Vulpius, Christiane

(GERMANY)
BORN 1 Jun 1765, Weimar, Thüringen: Luthergasse - DIED 6 Jun 1816, Weimar, Thüringen
BIRTH NAME Vulpius, Johanna Christiana Sophia
GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Jakobskirchhof

Christiane Vulpius came from a poor family, although her father had studied law for a while. She grew up at the Luthergasse in Weimar. She met Goethe on 12 Jul 1788 as she spoke to him to ask for help for her brother, who was a starting writer. Goethe supported her brother and soon he and Christiane started a love affair. After a year their first child was born, a boy named August. Four other children followed but they all died young.

She lived with Goethe in his house, buy the court and the society of Weimar disapproved of the liaison and he could not show her to the world. This lasted until 1806. She managed to stop plundering French soldiers at the door of their house until Goethe was placed under the official protection of the french commander. A few days later they married at the Jakobskirche. On Goethe's request Johanna Schopenhauer formally invited Christiane to tea in an attempt to introduce her to society.

Christiane loved the theatre. She visited plays in Weimar as well as in other places. By 1815 her health was failing and in 1816 she died after a period of illness. She was buried at the Jakobskirchhof in Weimar. For a long time the location of her grave was unknown, but after researching old documents the location was rediscovered in 1888 and a new stone was placed at her grave location.

Family
• Son: Goethe, Julius August Walter
• Husband: Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von (1806-1816, Weimar: Jakobskirche)

Related persons
• was supported by Schopenhauer, Johanna
• is brother/sister of Vulpius, Christian August

Events
12/7/1788Goethe meets Christiane Vulpius for the first time. She spoke to him at the Park an der Ilm in Weimar on behalf of her brother, the author Christian Vulpius. A long affair resulted and in 1806 they would finally marry. [Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von][Vulpius, Christian August]

Images

The grave of Christiane Vulpius at the Jakobskirchhof, Weimar.
Picture by Androom (04 Mar 2009)

 

The grave of Christiane Vulpius at the Jakobskirchhof in Weimar.
Picture by Androom (31 Jul 2016)

 

Sources
• Blumenfeld, Carl, Goethe, Taschen, 1986
Grosse Frauen der Weltgeschichte, Neuer Kaiser Verlag, Klagenfurt, 1987
• Gorys, Erhard, Thüringen, Artemis Reis- en Cultuurgids, Kok Lyra, Kampen, 1996
• Ranft, Gertrud, Historische Grabstätten aus Weimars Klassischer Zeit, Stadtmuseum Weimar, Weimar, 1979
Christiane von Goethe – Wikipedia


Waal, Anton de

Published: 01 Jan 2006
Last update: 14 Nov 2023