Benedikte Naubert

Benedikte Naubert (born Christiana Benedicta Hebenstreit; 13 September 1756 – 12 January 1819) was a German writer who anonymously published more than 50 historical novels and is considered a pioneer of the genre in the 1780s. Naubert wrote under the pseudonyms Verfasser des Walther von Montbarry, Verfasser der Alme, Verfasserin des Walther von Montbarry, and Fontanges. Today she is largely unknown, even in Germany.

Biography

She was born in Leipzig, the daughter of professor of medicine, Johann Ernst Hebenstreit, who died in December 1757. From her step-brother, a professor of theology, Naubert received a thorough education in philosophy, history, Latin, and Greek. She also learned to play the piano and harp and taught herself Italian, English, and French. She began writing and published her first book in her mid-twenties, ''Heerfort und Klärchen'', published anonymously. From there she wrote a novel per year and often more. Several men were suspected to have written Naubert's works, among them Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Müller In 1797, at age 41, she married Lorenz Holderieder, a merchant and estate owner in Naumberg, who died in 1800. Naubert then married Johann Georg Naubert. As she aged Naubert's eyes and ears became weak, causing Naubert to write her last publications through dictation. Against her will, in 1817 her identity was revealed in an article in the ''Zeitung für die elegante Welt''. Her next book, ''Rosalba'' (1817), bore her true name for the first time. She died in 1819 in Leipzig, where she had traveled for an eye operation.

Literary-historical significance

Naubert chose anonymity while publishing her works. Using only pseudonyms, Naubert received high praise for her publications. The ''Allgemeiner Litterarischer Anzeiger'' wrote on Naubert's anonymity, saying "the writings of this anonym... belong without a doubt to the better products of our literature". The public believed she was male because of her in-depth knowledge of philosophy, history, and classical languages. Körner wrote to Schiller about the anonymous writer saying, "all these works appear to be from a man, and not a mediocre one." However, after K. J. Schütz revealed her true identity, the reviews changed. Her works without the veil of anonymity found criticism with many reviewers who claimed she wrote in imitation "of men she was like or presumably emulated." A monograph by Hilary Brown on Naubert's study of and influence on English literature was published in 2005.

Published works

Benedikte Naubert's published works as cited by ''An Encyclopedia of Continental Women Writers''.
*''Heerfort und Klärchen; etwas für empfindsame Seelen'' eerfort and Clara, Something for Sentimental Souls 2 vols., 1779.
*''Geschichte Emmas, Tochter Karls des Groen, und seines Geheimschreibers Eginhard'' he Story of Emma, Daughter of Charlemagne, and His Scribe Eginhard 2 vols., 1785.
*''Die Ruinen'' he Ruins 3 vols., 1786.
*''Amalgunde, Königin von Italien; oder Das Märchen von der Wunderquelle. Eine Sage aus den Zeiten Theodorichs des Groen'' malgunde, Queen of Italy; or the Fairytale of the Miraculous Well. A Tale from the Time of Theoderich the Great vols., 1786.
*''Walther von Montbarry, Gromeister der Tempelordens'' alter de Monbary, Grand Master of the Knights Templars 2 vols., 1768; English tr. 1803.
*''Die Amtmännin von Hohenweiler: eine wirkliche Geschichte aus Familienpapieren gezogen'' he Magistrate's Wife at Hohenweiler, a True Story Drawn from Family Papers 1787.
''Geschichte der Gräfin Thekla von Thurn''
''oder Scenen aus dem drayssigjährigen Kriege'' he Story of Countess Thekla von Thurn, or Scenes from the Thirty Years' War 1788.
*''Hermann von Unna; eine Geschichte aus den Zeiten der Vehmgerichte'' ermann of Unna, a Series of Adventures of the Fifteenth Century, in Which the Proceedings of the Secret Tribunal...are delineated... 1788; English tr. 1794.
*''Konradin von Schwaben oder Geschichte des unglücklichen Enkels Kaiser Friedrichs des Zweiten'' onradin of Swabia, or the Story of the Unhappy Grandson of Emperor Friedrich II 1788.
*''Elfriede, oder Opfer väterlicher Vorurtheile'' lfriede, or the Victim of a Father's Prejudices 1788.
*''Pauline Frankini oder Täuschung der Leidenschaft und Freuden der Liebe'' auline Frankini or Delusion of Passion and Joys of Love 1788.
''Elisabeth, Erbin von Toggenburg: oder Geschichte der Frauen von Sargans in der Schweiz''
lisabeth, Heiress of Toggenburg, or the Story of the Women of Sargans in Switzerland 1789.
*''Emmy Reinolds; oder Thorheiten der Groen und Kleinen'' mmy Reinolds, or Follies of Great and Small 1789.
*''Hatto, Bischof von Mainz: eine Legende des zehnten Jahrhunderts'' atto, Bishop of Mainz, a Legend of the Tenth Century 1798.
*''Neue Volksmärchen der Deutschen'' ew Fairy Tales of the Germans 1789-1792.
*''Alfons von Dülmen; oder Geschichte Kaiser Philipps und seiner Tochter. Aus den ersten Zeiten der heimlichen Gerichte'' lf von Duelmen, or the History of the Emperor Philip, and His Daughters 1790; English tr. 1794.
*''Barbara Blomberg, Vorgebliche Maitresse Kaiser Karls des fünften. Eine Originalgeschichte in zwei Theilen'' arbara Blomberg, Alleged Mistress of Emperor Charles IV, an Original Story in Two Parts 1790.
*''Brunilde, Eine Anekdote aus dem bürgerlichen Leben des dreizehnten Jahrhunderts'' runilde, an Anecdote from Bourgeois Life of the 13th Century 1790.
*''Geschichte des Lord Fitzherbert und seiner Freunde, oder die verkannte Liebe'' tory of Lord Fitzherbert and His Friends, or Misunderstood Love 1790.
*''Merkwürdige Begebenheiten der gräflichen Familie von Wallis'' emarkable Events of the Family of the Count of Wallis 1790.
*''Graf Adolf IV. aus Schauenburgischem Stamme'' ount Adolf IV of the Clan of Schauenburg 1791.
*''Geschichte Heinrich Courtlands; oder, Selbstgeschafne Leiden'' istory of Heinrich Courtland, or Selfmade Sorrows 1791.
*''Edwy und Elgiva, oder die Wunder des heiligen Dunstan, eine altenglische geschichte'' dwy and Elgiva, or the Miracle of Saint Dunstan, and Old English Story 1791.
*''Gebhard Truchse von Waldburg, Churfürst von Cöln, oder die astrologischen Fürsten'' ebhard Lord High Steward of Waldburg, Elector of Cologne, or the Astrological Princes 1791.
*''Graf von Rosenberg, oder das enthüllte Verbrechen. Eine Geschichte aus der letzten Zeit des dreyssigjährigen Kriegs'' ount von Rosenberg, or the Discovered Crime, a Story from the Time of the Thirty Years' War 1791.
*''Lord Heinrich Holland, Herzog von Exeter; oder Irre geleitete Gromuth eine Begebenheit aus dem Mittelalter von England'' ord Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter, or Magnanimity Mislead, an Event from the English Middle Ages 1791.
*''Marie Fürst, oder das Alpenmädchen'' arie Fürst, or the Alps Girl 1791.
*''Philippe von Geldern; oder Geschichte Selims, des Sohns Amurat'' hillipe von Geldern, or the Story of Selim, Son of Amurat 1792.
*''Konrad und Siegfried von Fehtwangen, Gromeister des deutschen Ordens'' onrad and Siegfriend von Fehtwangen, Grand Masters of the German Knights 1792.
*''Miss Luise Fox, oder Reise einer jungen Englanderin durch einige Gegenden von Deutschland'' iss Luise Fox, or Travels of a Young Englishwomen Through Some parts of Germany 1792.
*''Ulrich Holzer, Bürgermeister in Wien'' lrich Holzer, Mayor of Vienna 1792.
*''Lucinde; oder, Herrn Simon Godwins medicinische Leiden. Nach dem Englischen'' ucinde, or Mr. Simon Godwin's Medical Sufferings. From the English 1793.
*''Heinrich von Plauen und seine Neffen, Ritter des deutschen Ordens. Der wahren Geschichte getreu bearbeitet'' einrich von Plauen and His Nephews, Knights of the German Order, Faithfully Told According to the True Story 1793.
*''Alma; oder Ägyptische Mährchen'' lma, or Egyptian Fairytales 1793-1797.
*''Walther von Stadion; oder Geschichte Herzog Leopolds von Öesterreich und seiner Kriegsgefährten'' alter von Stadion, or the Story of Duke Leopold of Austria and His War Comrades 1794.
*''Sitten und Launen der Groen, Ein Cabinet von Familienbildern'' anners and Moods of the Great, a Cabinet of Family Scenes 1794.
*''Der Bund des armen Konrads, Getreue Schilderung einiger merkwürdiger Auftritte aus den Zeiten der Bauernkriege des 16. Jahrhunderts'' oor Conrad's Alliance, True description of Some Remarkable Scenes from the Time of the 16th-century Peasant Wars 1795.
*''Friedrich der Siegreiche, Churfürst von der Pfalz; der Marc Aurel des Mittelalters. Frey nach der Geschichte bearbeitet'' riedrich the Victorious, Elector from the Pfalz, the Marcus Aurelius of the Middle Ages, Freely Told According to History 1795.
*''Vellada; ein Zuberroman'' ellada, a Novel of Magic 1795.
*''Joseph Mendez Pinto. Eine jüdische Geschichte'' oseph Mendez Pinto, a Jewish Story 1802.
*''Cornelie, oder die Geheimnisse des Grabes'' ornelie or the Secrets of the Grave 1803.
*''Eudoxia, Gemahlin Theodosius der Zweiten. Eine Geschichte des 5. Jahrhunderts'' udoxia, Wife of Theodosius the Second, a Story from the Fifth Century 1805.
*''Fontanges, oder das Schicksal der mutter und Tochter, eine Geschichte aus den Zeiten Ludwigs XIV'' ontanges, or the Fate of a mother and Daughter, a Story from the Times of Lous XIV 1805.
*''Die Gräfin von Frondsberg, aus dem Hause Löwenstein, eine vaterländische Geschichte aus den Zeiten des Mittelalters'' he Countess of Frondsberg, from the House of Löwenstein, a National Story from the Middle Ages 1806.
*''Heitere Träume in kleinen Erzählungen'' heerful Dreams in Little Stories 1806.
*''Lioba und Zilia'', 1806.
*''Wanderungen der Phantasie in die Gebiete des Wahren'' antasy's Wanderings in the Territories of the True 1806.
*''Attilas Schwert oder die Azimunterinnen'' ttila's Sword, or the Azimunter Women 1808.
*''Elisabeth Lezkau oder die Bürgermeisterin'' lisabeth Lezkau or the Mayor's Wife 1808.
*''Azaria. Eine Dichtung der Vorwelt'' zaria, a Story of the Past 1814.
*''Rosalba'', 1817.
*''Alexis und Luise. Eine Badegeschichte'' lexis and Luise, a Story at Bath 1810.
*''Der kurze Mantel, und Ottilie; zwei Volksmärchen'' he Short Cloak, and Ottilia, Two Fairytales 1819.
*''Turmalin und Lazerta'', 1820.

English translations

* Translations of :
** ''Heerfort and Clara'' (1789) by John Poulin
* Translations of :
** ''Alf von Deulmen'' (1794) by A. E. Booth
* Translations of :
** ''Herman of Unna'' (1794)
** ''The Secret Tribunal'' (1795) a play by James Boaden
** ''The Secret Tribunal; or, The Court of Winceslaus'' (1803)
* Translations of :
** ''Lindorf and Caroline, or The Danger of Credulity'' (1803) by Mary Julia Young
* Translations of :
** ''Walter de Monbary, Grand Master of the Knights Templars'' (1803)
* Translations of :
** ''Feudal Tyrants; or, The Counts of Carlsheim and Sargans'' (1806) by Matthew Gregory Lewis
* Translations from (1789–92):
** "The Hoard of the Nibelungen" (1823) in '' Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations''
** "The Erl-King's Daughter" (1823) in ''Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations''
** "The Mantle" (1826) by George Soane
** "The Cloak" (1990) by George Soane/Jeannine Blackwell
* Translations of :
** "Boadicea and Velleda" (2001) by Jeannine Blackwell

Notes

References

External links

A selection of works by Naubert
from the Sophie database

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naubert, Benedikte
1752 births
1819 deaths
Writers from Leipzig
German women novelists
Writers of historical fiction set in the Middle Ages
Women historical novelists
19th-century German women writers
19th-century German novelists
18th-century German women writers
18th-century German novelists
Harold B. Lee Library-related rare books articles