Enghaus, Christine

ACTOR (GERMANY)
BORN 9 Feb 1817, Braunschweig, Niedersachsen - DIED 29 Jun 1910, Wien
BIRTH NAME Engehausen, Johanne Louise Christine
GRAVE LOCATION Wien: Evangelischer Friedhof Matzleinsdorf, 10. Triesterstraße 1 (Gruft 38)

Christine Enghaus came from a poor family. Her father died when she was six years old and she worked from an early age. When she was seven she was allowed to join the children's ballet at the Hoftheater in Braunschweig. Her talent was recognized and after she had several roles in plays she was discovered by K. Köchy, who supported her career.

In 1829 she was engaged at the Hoftheater and in 1833, aged only sixteen, she had her break with the part of Joan of Arc in Bremen. She was instantly engaged there. During a performance in Hamburg she was noticed by Friedrich Hebbel. By 1840 she was famous and brought to Vienna by the Burgtheater.

She married Hebbel in Vienna in 1846 and often appeared in the plays that were written by her husband. They had a son who died after three months (1846-1847) and a daughter, another Christine (1847-1922). They continued to live in Vienna, but she also performed in Weimar. Hebbel died in 1863. She continued acting until she retired in 1875. She survived her husband for 47 years and died in Vienna in 1910 at the age of 93.

Family
• Daughter: Kaizl-Hebbel, Christine
• Husband: Hebbel, Friedrich (1846-1863, Wien)

Events
27/8/1848Elise Lensing leaves Friedrich and Christine Hebbel in Vienna. She was the former lover of Friedrich Hebbel and his wife Christine had invited her to stay with them after the death of her son Max. She had lived with the Hebbels since May 1847. Christine had a son from a previous relationship, Carl. She entrusted him to Elise to be raised in Hamburg. [Hebbel, Friedrich]

Images

The grave of Christian Friedrich Hebbel and Christine Enghaus at the Evangelischer Friedhof Matzleinsdorf.
Picture by Androom (26 Aug 2002)

 

The grave of Friedrich Hebbel and Christine Enghaus at the Evangelischer Friedhof Matzleinsdorf, Vienna.
Picture by Androom (11 Aug 2018)

 

The grave of Friedrich Hebbel and Christine Hebbel at the Evangelischer Friedhof Matzleinsdorf in Vienna.
Picture by Androom (02 Sep 2022)

 

Sources
• Budig, Robert S. et al, Ehrengräber am Wiener Zentralfriedhof, Compress Verlag Wien, Wien
Christine Enghaus - Wikipedia (EN)
Enghaus, Christine eigentlich Engehausen
Christine Enghaus, verh. Hebbel


Ensslin, Gudrun

Published: 27 Dec 2009
Last update: 25 May 2025