Charlotte von Kirschbaum

Charlotte von Kirschbaum (June 25, 1899 – July 24, 1975) was a German theologian who assisted Karl Barth in writing his Church Dogmatics. She was born in Ingolstadt. In 1916 her father died in the First World War, which inspired her to be trained as a nurse. In 1924 she met Karl Barth, and became his pupil; she later contributed to all of Karl Barth's academic publications. Historians have discussed at length her romantic relationship with Barth, and its possible impact on his theology. The letters between von Kirschbaum and Barth express "the deep, intense, and overwhelming love between these two human beings."

Relationship with Karl Barth and Nelly Hoffman-Barth Von Kirschbaum met Barth at the University of Göttingen in 1924, when she was 25 years old; at the time she was a Red Cross nurse with an interest in theology, and economically destitute. By 1929 she was working full-time for Barth as a secretary and assistant preparing his lectures. They developed an intimate relationship that threatened Barth's marriage. In October 1929 she moved into the Barth household, where she would live with his wife Nelly and their children until 1966. During this time, von Kirschbaum and Barth cowrote the volumes of Church Dogmatics and many other theological works; Barth's children referred to her as "Aunt Lollo". However, even after Barth's death, Nelly continued to visit von Kirschbaum in the hospital.

Work with Karl Barth For the sake of the work she learned Latin and Greek. She was also assigned to attend the philosophical lectures of Heinrich Scholz, have an hour of discussion with him, and later relay the content thereof to Barth. Scholz made a marriage proposal to her, but she declined. From there they supported the German Resistance.

Theological work In 1949 her theological book Die wirkliche Frau (The Real Woman) was published. It discussed the role of women.

End of life and burial

In early 1962, Charlotte von Kirschbaum became ill and moved to a nursing home in Riehen, and was hospitalized for the rest of her life and she died thirteen years later. Nelly Hoffman buried Charlotte von Kirschbaum in the Barth family tomb where Karl Barth was previously buried and where Nelly was later buried too.

Writings .