Hedwig Conrad-Martius

Hedwig Conrad-Martius (born in Berlin on February 27. 1888; died in Starnberg on February 15, 1966) was a German phenomenologist who became a Christian mystic.

Life and works

She initially considered a literary career, but later became interested in philosophy. This started at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. She also studied at Gottingen. She became known for work on an ontology of reality. She also married Theodor Conrad who helped provide for her as at this time women academic's tended to struggle to make a living. As she had one Jewish grandparent her work was stalled by the rise of Nazism. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=C8G1HfOJz3AC&pg=PA212&lpg=PA212&dq=%22Hedwig+Conrad-Martius%22+philosophy&source=web&ots=XpjEs1PM0q&sig=pI0_XR9BzZHfU48HjE0uSevrATM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA213,M1 The phenomenological movement: A historical introduction By Herbert Spiegelberg, Karl Schuhmann, pgs 212-214] ] At some point she became religiously active as a Protestant.

Connection to Edith Stein

Edith Stein's interest in Catholicism came during a visit to her home. Although Protestant Conrad-Martius would late receive a dispensation so she could be Edith Stein's godmother. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=8-b8gGEy34YC&pg=PA42&dq=%22Hedwig+Conrad-Martius%22+biography&sig=38ShC2JHeBTWx_b2S4ZIYy1kmAU#PPA42,M1 Three Women in Dark Times: Edith Stein, Hannah Arendt, Simone Weil] ]

References