Grete Meisel-Hess: The New Woman and the Sexual Crisis

Grete Meisel-Hess (1879-1922) was a feminist voice in early-twentieth-century modernist discourse. Helga Thorson's book combines a literary-cultural exploration of modernism in Vienna and Berlin with a biography of Meisel-Hess and a critical analysis of her works. It illustrates the dynamic interplay between gender, sexuality, and race/ethnicity in Austrian and German modernism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 292 pages
Publication date: 23 August 2022
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Grete Meisel-Hess (1879-1922) was a prominent feminist voice in early-twentieth-century modernist discourse, emerging as a contemporary of influential figures such as Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler, and Gustav Klimt. Born in Prague to Jewish parents and raised in Vienna, Meisel-Hess made her mark in the literary world with her novel Fanny Roth, published in 1902. Her literary prowess was influenced by a wide range of contemporaries, and she also engaged in critical discussions of gender and sexuality. In 1905, Meisel-Hess relocated to Berlin, where she continued to write fiction and delve into the fields of sexology and the women's movement.

Helga Thorson's book, "Grete Meisel-Hess: A Literary-Cultural Exploration of Modernism in Vienna and Berlin," combines a literary-cultural exploration of modernism in Vienna and Berlin with a comprehensive biography of Meisel-Hess and a critical analysis of her works. The book delves into Meisel-Hess's intricate negotiations of feminism, modernism, and Jewishness, highlighting the dynamic interplay between gender, sexuality, and race/ethnicity in Austrian and German modernism. Thorson's analysis extends to Meisel-Hess's fiction and sexological studies, demonstrating that she positioned herself as both a New Woman and a writer of the New Woman.

The book draws upon extensive archival research, which uncovered a wealth of new sources, including an unpublished drama and a diverse range of documents and letters scattered across collections in Europe. Until now, there have been limited secondary sources about Meisel-Hess, many of which contain errors and omissions regarding her biography. "Grete Meisel-Hess: A Literary-Cultural Exploration of Modernism in Vienna and Berlin" is the first book on Meisel-Hess in English, filling a significant gap in the literature on this important feminist voice of early-twentieth-century modernism.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781640141032