Helene von Druskowitz (2 May 1856 – 31 May 1918), born Helena Maria Druschkovich, was an

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n philosopher, writer and music critic. She was the second woman to obtain a Doctorate in Philosophy, which she obtained in

Zürich Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...

. She usually published under a male alias because of predominant

sexism Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primari ...

Biography

Druskowitz was born at

Hietzing Hietzing () is the 13th municipal District of Vienna (german: 13. Bezirk, Hietzing). It is located west of the central districts, west of Meidling. Hietzing is a heavily populated urban area with many residential buildings, but also contains lar ...

, in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. In 1874 she moved to Zürich and completed her ''

abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...

'' in 1878. After studying

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

archeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

German literature German literature () comprises those literature, literary texts written in the German language. This includes literature written in Germany, Austria, the German parts of Switzerland and Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, South Tyrol in Italy a ...

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 ...

and modern languages, she became the first Austrian woman and the second after

Stefania Wolicka Stefania Wolicka (1851–1937) was a Polish people, Polish historian and the first woman awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy at the University of Zurich (in 1875). Biography Wolicka, born in Warsaw (which from 1867 was within Russian partition, the ...

to obtain a doctorate in philosophy, with a dissertation on

Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...

's ''

Don Juan Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni (Italian), is a legendary, fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. Famous versions of the story include a 17th-century play, '' El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra'' ...

''. She then worked as a literary history teacher in different universities (Vienna, Zurich, Munich, Basel). She also traveled to North Africa, France, Italy and Spain before returning to Vienna. In 1881 she met

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach Countess Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach ( cs, Marie von Ebner-Eschenbachová, german: link=no, Marie Freifrau von Ebner-Eschenbach; 13 September 183012 March 1916) was an Austrian writer. Noted for her psychological novels, she is regarded as one of t ...

who introduced her to her literary circle. Three years later, she became acquainted with Lou Andreas Salomé and

Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, prose poet, cultural critic, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philosophy. He began his ...

, whom she was introduced to by the circle of

Malwida von Meysenbug Malwida von Meysenbug (28 October 1816 — 23 April 1903) was a German writer, her work including ''Memories of an Idealist'', the first volume of which she published anonymously in 1869. As well, she was a friend of Friedrich Nietzsche and Richa ...

. Helene Druskowitz was one of the happy few who received a copy of the fourth book of ''

Thus Spoke Zarathustra ''Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None'' (german: Also sprach Zarathustra: Ein Buch für Alle und Keinen), also translated as ''Thus Spake Zarathustra'', is a work of philosophical fiction written by German philosopher Friedrich Niet ...

'', published at the author's expense. However, the relationship with Nietzsche did not last long. In 1885 she published a book on ''Three English Writers'',

Joanna Baillie Joanna Baillie (11 September 1762 – 23 February 1851) was a Scottish poet and dramatist, known for such works as ''Plays on the Passions'' (three volumes, 1798–1812) and ''Fugitive Verses'' (1840). Her work shows an interest in moral philoso ...

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Elizabeth Barrett Browning (née Moulton-Barrett; 6 March 1806 – 29 June 1861) was an English poet of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States during her lifetime. Born in County Durham, the eldest of 12 children, Elizabet ...

and

George Eliot Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wro ...

. Helene Druskowitz's brother died in 1886, and her mother in 1888. In 1887, she began a live-in relationship in Dresden with the opera singer

Therese Malten Therese Malten was the stage name of Therese Müller (21 June 1855 – 2 January 1930), a well-known German dramatic soprano. She was born at Insterburg, East Prussia, studied with in Berlin, and made her début in 1873 in Dresden as Pamin ...

.Who's ''Who in Gay and Lesbian History'' edited by Robert Aldrich and Garry Wotherspoon; Routledge, London (2202) She started to drink excessively and also had some drug problems. After a romantic separation in 1891, she finally slipped into alcoholism, and was sent in 1891 to a

psychiatric hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

. However, Helene continued to write and publish until 1905. She helped found the feminist reviews '' Der heilige Kampf'' (''The Holy Struggle'') and '' Der Federuf'' (''The Call to Feud''). Druskowitz criticized both religion, sexism and, after her break with Nietzsche, his philosophy. She died at the end of May 1918 in Mauer-Öhling, of

dysentery Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...

, having spent the last 27 years of her life in a psychiatric institution.

Works

* ''Sultan und Prinz'' (1882) * ''Der Präsident vom Zitherclub'' (1883–84) * ''Percy Bysshe Shelley'' (1884) * ''Drei englische Dichterinnen'' (''Three English Writers'', 1885) * ''Moderne Versuche eines Religionsersatzes'' (1886) * ''Wie ist Verantwortung und Zurechnung ohne Annahme der Willensfreiheit möglich? ''(1887) * ''Zur neuen Lehre. Betrachtungen'' (1888) * ''Zur Begründung einer neuen Weltanschauung (Zur neuen Lehre)'' (1889) * ''Eugen Dühring. Eine Studie zu seiner Würdigung'' (1889) * ''Aspasia'' (1889) * ''Die Pädagogin'' (1890) * ''Philosophischer Rundfragebogen'' (1903) * ''Pessimistische Kardinalsätze'' (1988, with the title ''Der Mann als logische und sittliche Unmöglichkeit und als Fluch der Welt'')

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Druskowitz, Helene Von 1856 births 1918 deaths 19th-century Austrian people Austrian feminists Austrian women writers Deaths from dysentery Austrian LGBT writers Austrian women philosophers 20th-century Austrian philosophers 20th-century women writers 20th-century Austrian writers Austrian untitled nobility Austrian people of Slavic descent People from Hietzing LGBT academics 19th-century Austrian philosophers

Biography

Works

See also

References