Meta Wellmer

Meta Wellmer
Born	Margarethe Wirth 18 December 1826/1832 Leonrod, Kingdom of Bavaria
Died	1 August 1889 Ebersdorf, Reuss, German Empire
Pen name	M. Wirth
Occupation	Writer teacher activist
Subjects	Women's rights vegetarianism animal welfare
Relatives	Michael Ludwig Wellmer (father)

Meta Wellmer (born Margarethe Wirth; 18 December 1826/1832 – 1 August 1889), who also wrote under the pseudonym M. Wirth, was a German writer, teacher, and activist whose work addressed women's rights, vegetarianism, and animal welfare. She taught in several European cities and wrote poetry, fiction, and essays on education and nutrition; she contributed to the periodical Vereinsblatt der Freunde der natürlichen Lebensweise ("Association Journal for Friends of the Natural Way of Life") and published Die vegetarische Lebensweise und die Vegetarier ("The Vegetarian Way of Life and the Vegetarians"; 1877). She corresponded with Thomas Carlyle and his family, wrote to Friedrich Nietzsche in 1875, and spent much of her life in Ebersdorf, Reuss, where she died in 1889.

Biography

Early life and education

Margarethe Wirth was born in Leonrod, Kingdom of Bavaria, either on 18 December 1826 or in 1832. Her mother was Eva Margaretha Wirth, an unmarried weaver and the daughter of the mayor of Leonrod, who married Johann Geck in Deberndorf in 1830. Meta Wellmer later identified Michael Ludwig Wellmer the Royal Bavarian District Judge and City Commissioner who died in Munich in 1859, as her father; however, it is uncertain whether he was her biological father, as he was not listed on her baptismal certificate. Through him, she received a thorough education in the sciences, modern languages, and music.

Writing and teaching career

Wellmer became a teacher at the age of 17. She taught in Germany, Switzerland, Paris, London, Madrid, and Rome. During her career, she gained prominence as a writer, publishing multiple collections of poetry and short stories, along with numerous articles on topics such as education, nutrition, and women's rights in both domestic and international journals.

Vegetarianism and animal welfare

Wellmer became a vegetarian in 1869 and was extremely active in the vegetarianism and animal welfare movements. She was one of the early female contributors to the Vereinsblatt der Freunde der natürlichen Lebensweise ("Association Journal for Friends of the Natural Way of Life"). Her contributions included a poem in 1872 and a piece titled "Two Days of Travel" in Switzerland from a vegetarian perspective in 1874. She was one of the few women who regularly wrote for the journal during the late 19th century.

Wellmer also published independent works focused on animal welfare. Additionally, she authored the book Die vegetarische Lebensweise und die Vegetarier ("The Vegetarian Way of Life and the Vegetarians"; 1877).

Correspondence

Wellmer was a correspondent of Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher Thomas Carlyle, and his family.

Wellmer wrote to Friedrich Nietzsche in 1875, enclosing a copy of her book Geistergeschichten aus neuerer Zeit ("Ghost Stories from Modern Times"). In the letter, she discusses her admiration for Schopenhauer's philosophy, particularly the moral and ethical implications it has on daily life. In the letter, she expresses admiration for Schopenhauer's philosophy and discusses its moral implications for daily life. She writes that she adopted vegetarianism, which she regarded as the only moral and humane way of living, and proposes establishing a society of Schopenhauer’s followers to promote his teachings on equality, kinship, and mutual support.

Personal life and death

Wellmer was a feminist and spiritualist.

Wellmer spent most of her life in Ebersdorf, Reuss. She died there on 1 August 1889, at the reported age of 62.

External links

• Publications of Meta Wellmer
• Vereinsblatt der Freunde der natürlichen Lebensweise
• "The Wellmer Correspondence", letters of Thomas Carlyle and family to Meta Wellmer
• Letters to and from Meta Wellmer of the Carlyle family