Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Swiss writer, journalist, photographer and traveler. Her father, Alfred, was a wealthy businessman in the silk industry; her mother, Renée, the daughter of Swiss general Ulrich Wille and descended from German aristocracy, was a prominent hostess, horsewoman and photographer. From an early age she began to dress and act like a boy, a behaviour not discouraged by her parents, and which she retained all her life—in fact in later life she was often mistaken for a young man.

In 1930 she made contact with Erika Mann (daughter of Thomas Mann). She was fascinated by Erika's charm and self-confidence. A relationship developed, which much to Annemarie's disappointment did not last long, although they always remained friends. Annemarie found a soul-mate in Klaus, brother of Erika, and settled in with the Manns as an adoptive family. With Klaus she started experimenting with the use of drugs. She led a fast life in the bustling artistic city that was Berlin towards the close of the Weimar Republic. Her androgynous beauty fascinated and attracted both men and women.

Annemarie's life-style ended with the Nazi take-over in 1933, and Bohemian Berlin disappeared. Tensions with her family increased, as some family members sympathised with the Swiss Fronts, which favoured closer ties with Nazi Germany. Her parents urged Annemarie to renounce her friendship with the Manns and help with the reconstruction of Germany under Hitler. This she could not do — her circle included Jews and political refugees from Germany. Instead later on she helped the Manns finance an anti-Fascist literary review, Die Sammlung. The pressure she felt under led her to attempting suicide, which caused a scandal among her family and their conservative circle in Switzerland.

She took several trips abroad with Klaus Mann, to Italy, France and Scandinavia, in 1932 and 1933. Later that year Annemarie travelled to Persia.