Hedwig Courths-Mahler facts for kids
Hedwig Courths-Mahler (born Ernestine Friederike Elisabeth Mahler on February 18, 1867) was a very popular German writer. She wrote many romantic novels, which are often called "formula fiction" because they followed a similar pattern. She used different pen names like Relham and Rose Bernd. Hedwig passed away on November 26, 1950, in Rottach-Egern, Bavaria.
Her Life and Books
Hedwig Courths-Mahler's stories usually followed a special recipe. Her characters, who might not have had much money or a high social standing, would find true love. This love would help them overcome big challenges and differences in social class. In the end, the loving couple would get together, often becoming wealthy and respected.
Her books were incredibly popular! It's thought that by the time she died in 1950, about 80 million copies of her novels had been sold. That's a huge number! In the 1970s, five of her books were even made into TV movies in Germany. Only one of her novels, Die Perlenschnur (which means The String of Pearls), was translated into English in 1929.
Even though her books showed traditional ideas about relationships, and some people criticized them for being a bit predictable, many readers still love them today. Most of her fans are women. Her books are still printed by a publisher called Bastei Lübbe, often as small, inexpensive paperbacks. This makes her one of the most successful German female writers ever, based on how many books she sold.
Some of Her Books
Hedwig Courths-Mahler wrote many novels. Here are some of them:
- Die wilde Ursula (1912)
- Was Gott zusammenfügt (1913)
- Die Bettelprinzeß (1914)
- Der tolle Hassberg (1916)
- Griseldis (1916)
- Ich will (1916)
- Meine Käthe (1917)
- Eine ungeliebte Frau (1918)
- Die schöne Unbekannte (1918)
- Der Scheingemahl (1919)
- Das stille Weh (1919)
- Die Herrin von Retzbach (1920)
- Im Buchengrund (1920)
- Wenn Wünsche töten könnten (1925)
- Die Flucht vor der Ehe (1934)
- Die verstossene Tochter
Movies Based on Her Stories
Several of Hedwig Courths-Mahler's novels were turned into films and TV movies:
- Das stille Weh (1919)
- You Are the Life (1921)
- Your Brother's Wife (1921)
- Liebe und Ehe (1923)
- Lena Warnstetten (1925)
- Eine ungeliebte Frau (1974, TV film)
- Griseldis (1974, TV film)
- Der Scheingemahl (1974, TV film)
- Die Kriegsbraut (1974, TV film)
- Die Bettelprinzess (1974, TV film)
- Durch Liebe erlöst (2005, TV film)
