Susanna Julie von Bondeli (born 24 December 1731;24 December 1731 birthdate, not 1 January 1732, which was baptism
fembio.org; accessed 21 June 2015. baptised 1 January 1732, Bern – died 8 August 1778, Neuchâtel), was a famous Swiss salonist and lady of letters. She hosted a salon which became the center of intellectual life in Bern.

Life

The daughter of Friedrich and Julie Bondeli, young Susanna (who later dropped her forename) received an atypically comprehensive education in languages, mathematics and philosophy for a girl given the social mores of the time in which she lived. One of her teachers may have been the radical Samuel Henzi, who was executed in 1749 as principal organizer of a conspiracy to overturn Bern's patrician government. She never married, but in 1752 began hosting a scientific salon in Bern which would become, a decade later, a centre of the city's cultural life. Luminaries with whom she enjoyed relationships included

Johann Georg Zimmermann Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann / Johann Georg Zimmermann (8 December 1728, in Brugg, Aargau7 October 1795, in Hanover) was a Swiss philosophical writer, naturalist, and physician. He was the private physician of George III and later Frederic ...

, Christoph Martin Wieland and

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...

. Bondeli and Christoph Martin Wieland was engaged for a time, but never wed. Bondeli was also a correspondent of

from 1762 forward, as well as with

Sophie von La Roche Marie Sophie von La Roche (née Gutermann von Gutershofen; 6 December 1730 – 18 February 1807) was a German novelist. She is considered the first financially independent female professional writer in Germany. Biography Sophie von La Roche was ...

, and

Johann Kaspar Lavater Johann Kaspar (or Caspar) Lavater (; 15 November 1741 – 2 January 1801) was a Swiss poet, writer, philosopher, physiognomist and theologian. Early life Lavater was born in Zürich, and was educated at the '' Gymnasium'' there, where J. J. Bo ...

References

Sources

* ''Julie Bondeli, 1732–1778, Briefe. 4 Bände'' (eds. Angelica Baum, Birgit Christensen), Chronos Verlag, 2012; / * Eduard Bodemann, ''Julie Von Bondeli Und Ihr Freundeskreis'', Ulan Press, 20 September 2012; ASIN: B009LI2QZO

External links

Profile
weltwoche.ch; accessed 21 June 2015.

perlentaucher.de; accessed 21 June 2015.
Burgerbibliothek Bern: Online Archives Catalogue
katalog.burgerbib.ch; accessed 21 June 2015. 1731 births 1778 deaths 18th-century Swiss people Swiss salon-holders People from Bern Place of birth missing Place of death missing 18th-century Swiss women {{Switzerland-bio-stub