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Harriet von Rathlef

1887 – 1933

German sculptor and writer

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About Harriet von Rathlef

Lived 1887 – 1933 (aged 46). Harriet von Rathlef was a Russian and German writer, sculptor, children's writer and graphic artist.

Harriet Ellen Siderowna von Rathlef-Keilmann (3 January 1887 – 1 May 1933), was a German sculptor and writer of children's books. She married Harald von Rathlef, a lieutenant in the Czarist Regiment of the Alexander Hussars, in 1908 in Riga. The couple had four children. The family fled to Germany on 28 December 1918 in an effort to escape from revolutionary Russia. The family settled near Weimar, where she studied under Walter Gropius at the Bauhaus until 1921.

In 1925 she became a major proponent of Anna Anderson's claim to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia. She befriended the claimant and wrote a series of articles about her. In the same year she converted to Roman Catholicism.

She was involved in artistic circles and social causes in Berlin, but was forced to resign from the Society of Berlin Women Artists when Adolf Hitler rose to power. Alarmed by the political developments in Nazi Germany, she hoped to leave the country. Before she could make definite plans, she died in Berlin on 1 May 1933 of a burst appendix.

In Falk Harnack's 1956 film, The Story of Anastasia, she was portrayed by German actress Käthe Braun.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Bauhaus
Also known as
Harriet Ellen Siderovna von Rathlef-Keilmann, Harriet Ellen Siderowna von Rathlef-Keilmann, Harriet Rathlef-Keilmann

People in Harriet von Rathlef's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harriet von Rathlef's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harriet von Rathlef?

German sculptor and writer (1887–1933)

When was Harriet von Rathlef born?

Harriet von Rathlef was born on 3 January 1887 in Riga.

When did Harriet von Rathlef die?

Harriet von Rathlef died on 1 May 1933 in Berlin.

What was Harriet von Rathlef's occupation?

Harriet von Rathlef was a writer, sculptor, children's writer and graphic artist.

What nationality was Harriet von Rathlef?

Harriet von Rathlef was Russian and German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harriet von Rathlef

· Wikidata: Q1586145

· DBpedia: Harriet von Rathlef

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harriet von Rathlef. https://biography.guide/harriet-von-rathlef/

MLA: "Harriet von Rathlef." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harriet-von-rathlef/.

Chicago: "Harriet von Rathlef." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harriet-von-rathlef/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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