31 Facts About Marie Lang

Marie Lang was an Austrian feminist, theosophist and publisher.

In 1902, Marie Lang attended the International Abolitionist Federation's conference in London and visited the Passmore Edwards Settlement, becoming an advocate of social welfare programs.

Marie Lang's husband died in 1918 and after two years she retired from work with the Settlement Society to devote time to her family.

Marie Lang is remembered as one of the leading figures in the turn-of-the-century women's movement of Austria.

Marie Lang Katharina Auguste Friederike Wisgrill was born on 8 March 1858 in Vienna, capital of the Austrian Empire, to Emilie and Karl Wisgrill.

Marie Lang's family were part of the small Viennese liberal upper-middle class.

Marie Lang's mother was an actress and the niece of the comedian Wenzel Scholz.

Marie Lang's father was a master carpenter; a proponent of civil liberty, he had supported the Revolutions of 1848.

Steiner commented that Marie Lang was the soul of the circle, and that it was her personality and interest in theosophy that encouraged the participation of group members with widely differing views.

Marie Lang's hospitality extended to the composer Hugo Wolf, for whom she cared in her home for many weeks during his illness.

Marie Lang quickly became one of the most prominent women's rights activists of her era.

In 1891, Marie Lang's daughter Lilith was born, for whom Mayreder would serve as godmother.

Marie Lang advocated for legislation to safeguard unwed mothers and their illegitimate children.

Marie Lang was a supporter of the artists known as the Vienna Secessionists, led by Gustav Klimt.

Marie Lang compared the works of architects like Adolf Loos and Joseph Maria Olbrich; musicians like Gustav Mahler; painters such as Klimt; and set designers like Alfred Roller as expressions of freedom to feminists' rejection of patriarchy.

In 1898, along with Fickert and Mayreder, Marie Lang co-founded Dokumente der Frauen, as the press organ of the Frauenverein to echo the artistic revolution of the Secessionists.

In 1899, Fickert and Marie Lang fell out and both she and Mayreder left the publication.

Marie Lang continued to publish Dokumente der Frauen until 1902 when funds were no longer available to keep it in production.

Marie Lang served on the press commission of the Bund Osterreichischer Frauenvereine.

In 1898, Marie Lang was selected as the Frauenvereins delegate at the conference of the International Abolitionist Federation to be held in London.

Marie Lang visited the Passmore Edwards Settlement and was impressed with the way the organization was working to solve social problems.

In 1901, Marie Lang founded the Ottakring Settlement House to provide help to working women.

Marie Lang chose Ottakring because it was one of the most populous areas of Vienna and there was a need for alternative housing to the unsanitary tenements in which most workers lived.

Marie Lang hired Secessionist designers Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, and Roller to remodel an old brewery.

Marie Lang was appointed to serve on the press committee of the International Council of Women in 1903 and in 1904, attended the Berlin Congress, from which the International Woman Suffrage Alliance was formed.

Marie Lang's death had a profound effect on Lang and for a time she lessened her involvement in the women's movement, believing that as she had failed as a mother to protect her own son, she had no right to counsel other women.

Marie Lang represented the Committee as Austria's delegate to the 1908 International Woman Suffrage Alliance 4th congress held in Amsterdam and gave a report on their activities.

Marie Lang conducted numerous private consultations to assist women in finding help and support.

For two years Marie Lang continued to be active working at the Oattkring House and then retired to devote her time to her family.

Marie Lang died on 14 October 1934 in Altmunster, where she was living on Lake Traunsee with her oldest son Erich Kochert.

Marie Lang is remembered as one of the leading figures in the turn-of-the-century women's movement of Austria.