Else von Richthofen
Encyclopedia
Else Freiin von Richthofen (October 8, 1874 - December 22, 1973), a distant relative of the "Red Baron" Manfred von Richthofen
, is known as one of the first female social scientists in Germany, wife of the German economist Edgar Jaffé as well as lover of the economists and sociologists Max Weber
and Alfred Weber
. Her sister Frieda von Richthofen
was the wife of the British novelist D. H. Lawrence
.
While Else von Richthofen started her professional career as a teacher, she enrolled at Heidelberg
University at a time when this was still very unusual for women; she was one of just four female students at the time. She earned a doctorate in economics in 1901 and started to work as a labour inspector in Karlsruhe
.
She married another former student of Max Weber
, Edgar Jaffé (1865-1921), in 1902 who was a well-known economist and entrepreneur. It was Jaffé who bought the journal Archiv für Sozialwissenschaft und Sozialpolitik
of which Max Weber
became one of the editors. With Jaffé, she had two children, Marianne (born 1905) and Hans (born 1909).
Else became acquainted to intellectuals and authors, including the sociologists and economists Max Weber
and Alfred Weber
, the psychanalyst Otto Gross
, the writer Fanny zu Reventlow
and others. She started an affair with Otto Gross
with whom she had a third child, Peter (1907-ca. 1915). She also had an affair with her former professor Max Weber
and his brother Alfred Weber
with whom she later lived together in the same house for several years after her husband died.
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
, is known as one of the first female social scientists in Germany, wife of the German economist Edgar Jaffé as well as lover of the economists and sociologists Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
and Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber was a German economist, sociologist and theoretician of culture whose work was influential in the development of modern economic geography.-Life:...
. Her sister Frieda von Richthofen
Frieda von Richthofen
Frieda Freiin von Richthofen , a distant relative of the "Red Baron" Manfred von Richthofen, who is best known for her marriage to the British novelist D. H. Lawrence.-Life:...
was the wife of the British novelist D. H. Lawrence
D. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
.
Life and career
Elisabeth Helene Amalie Sophie Freiin (Baroness) von Richthofen (also known as Else Jaffé) was born in Château-Salins (France). Her father was Friedrich Ernst Emil Ludwig Freiherr von Richthofen (1844-1915), an engineer in the German army, and Anna Elise Lydia Marquier (1852-1930).While Else von Richthofen started her professional career as a teacher, she enrolled at Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
University at a time when this was still very unusual for women; she was one of just four female students at the time. She earned a doctorate in economics in 1901 and started to work as a labour inspector in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
.
She married another former student of Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
, Edgar Jaffé (1865-1921), in 1902 who was a well-known economist and entrepreneur. It was Jaffé who bought the journal Archiv für Sozialwissenschaft und Sozialpolitik
Archiv für Sozialwissenschaft und Sozialpolitik
The Archiv für Sozialwissenschaft und Sozialpolitik was an academic journal for the social sciences in Germany between 1888 and 1933. Its first editors were Edgar Jaffé, Werner Sombart, and Max Weber...
of which Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
became one of the editors. With Jaffé, she had two children, Marianne (born 1905) and Hans (born 1909).
Else became acquainted to intellectuals and authors, including the sociologists and economists Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
and Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber was a German economist, sociologist and theoretician of culture whose work was influential in the development of modern economic geography.-Life:...
, the psychanalyst Otto Gross
Otto Gross
Otto Gross was an Austrian psychoanalyst. A maverick early disciple of Sigmund Freud, he later became an anarchist and joined the utopian Ascona community.His father Hans Gross was a judge turned pioneering criminologist...
, the writer Fanny zu Reventlow
Fanny zu Reventlow
Franziska Reventlow was a German writer, artist and translator, who became famous as the "Bohemian Countess" of Schwabing in the years leading up to World War I.- Life :Fanny...
and others. She started an affair with Otto Gross
Otto Gross
Otto Gross was an Austrian psychoanalyst. A maverick early disciple of Sigmund Freud, he later became an anarchist and joined the utopian Ascona community.His father Hans Gross was a judge turned pioneering criminologist...
with whom she had a third child, Peter (1907-ca. 1915). She also had an affair with her former professor Max Weber
Max Weber
Karl Emil Maximilian "Max" Weber was a German sociologist and political economist who profoundly influenced social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology itself...
and his brother Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber
Alfred Weber was a German economist, sociologist and theoretician of culture whose work was influential in the development of modern economic geography.-Life:...
with whom she later lived together in the same house for several years after her husband died.
Further reading
- Janet Byrne: A Genius for Living - A Biography of Frieda Lawrence, Bloomsbury, 1995.
- Green, Martin Burgess: The Von Richthofen Sisters