Gertrud von Puttkamer

Baroness Gertrud von Puttkamer (Gertrud Freifrau von Puttkamer in German; born Gertrud Günther, 4 April 1881 – 27 or 30 September 1944), also known by her nom de plume Marie-Madeleine, was a German writer of lesbian-themed erotic literature and homoerotic poetry. Her first book, Auf Kypros, sold over one million copies during her lifetime.

Gertrud von Puttkamer
Born	Gertrud Günther (1881-04-04)4 April 1881[1] Eydtkuhnen, East Prussia Kingdom of Prussia German Empire
Died	30 September 1944(1944-09-30) (aged 63)[1] Katzenelnbogen, Rhine Province German Reich
Noble family	Puttkamer (by marriage)
Spouse(s)	Baron Heinrich Georg Ludwig von Puttkamer (1900–1914; his death)
Issue Baron Jesco Gunther Heinrich von Puttkamer
Father	Karl Günther
Mother	Emmy Siemssen
Occupation	writer, poet

Life

Gertrud Günther was born on 4 April 1881 in Eydtkuhnen, East Prussia in the Kingdom of Prussia to Jewish parents.[2] Her father was Karl Günther, a merchant, and her mother was Emmy Siemssen, a housewife. She grew up within Eydtkuhnen's middle class Jewish community. In 1900, at the age of nineteen, she married Baron Heinrich Georg Ludwig von Puttkamer, a member of the Pomeranian nobility who was 35 years her senior.[3] Upon her marriage, Baroness von Puttkamer moved into a villa with her husband in Grunewald, Germany and frequently traveled to Vienna, Paris, Nice, and Monte Carlo where she socialized with Hollywood actors, European royalty and nobility, artists, and writers and began using morphine recreationally.[4] Her husband's death in 1914 led to her morphine addiction.[5][6] Her son, Baron Jesco Gunther Heinrich von Puttkamer, joined the Nazi Party and was later captured by the Allies during World War II.[7] Her grand-son is Canadian filmmaker Peter von Puttkamer.

Writing

In 1900, von Puttkamer published her first book of poetry under the pen-name Marie-Madeleine,[8] titled Auf Kypros,[9] which was a collection of lesbian-themed erotic verses. Auf Kypros became a best-seller throughout the German Empire, particularly in high society circles. Auf Kypros went on to sell over one million copies and was printed in 52 different editions.[10] At the time, her work was seen as contrary to societal standards on morality and was even considered pornographic.[4] Throughout the next fourteen years, von Puttkamer published 28 more books, including poetry, short stories, plays and novels.[1][7] By 1910, her writings were not only centered on lesbian erotic love but also on the use of morphine.[4] By the end of her life, von Puttkamer had written over 46 works.[11]

List of works

A list of some of von Puttkamer's known works include:[12][13][14]

• Auf Kypros (1900)
• Das Bisschen Liebe (1900)
• Die drei Nächte (1901)
• An der Liebe Narrenseil (1902)
• Die Indische Felsentaube (1902)
• Aus faulem Holze (1902)
• Im Spielerparadies: Momentphotographien aus Monte Carlo (1903)
• Frivol: Aus dem Leben eines Pferdes (1903)
• Krabben (1903)
• Arme Ritter! (1904)
• In Seligkeit und Sünden (1905)
• Das Bißchen Liebe (1906)
• Der Rote Champion (1906)
• Die Kleider der Herzogin (1906)
• Die letzte Hürde (1907)
• Die Kusine (1908)
• Die Wegweiserin (1908)
• Prinz Christian (1909)
• Die Stelle, wo sie sterblich sind ... (1909)
• Brennende Liebe (1910)
• Katzen (1910)
• Die heiligsten Güter (1911)
• Die rote Rose Leidenschaft (1912)
• Pantherkätzchen (1913)
• Der süße Rausch (1916)
• Taumel (1920)
• Ausgewählte Werke (1924)
• Die Töchter des Prometheus (1926)
• Ihr schlechter Ruf (1928)

Later life and death

During the Third Reich, von Puttkamer's identity was discovered by the Nazis. In 1932, her writings were condemned as degenerate and ordered to be burned.[11][10] In 1943, she was committed to a sanatorium in Katzenelnbogen under the pretense of treating her morphine addiction.[11] She died on 27 or 30 September 1944 while under the care of Nazi doctors.[4]

Legacy

In 2016, Baroness von Puttkamer's rediscovered works were translated into English and compiled into the book Priestess of Morphine: The Lost Writings of Marie-Madeleine in the Time of Nazis by Ronald K. Siegel.[4][15]

Citations

1. "Author - Freifrau, Gertrud von PUTTKAMER, nee GU"NTHER". www.authorandbookinfo.com.
2. Benjamin, Breggin (31 October 2018). The aesthetics of race in turn-of-the-century Germany : Marie Madeleine in her literary and cultural context (Ph.D).
3. Ferranti, Seth (20 May 2018). "THE MORPHINE QUEEN WHO DEFIED THE NAZIS". OZY. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
4. Ferranti, Seth. "The Morphine Queen Who Defied the Nazis".
5. Billheimer, Martin (4 March 2016). "Our Lady of Morphine". CounterPunch. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
6. "Priestess of Morphine: The Lost Writings of Marie-Madeleine... Edited by Ronald K. Siegel". Heathen Harvest. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
7. "Priestess of Morphine: The Lost Writings of Marie-Madeleine... Edited by Ronald K. Siegel - Heathen Harvest". 3 March 2016.
8. Killy & Vierhaus 2011, p. 101.
9. Vierhaus, Rudolf (3 May 2011). Poethen - Schlüter. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110940251 – via Google Books.
10. "Our Lady of Morphine".
11. "Priestess Of Morphine".
12. "Authors by Year of Death - 1944". www.authorandbookinfo.com.
13. "Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek". portal.dnb.de.
14. "Marie Madeleine Frfr. v. Puttkamer geb. Günther". www.von-puttkamer.de.
15. Madeleine, Marie (5 April 2016). Siegel, Ronald K. (ed.). Priestess of Morphine: The Lost Writings of Marie-Madeleine in the Time of Nazis. Process. ISBN 978-1934170601.

References

• Killy, Walther; Vierhaus, Rudolph, eds. (2011). Plett — Schmidseder. Dictionary of German Biography. 8 (reprint ed.). Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783110966305.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)