Gertrud von Puttkamer

Writing In 1900, von Puttkamer published her first book of poetry under the pen-name Marie-Madeleine, titled Auf Kypros, which was a collection of lesbian-themed erotic verses. Auf Kypros became a best-seller throughout the German Empire, particularly in high society circles. At the time, her work was seen as contrary to societal standards on morality and was even considered pornographic.

List of works A list of some of von Puttkamer's known works include:

Auf Kypros (1900) Das Bisschen Liebe (1900) Die drei Nächte (1901) An der Liebe Narrenseil (1902) Die Indische Felsentaube (1902) Aus faulem Holze (1902) Im Spielerparadies: Momentphotographien aus Monte Carlo (1903) Frivol: Aus dem Leben eines Pferdes (1903) Krabben (1903) Arme Ritter! (1904) In Seligkeit und Sünden (1905) Das Bißchen Liebe (1906) Der Rote Champion (1906) Die Kleider der Herzogin (1906) Die letzte Hürde (1907) Die Kusine (1908) Die Wegweiserin (1908) Prinz Christian (1909) Die Stelle, wo sie sterblich sind ... (1909) Brennende Liebe (1910) Katzen (1910) Die heiligsten Güter (1911) Die rote Rose Leidenschaft (1912) Pantherkätzchen (1913) Der süße Rausch (1916) Taumel (1920) Ausgewählte Werke (1924) Die Töchter des Prometheus (1926) Ihr schlechter Ruf (1928)

Later life and death During the Third Reich, von Puttkamer's identity was discovered by the Nazis. In 1932, her writings were condemned as degenerate and ordered to be burned. An operatic monodrama about von Puttkamer's life, The Priestess of Morphine: A Forensic Study of Marie-Madeleine in the Time of the Nazis, was created and recorded by composer Rosśa Crean and writer Aiden K. Feltkamp. The staged version premiered in 2019 at the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago and went on to have performances in Perth, Australia.