 as a response to the "social question". Among its founder ...
, an important association for economics in Germany.
Works
*
*
*
* ,
Editorial work
*
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
: ''Die großen Seefahrer und Entdecker'' (The Great Seafarer and Discoverer), Zürich 1974
*''Über Balzac'' (About Balzac), Zürich 1977; 1993; 3rd Enlarged Edition Zürich 2007
*''Über Simenon'' (About Simenon), Zürich 1978
*''Die Kunst des Gesprächs. Texte zur Geschichte der europäischen Konversationstheorie'' (The Art of Conversation. Texts about the History of the European Conversation Theory), München 1979; 1986 (availabl online )
*''Vom Paradies und anderen Gärten'' (From Paradise and Other Gardens), Cologne 1983
*''Die wilde Frau'' (The Wild Woman), Cologne 1983; 6th Edition 2009
*''Die Märchen-Arche'' (The Fairytale Ark), Cologne 1984
*''Deutsche Briefe'' (German Letters), Frankfurt am Main 1987 et al.
*''Das Märchenbuch'' (The Fairytale Book), Frankfurt am Main 1987
*''Einladung zum Essen'' (Invitation to Dinner), Frankfurt am Main 1989 et al.
*''Japan, Insel-Almanach'' (Japan, Island Almanac), Frankfurt am Main 1989 (together with Irmela Hijiya-Kirschnereit)
*
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...
: ''Mit Goethe durch den Garten'' (With Goethe through the Garden), Frankfurt am Main 1989
*''Liebes-Erklärungen'' (Love's Explanations), Berlin 1993
*''Die Erfindung der Liebe. Berühmte Zeugnisse aus drei Jahrtausenden'' (The Invention of Love. Famous Texts from the 3rd Century BC until 20th Century), München 1996 et al.
*''Der exzentrische Blick. Gepräch über Physiognomik'' (The Eccentric Look. A Talk about Physiognomy at the Library of Wolfenbüttel), Berlin 1996
*''Deutsche Kinder. 17 Biographische Porträts'' (German Children. 17 Biographical Portraits), Berlin 1997
*''Gesichter der Weimarer Republik. Eine physiognomische Kulturgeschichte'' (Faces of the Weimar Republic. A Physiognomical Cultural History), Cologne 2000, together with Sander L. Gilman
Translations
*
Valmiki
Valmiki (; Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, ) is celebrated as the wikt:harbinger, harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. The epic ''Ramayana'', dated variously from the 5th century BCE to first century BCE, is attributed to him, based on ...
Jean de Brunhoff
Jean de Brunhoff (; 9 December 1899 – 16 October 1937) was a French writer and illustrator remembered best for creating the Babar the Elephant, Babar series of children's books concerning a fictional elephant, the first of which was published in ...
: ''Die Geschichte von
Babar
Babar ( ur, ), also variously spelled as Baber, Babur, and Babor is a male given name of Pashto, and Persian language, Persian origin, and a popular male given name in Pakistan. It is generally taken in reference to the Persian language, Persian ...
, dem kleinen Elefanten'' (The History of Babar the Little Elephant), Zürich 1976
* Ernest W. Hornung: ''Raffles, der Dieb in der Nacht'' (Raffles, the Thief in the Night), Zürich 1976
*
William Somerset Maugham
William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...
: ''Rosie und die Künstler'' (Rosie and the Artist), Zürich 1973 (translated together with Hans Kauders)
*
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter (, 28 July 186622 December 1943) was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'', which was he ...
: ''Die gesammelten Abenteuer von Peter Hase'' (The Collected Adventures of Peter Hase), Zürich 1986
* Ennis Rees: ''Katz und Fuchs und Hund und Hummer'' (Cat and Fox and Dog and Lobster), Zürich 1976
*
Maurice Sendak
Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. He became most widely known for his book ''Where the Wild Things Are'', first published in 1963.Turan, Kenneth (October 16, 200 ...
: ''Was tust du dann?'' (What do you do then?), Zürich 1973
*Maurice Sendak: ''
Where the Wild Things Are
''Where the Wild Things Are'' is a 1963 children's picture book written and illustrated by American writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak, originally published in hardcover by Harper & Row. The book has been adapted into other media several tim ...
'', Zürich 1967
*
Tomi Ungerer
Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer (; 28 November 1931 – 9 February 2019) was an Alsatians (people), Alsatian artist and writer. He published over 140 books ranging from children's books to adult works and from the fantastic to the autobiographical. H ...
The War of the Worlds
''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...
'' Zürich 1974 (translated together with G. A. Crüwell)
*H. G. Wells: ''
The Invisible Man
''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in ''Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devote ...
'' Zürich 1974 (translated together with Alfred Winternitz)
German National Library
The German National Library (DNB; german: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek) is the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany. It is one of the largest libraries in the world. Its task is to colle ...