author
Julie Thenen
1834–1919
A sharp-eyed 19th-century Austrian writer, she published sketches, humorous pieces, and frank depictions of Jewish life that drew attention for their unusual directness. Her work moved between social observation, satire, and fiction, giving readers a vivid sense of her world.
1 Audiobook
Fräulein Doctor im Irrenhause: Eine Begebenheit aus unserer Zeit
by Julie Thenen
About the author
Born in Lemberg (now Lviv) in the 1830s and later living in Vienna, Julie Thenen wrote for newspapers and became known for sketches, humoresques, and fiction. Reference works and library records consistently place her among German-language women writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though some sources differ on whether she was born in 1833, 1834, or 1835.
She published from around 1860 onward, and several sources note that her writing included candid portrayals of Jewish customs and everyday life. That openness seems to have made her distinctive in her time, and some accounts say it also brought criticism.
Thenen was also connected with literary circles in Vienna, including the Verein der Schriftstellerinnen und Künstlerinnen. Today she is remembered as part of the rich tradition of German-language women’s writing from the Habsburg world.