Partner Auguste Scheibe
Queer Places:
Naumannstraße 1, now Goetheallee 34, 01309 Dresden-Blasewitz, Germany
Claire von Glümer (October 18, 1825 – May 20, 1906) was a prominent German writer, translator, and political activist. Her life was defined by both her literary output and her deep involvement
in the revolutionary movements of mid-19th-century Europe.
Born on October 18, 1825, in Blankenburg, Germany, she was the daughter of the lawyer Karl Weddo and the writer Charlotte von Glümer. Her upbringing was nomadic, with her family frequently relocating across Germany, Switzerland, and France. Following her mother’s death in 1841, Claire spent her formative years navigating a changing European political landscape.
Claire von Glümer was deeply invested in the revolutionary fervor of the 1840s. Her commitment to political change had direct consequences:
Her brother, Bodo von Glümer, was arrested for his participation in the 1849 Dresden Uprising. He was originally sentenced to death, though this was later commuted to life imprisonment.
Claire was actively involved in planning his escape. When the plot was discovered, she was arrested and imprisoned at Schloss Hubertusburg for three months. She continued to advocate for her brother’s release until he was finally freed in 1859.
After her release from prison, Glümer sustained herself through her writing. She was a prolific author whose works spanned several genres:
She published travelogues, short stories, and tales. Notable works include Aus den Pyrenäen (1845) and Fata Morgana (1848).
She was a skilled translator, most notably translating the autobiography of the French author George Sand into German.
In her later years, the famous opera singer Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient formed a tight-knit circle with Claire von Glümer and Claire's partner and housemate, Auguste Scheibe.
The trio was bonded by their shared history as participants or figures caught in the aftermath of the 1849 Dresden Uprising. As Schröder-Devrient’s health declined, she entrusted Claire with her personal papers. This led to the publication of Erinnerungen an Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient (Reminiscences of Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient) in 1862, a seminal biographical work that remains a primary source for understanding the singer's life and the political spirit of that era.
Claire von Glümer passed away in Blasewitz on May 20, 1906.
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