Charlotte von Mahlsdorf - I Am My Own Wife

2004, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, Crossdressing, English,

"I Am My Own Wife: The True Story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf" is the English language edition of "Ich bin meine eigene Frau" (1992) by Charlotte von Mahlsdorf. The book was published in 2004.

The first edition of the book in English was published in 1995 with a slightly different title: "Charlotte von Mahlsdorf - I Am My Own Woman: The Outlaw Life of Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf, Berlin's Most Distinguished Transvestite".

"A soft-spoken transvestite wanting nothing more than to live as a hausfrau, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf instead was caught up in the most harrowing dramas of 20th century Europe, surviving both the Nazis and the Communists.

I Am My Own Wife is her exquisitely written autobiography where she reveals her lifelong pursuit of sexual liberty. The memoirs of a transvestite Berliner, the story of the wonderful Gründerzeit museum, a look at German culture from the point of view of a permanent outsider, Charlotte’s tale, like her life, is a surprising and provocative weave of sex, politics, and history."

"With the success of a new play about Charlotte, hailed by The New York Times as the "most stirring new work to appear on Broadway this fall," her story is reaching an entirely new readership of enthusiastic theater fans. Von Mahlsdorf was also the subject of a documentary, I Am My Own Woman (1993), directed by Rosa von Praunheim."

She is still remembered for her work, as the founder of the Gründerzeit Museum, or for her public role as a transgender woman and her foregrounding of the persecution of homosexuals in both the Third Reich and East Germany.

Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, born as Lothar Berfelde on March 18, 1928, was a German transgender woman who gained fame for her preservation of the Gründerzeit Museum in Berlin. The Gründerzeit Museum, also known as the Gründerzeitmuseum or the Mahlsdorf Manor, housed a collection of items from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, providing a glimpse into German history and culture during that period. Charlotte von Mahlsdorf was also known for her personal story of survival during the Nazi regime and the East German communist era. She managed to maintain the museum and her own identity as a transgender woman despite the challenges posed by the political and social climate of those times.

Von Mahlsdorf's life story and her efforts to preserve history and cultural artifacts were documented in the play "I Am My Own Wife" by Doug Wright, which premiered in 2003. The play, based on interviews and conversations with Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, explored themes of identity, history, and resilience. Charlotte von Mahlsdorf's life and work have inspired discussions about LGBTQ+ history, preservation, and the complexities of personal and collective memory. Her story serves as a testament to the power of individual dedication and determination in the face of adversity.

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