Born: 13 September 1830, Czechia
Died: 12 March 1916
Country most active: Austria
Also known as: Marie von Ebner-Eschenbachová, Marie Freifrau von Ebner-Eschenbach
From Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company:
Marie, Baroness von Ebner-Eschenbach, a distinguished Austrian author. She wrote a number of novels depicting the life of the Austrian aristocracy in town and country, and in 1880 published a book of Parables, Fairy Tales and Poems.
Her power of description, elegance of style and masterly analysis of character give her a foremost place among the women-writers of her time.
On the occasion of her seventieth birthday, the University of Vienna conferred upon her the degree of doctor of philosophy.
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
She was the daughter of Count Dubsky, and as a member of the nobility attended all the festivals of Vienna court life. During Marie’s youth in the summers she resided on the family estate in the country. This change of residence during the year enabled Marie to make comparisons between the modes of living of the burghers and of the aristocrats. Her observations are embodied in her writings, the first of which were stories of the Castle and the Village.
Historical romances were her forte and one, Lotti, is especially interesting, for it gives many important details of the clock making industry. She is also to be credited with one masterly tale of animal life.
Humour, human-analysis and tolerance are the predominating tones of her work. It was no easy task for her to strive for recognition in the literary world. The only one who proffered encouragement was her husband, whom she married when she was eighteen. They were childless, but hei kindnesses and charities to children were part of her life. One of her poems is as follows:
“A little song, how does it start.
That it affects so deep our heart.
Where can the secret have been laid?
It has a little pleasing sound.
Such tender tunes in it abound,
That all our inner soul is swayed!”