Cornelia Schlosser

Cornelia Friederica Christiana Schlosser (née Goethe; 7 December 1750 – 8 June 1777) was the sister and only sibling of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who survived to adulthood.

Life

Cornelia Goethe, 15 months younger than her brother Johann Wolfgang, was born in Frankfurt am Main. Her father, imperial councillor Johann Caspar Goethe (1710–1782), thought it appropriate for an upper-class woman to have some higher education, These circumstances laid the foundations for a deep friendship between Cornelia and Johann Wolfgang. Her circle of friends consisted of women who were enjoying the exuberance of youth and did not fear her as a rival.

When Johann Wolfgang went to Leipzig to study law, Cornelia stayed at home in Frankfurt. Johann Wolfgang's three years in Leipzig interrupted the siblings' daily contact for the first time. Cornelia observed that her brother adopted the prevalent attitude of the time toward women, that is, one in which women were considered subordinate to men. She took great interest in her brother's literary accomplishments and was often the first to know about his plans, drafts, and revisions. as is the Cornelia Goethe Prize that it awards.