Johanna Elisabeth von Staegemann (née Fischer; 11 April 1761, in

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...

– 11 July 1835, in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

), was 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 ...

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

salonist A salon is a gathering of people held by an inspiring host. During the gathering they amuse one another and increase their knowledge through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "e ...

and

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Great B ...

. She held one of the most famous salons of contemporary Germany in

and

Life

The daughter of the

Prussian Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...

businessman, Kommerzienrat Johann Jakob Fischer (died 1786) and Regina nee Hartung (1734–1805) grew up in Königsberg, Prussia. In her liberal society, open to the arts and science, she gained a reputation as a young woman. She was known to

Johann Friedrich Reichardt Johann Friedrich Reichardt (25 November 1752 – 27 June 1814) was a German composer, writer and music critic. Early life Reichardt was born in Königsberg, East Prussia, to lutenist and ''Stadtmusiker'' Johann Reichardt (1720–1780). Johann Fr ...

Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and ...

and Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel, among others. The writer and diplomat

Friedrich Gentz Friedrich may refer to: Names *Friedrich (surname), people with the surname ''Friedrich'' *Friedrich (given name), people with the given name ''Friedrich'' Other *Friedrich (board game), a board game about Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' ...

and the poet Friedrich August Staegemann were among her admirers. In 1780 she married Justizrat Graun, son of the composer

Carl Heinrich Graun Carl Heinrich Graun (7 May 1704 – 8 August 1759) was a German composer and tenor. Along with Johann Adolph Hasse, he is considered to be the most important German composer of Italian opera of his time. Biography Graun was born in Wahrenbrüc ...

. When her husband was called to

in 1787, Elisabeth stayed with her two children and her mother alone in Königsberg for eight years. Towards the end of the 1780s, she established a salon-like social gathering and followed her husband to Berlin in 1795, but filed for divorce at the end of the year. A year later she married her aforementioned admirer Friedrich August Staegemann in Königsberg. In 1806 she returmed to Berlin again. Due to the Prussian defeat in the

battle of Jena and Auerstedt A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

, the Staegemanns went back to

East Prussia East Prussia ; german: Ostpreißen, label=Low Prussian; pl, Prusy Wschodnie; lt, Rytų Prūsija was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 187 ...

with the royal family. Here, she continued the operation of a salon. Their children became playmates for the princes and princesses. Friendly ties were also established with Prince Janusz Radziwiłł and his wife Luise von Prussia. After a three-year stay in Königsberg, the family returned to Berlin circa 1810. She intensified the operation of her salon there. As wife of the state councilor, Staegemann soon played a leading role in Berlin's cultural life, especially since her friend

Rahel Varnhagen Rahel Antonie Friederike Varnhagen () (née Levin, later Robert; 19 May 1771 – 7 March 1833) was a German writer who hosted one of the most prominent salons in Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She is the subject of a celeb ...

's salon was dissolved in 1806, leaving a social vacuum. In the late 1820s, Staegemann stopped participating in the salon due to illness. Her (now married) daughter Hedwig von Olfers took her place as hostess. Since her time as Salonnière, she wrote and painted sporadically, including some self-portraits; but she saw herself as an amateur all her life. She died in Berlin in 1835. Her husband dedicated the ''Memories of Elisabeth'' to her, a collection of sonnets that he had written for her since the beginning of their relationship. Her grave is located in

Kreuzberg Kreuzberg () is a district of Berlin, Germany. It is part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte. During the Cold War era, it was one of the poorest areas of West Berlin, but since German reunification in 1990 it ha ...

. She rests there next to her second husband and their granddaughter

Marie von Olfers Marie von Olfers (27 October 1826, Berlin – 8 January 1924, Berlin) was a German writer, illustrator and salonnière. She wrote under the pseudonym ''M(aria) Werner, Werner Maria''. She was also a major artistic influence on her niece Sibylle ...

Family

Elisabeth Fischer married Ferdinand Graun on July 26, 1780, divorcing in 1795. They had two children, Ferdinand Graun and Antonie Theodora Graun. In September 1796, she married

Friedrich August von Staegemann Friedrich August von Staegemann (7 November 1763 in Vierraden (Uckermark) - 17 December 1840 in Berlin) was a Prussian politician and diplomat A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or ...

(1763-1840), who, in 1816 by King Friedrich Wilhelm III, was made a member of the Prussian nobility. Their children were August von Staegemann (1797–1866) and Hedwig von Staegemann (1799–1891). Elisabeth von Staegemann founded a Salonnière dynasty through her daughter from Hedwig, which her granddaughter Marie von Olfers (1826–1924) continued. Her great-granddaughter was Sibylle von Olfers.

Salon

The Salon of Elisabeth Staegemann, they since about 1810 free every day (sometimes Wednesdays) only in the Hunter Street, then called together (since 1818) in the Charlotte Street 68, on Dönhoffplatz (from 1825) and finally in the Charlotte Street 31 (since 1831), Historically, the salon stands between the

enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

and

romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

periods. As with many other contemporary salons, the relative freedom from class barriers in the selection of guests and their mutual interaction is sociologically significant. Staegemann's own artistic talents also gave the salon special access to poetry and music. Writers like

Clemens Brentano Clemens Wenzeslaus Brentano (also Klemens; pseudonym: Clemens Maria Brentano ; ; 9 September 1778 – 28 July 1842) was a German poet and novelist, and a major figure of German Romanticism. He was the uncle, via his brother Christian, of Franz a ...

and

Achim von Arnim Carl Joachim Friedrich Ludwig von Arnim (26 January 1781 – 21 January 1831), better known as Achim von Arnim, was a German poet, novelist, and together with Clemens Brentano and Joseph von Eichendorff, a leading figure of German Romanticism. ...

presented their works here. Numerous statesmen and military men of the Prussian reform period also attended.

Notable habitués

Works

* ''Memories for Noble Women (Erinnerungen für edle Frauen).'' 2 volumes, Leipzig 1858.

References

* Margarete von Olfers: ''Elisabeth von Staegemann. Lebensbild einer deutschen Frau 1761–1835.'' Köhler & Amelang, Leipzig 1937. {{DEFAULTSORT:Staegemann, Elisabeth Von 1761 births 1835 deaths 18th-century Prussian people German salon-holders