Elisabeth von Knobelsdorff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elisabeth von Knobelsdorff
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Elisabeth von Knobelsdorff (born June 17, 1877, died April 20, 1959) was a very important German engineer and architect. She was a pioneer for women in these fields!
Contents
Her Early Life
Elisabeth was born in Potsdam, Germany. Her father was Heinrich Wilhelm Kurt von Knobelsdorff, a Major General. Her mother was Marie Elizabeth Fancis Gertrud Dyhrenfurth.
Education and Breaking Barriers
Elisabeth finished school in 1906. In 1907, she started studying architecture at the TH Charlottenburg. At first, she could only attend as a "guest student." This meant she could listen to lectures but wasn't officially enrolled.
However, things changed in 1909. The Kingdom of Prussia started allowing women to officially join universities. Elisabeth quickly became a regular student.
She worked very hard and finished her studies in 1911. She earned a diploma in engineering, becoming the first woman in Germany to achieve this!
Her Amazing Career
In 1912, Elisabeth continued to break new ground. She became the first female member of the Association of Architects and Engineers in Berlin. This was a big deal!
She also took part in an exhibition called "The Woman in Home and Work." This event showed off the achievements of the women's movement. Elisabeth's aunt, Gertrud Dyrenfurth, helped organize this exhibition.
Elisabeth designed a community center for a village called Jakobsdorf. This building was finished in 1915. It served as an important social hub for the village until 1946.
Working During World War I
During World War I, Elisabeth used her skills to help her country. She worked as a "field architect" for the military. She even held the rank of lieutenant! She worked in military building administration near Potsdam and in occupied Belgium.
After the War
After World War I ended, Elisabeth continued her work as an architect. She worked for the government in Potsdam. In 1921, she passed a special state exam for building authorities. Again, she made history by becoming the first woman in Germany to be appointed as a "master builder" for the government. This meant she was in charge of important building projects.
In 1922, Elisabeth married Kurt Wilhelm Viktor von Tippelskirch. He worked for the Foreign Office. Because she was married, she had to leave her government job in 1923. At that time, it was common for women to leave their jobs after marriage.
After leaving her government role, Elisabeth worked as a freelance architect in Berlin. In 1927, she moved to the United States with her husband.
They returned to Germany in 1938 and lived in Jakobsdorf. However, at the end of World War II, she had to leave her home. From 1946 until her death in 1959, Elisabeth von Knobelsdorff lived in Bassum, near Bremen.
Elisabeth von Knobelsdorff was a true pioneer who opened doors for many women in engineering and architecture!
