Guttenberg, Gerda

Founder of the Autonomous Women's Archive Wiesbaden

born: 25.01.1916 in Berlin

died: 15.10.2001 in Wiesbaden

After leaving school, Guttenberg initially completed an apprenticeship at a women's technical college in Nuremberg. She married at the age of 20 and her daughters were born in 1938 and 1940. She continued her education at a rural women's school and worked in agriculture in Ansbach and, after the war, as a civilian employee with the American authorities. In 1949/50, she attended interpreting courses at the University of Erlangen. In 1956, she divorced and began studying economics, which she did not complete. For several years, she worked as a journalist and court reporter in Erlangen and in Grundig's press office in Nuremberg.

In 1969, she moved to Frankfurt and became involved in the emerging women's movement. In 1976, she began studying political science, sociology and law. A dissertation project on the role of women in the "Third Reich" with Professor Iring Fetscher failed, but was probably the trigger for the start of her involvement with the women's movement. From then on, Guttenberg collected material on women's rights activists, e.g. Helene Stöcker, § 218, women's emancipation and women in the Nazi era. Dealing with fascism was her second lifelong theme.

From 1983, she published her own series of publications, the "Archivblätter Gerda Guttenberg". After moving to Wiesbaden in 1985, she and other women began to set up an "Autonomous Women's Archive Wiesbaden", which incorporated her library and extensive collections. Initially, this educational institution was funded by the state of Hesse. When this funding was withdrawn in 1997, the women's archive had to close and its holdings were transferred to Berlin.

Guttenberg was buried anonymously in the South Cemetery.