List of German women writers

This is a list of women writers who were born in Germany or whose writings are closely associated with it.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Maximiliane Ackers (1896–1982), lesbian actress, novelist, scriptwriter
• Martha Albrand (1914–1981), novelist
• Helene Adler (1849–1923), German Jewish poet and educator
• Hannah Arendt (1906–1975), German Jewish political theorist
• Bettina von Arnim (1785–1859), writer, novelist
• Ludmilla Assing (1785–1859), short story writer, biographer
• Anita Augspurg (1857–1943), feminist, lawyer, actress
• Elisabeth Augustin (1903–2001), poet, short story writer, novelist, wrote in German and Dutch
• Frau Ava (c.1060–1127), first woman writer in German

B

• Ingrid Bachér (born 1930), playwright, screenwriter
• Bertha Badt-Strauss (1885–1970), journalist, biographer, translator
• Amalie Baisch (1859–1904), writer of etiquette guide books
• Zsuzsa Bánk (born 1965), novelist
• Gertrud Bäumer (1873–1954), writer, feminist
• Sybille Bedford (1873–1954), German born English-language novelist, non-fiction writer, memoirist
• Maria Beig (1920–2018), novelist
• Hedwig von Beit (1896–1973), folklorist
• Margot Benary-Isbert (1889–1979), children's writer in German and English
• Augusta Bender (1846–1924), writer, poet, folklorist, activist
• Josefa Berens-Totenohl (1891–1969), novelist
• Sibylle Berg (born 1962), successful novelist, essayist, short story writer, playwright
• Dörthe Binkert (born 1949), novelist, non-fiction writer
• Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer (c. 1800–1868), playwright, actress
• Anne Birk (1942–2009), novelist
• Ilse Blumenthal-Weiss (1899–1987), poet
• Helene Böhlau (1859–1940), novelist
• Emily Bold (born 1980), novelist
• Margarete Böhme (1867–1939), novelist, author of Tagebuch einer Verlorenen
• Vera Botterbusch (born 1942), journalist, film producer
• Johanna Braun (1929–2008), German writer
• Angelika Brandt (born 1961), deep-sea biologist, non-fiction writer
• Lily Braun (1865–1916), feminist writer
• Ilse Gräfin von Bredow (1922–2014), novelist and non-fiction writer
• Christine Brückner (1921–1996), novelist, short story writer, children's writer
• Tissy Bruns (1951–2013), journalist
• Traude Bührmann (born 1942), novelist, journalist, translator
• Margarethe von Bülow (1860-1884), novelist

C

• Marie Calm (1832–1887), instructional book writer, novelist, poet
• Elisabeth Castonier (1894–1975), children's writer, journalist, writing in German and English
• Helmina von Chézy (1783–1856), poet, playwright, librettist
• Helene Christaller (1872–1953), children's novelist
• Zehra Çırak (born 1960), Turkish-born German poet, short story writer
• Hedwig Courths-Mahler (1867–1950), novelist

D

• Utta Danella (1920–2015), novelist
• Gertrud David (1872–1936), journalist, filmmaker
• Henriette Davidis (1801–1876), cookbook writer
• Hilde Domin (1909–2006), poet
• Marion Dönhoff (1909–2002), acclaimed journalist, non-fiction writer
• Doris Dörrie (born 1955), novelist, film director
• Ingeborg Drewitz (1923–1986), playwright, novelist
• Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (1797–1848), poet
• Anne Duden (born 1942), prose writer and poet
• Karen Duve (born 1961), novelist and short story writer

E

• Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine (in German: Liselotte von der Pfalz) (1652–1722), letter writer
• Margareta Ebner, (1291–1351), diarist, mystic
• Susanna Eger (1640–1713), cook and cookbook writer, author of Leipziger Kochbuch (1706)
• Gisela Elsner (1937–1992), novelist
• Helene von Engelhardt (1850–1910), Baltic German poet, writer, translator
• Aslı Erdoğan (born 1967), human rights activist, novelist, columnist, one novel translated into English
• Jenny Erpenbeck (born 1967), novelist
• Nataly von Eschstruth (1860–1939), novelist

F

• Eva Figes (1932–2012), German-born English novelist, critic, memoirist
• Caroline Auguste Fischer (1764–1842), writer and women's rights activist
• Marieluise Fleißer (1901–1974), playwright
• Meta Forkel-Liebeskind (1765–1853), writer, translator
• Julia Franck (born 1970), novelist
• Louise von François (1817–1893), novelist
• Friederike Fless (born 1964), classical archaeologist
• Bella Fromm (1901–1974), journalist, diarist
• Cornelia Funke (born 1958), children's writer, author of The Thief Lord, Inkheart series

G

• Miriam Gebhardt (born 1962), historian, non-fiction writer
• Adine Gemberg (1858 - 1902) feminist novelist
• Doris Gercke, (born 1937), pen name Mary-Jo Morell, crime thriller novelist
• Karen Gershon, (1923–1993), German-born English poet, novelist, non-fiction writer
• Rosa Gilissen-Vanmarcke (1969–2021), historian
• Glückel of Hameln (1646–1724), Yiddish-language diarist
• Helga Goetze (1922–2008), poet and artist
• Claire Goll (1890–1977), German-born poet, novelist, writing in German and French
• Natalie Grams (born 1978), German physician, writer, scientific skeptic, former homeopath
• Argula von Grumbach (1492–1554), poet, letter writer, first Protestant woman writer
• Karoline von Günderrode (1780–1806), poet

H

• Ida, Countess of Hahn-Hahn (1805–1880), German novelist
• Thea von Harbou (1888–1954), novelist, screenwriter
• Petra Hartmann (born 1970), journalist, novelist, children's writer
• Elke Hartmann-Puls (1969–2021), historian
• Uta-Maria Heim (born 1963), playwright, novelist, poet
• Emmy Hennings (1885–1948), poet, performer
• Ulrike Henschke (1830–1897), novelist and writer on educational theory.
• Luise Hensel (1798–1876), religious writer, poet
• Clara Hepner (1860-1939), children's stories
• Judith Hermann (born 1970), short story writer
• Elisabeth von Heyking (1861–1925), novelist, travel writer, diarist
• Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), mystic, playwright, poet writing in Latin
• Wilhelmine von Hillern (1836–1916), actress, novelist, short story writer
• Karla Höcker (1901–1992), novelist, biographer
• Barbara Honigmann (born 1949), novelist
• Hrotsvith von Gandersheim (c.935–c.1002), dramatist, poet, writing in Latin
• Therese Huber (1764–1829), novelist, short story writer, essayist, translator
• Ricarda Huch (1864–1947), historian, novelist, poet

J

• Margarethe Jodl (1859–1937), writer and women's rights activist

K

• Yadé Kara (born 1965), Turkish-German novelist
• Anna Louisa Karsch (1722–1791), poet, letter writer
• Marie Luise Kaschnitz (1901–1974), leading post-war poet, short story writer, essayist
• Judith Kerr (1923–2019), German-born children's writer in English
• Hedwig Kettler (1851–1937), short story writer, activist, education reformer
• Irmgard Keun (1905–1982), novelist
• Johanna Kinkel (1810–1858), novelist, non-fiction works on music, autobiographer
• Sarah Kirsch (1935–2013), poet, translator
• Karin Kiwus (born 1942), poet
• Ines Köhler-Zülch (1941–2019), folklorist
• Annette Kolb (1870–1967), novelist, pacifist, non-fiction writer
• Gertrud Kolmar (1894–1943), poet
• Clementine Krämer (1873–1942), short story writer, poet, social worker, activist
• Ursula Krechel (born 1947), poet, novelist, playwright, critic
• Brigitte Kronauer (1940–2019), novelist
• Isolde Kurz (1853–1944), acclaimed poet, short story writer

L

• Vera Lachmann (1904–1985), poet, classicist, educator
• Hedwig Lachmann (1865–1918), author, translator and poet
• Nuray Lale (born 1962), Turkish-German writer, translator
• Ruth Landshoff (1904–1966), German-American actress, novelist, poet, columnist, wrote in German and English
• Katja Lange-Müller (born 1951), novelist
• Elisabeth Langgässer (1899–1950), poet, novelist
• Sophie von La Roche (1730–1807), novelist
• Else Lasker-Schüler (1869–1945), poet, playwright
• Gertrud von Le Fort (1876–1971), novelist, poet, essayist
• Katerina Lemmel (1466–1533), letter-writer, nun
• Ellen Lenneck (1851–1880), novelist, short story writer
• Fanny Lewald (1811–1889), novelist, feminist
• Sonia Levitin (born 1934), German-born English-language children's and young adults' writer, essayist
• Sibylle Lewitscharoff (born 1954), novelist
• Mechtilde Lichnowsky (1879–1958), poet, playwright, essayist
• Angela Litschev (born 1978), Bulgarian-born German poet
• Cornelia Lüdecke (born 1954), polar researcher, historian

M

• Heidrun E. Mader (born 1977), German theologian
• Erika Mann (1905–1969), anti-Nazi writer, performer, daughter of Thomas Mann
• E. Marlitt (Eugenie John, 1825–1877), novelist
• Monika Maron (born 1941), essayist, political writer
• Petra Mathers (born 1945), German-born American children's writer, illustrator
• Mechthild of Magdeburg (c.1207–c.1282/94), mystic, writing in Low German
• Mechthild of Hackeborn (1240/41–1298), religious writer in Latin
• Sophie Mereau (1770–1806), novelist, poet
• Malwida von Meysenbug (1816–1903), political writer, memoirist
• Agnes Miegel (1879–1964), journalist, writer, poet
• Jo Mihaly (1902–1989), diarist, novelist, dancer
• Irmtraud Morgner (1933–1990), novelist
• Petra Morsbach (born 1956), novelist
• Lisel Mueller (1924–2020), German-born American poet
• Luise Mühlbach (1814–1873), historical novelist, many works translated into English
• Inge Müller (1925–1966), poet, playwright, children's writer
• Herta Müller (born 1953), Romanian-born German novelist, poet, and essayist, Nobel Prize winner

N

• Benedikte Naubert (1752–1819), historical novelist
• Friederike Caroline Neuber (1697–1760), playwright, actress
• Hildegard Maria Nickel (born 1948), sociologist specializing in gender studies
• Charlotte Niese (1854–1935), non-fiction writer, poet
• Ingrid Noll (born 1935), novelist
• Helga M. Novak (1935–2013), poet, political writer

O

• Katja Oskamp (born 1970), novelist and short story writer
• Louise Otto-Peters (1819–1895), poet, journalist, feminist
• Angelika Overath (born 1957), author, journalist
• Emine Sevgi Özdamar (born 1946), Turkish-born German novelist, playwright

P

• Henriette Paalzow (1788–1847), historical novelist
• Peggy Parnass (born 1927), actress, columnist, court reporter, short story writer, memoirist
• Annette Pehnt (born 1967), literary critic
• Marie Petersen (1816–1859), story writer, author of the fairy tale Princess Ilse
• Luise von Ploennies (1803–1872), poet, translator
• Karla Poewe (born 1941), anthropologist, non-fiction writer
• Luise F. Pusch (born 1944), linguist, feminist, essayist

R

• Elisa von der Recke (Elisabeth Recke) (1754–1833), writer, poet from Courland
• Eva Gabriele Reichmann (1897–1998), historian, works on anti-Semitism
• Brigitte Reimann (1933–1973), novelist
• Annemarie Reinhard (1921–1976), novelist, children's writer
• Christa Reinig (1926–2008), poet, novelist, non-fiction writer, playwright
• Gabriele Reuter (1859–1941), novelist, essayist, children's writer
• Jutta Richter (born 1955), children's writer
• Brigitte Riebe (also Laura Stern) (born 1953), novelist
• Luise Rinser (1911–2002), novelist, autobiographer, children's writer
• Ruth Margarete Roellig (1878–1969), novelist, travel writer, journalist
• Anna Rosmus (born 1960), non-fiction writer, works on Nazi treatment of Jews
• Friederike Roth (born 1948), playwright
• Alice Rühle-Gerstel (1894–1943), journalist, psychologist, feminist
• Anna Rüling, pen name of Theo Anna Sprüngli (1880–1953), journalist, LGBT activist

S

• Lessie Sachs (1897–1942), poet and artist
• Nelly Sachs (1891–1970), poet, playwright
• Rahel Sanzara, (1894–1936), novelist
• Oda Schaefer (1900–1988), poet, journalist
• Maria Sophia Schellhammer (bapt. 1647–1719), cookbook writer
• Caroline Schelling (1763–1809), essayist, critic, correspondent
• Dorothea von Schlegel (1764–1839), novelist, translator
• Elke Schmitter (born 1961), novelist
• Elizabeth of Schönau (1129–1165), visionary writing in Latin
• Amalie Schoppe (1791–1858), children's writer
• Claudia Schoppmann (born 1958), historian, nonfiction writer
• Martina Schradi (born 1972), writer, cartoonist
• Adele Schreiber-Krieger (1872–1957), journalist, screenwriter, politician
• Angelika Schrobsdorff (1927–2016), best selling novelist, actress
• Helga Schubert (born 1940), novelist
• Sibylla Schwarz (1621–1638), Baroque poet
• Anna Seghers (1900–1983), novelist, author of The Seventh Cross
• Marie Simon (1824–1877), nurse and writer
• Angela Sommer-Bodenburg (born 1948), children's writer, author of The Little Vampire
• Gesine Spieß (1945–2016), educationalist specializing in gender studies
• Ilse von Stach (1879–1941), playwright, novelist, poet
• Charlotte von Stein, (1742–1827), dramatist, friend of Goethe
• Gisela Steineckert (born 1931), poet, songwriter
• Ginka Steinwachs (born 1942), novelist, playwright, nonfiction writer
• Eva Strittmatter (1930–2011), poet, children's writer
• Antje Rávic Strubel (born 1974), novelist
• Karin Struck (1947–2006), short story writer, novelist
• Herma Studeny (1886–1973) poet, nonfiction writer

T

• Fanny Tarnow (1779–1862), short story writer, playwright
• Renata Thiele (born c.1960), Polish-born German novelist, short story writer, editor
• Adrienne Thomas, pen name of Hertha A. Deutsch (1897–1980), autobiographical novelist
• Dorothea Tieck (1799–1841), translator of Shakespeare
• Canan Topçu (born 1965), Turkish-German writer, works on Turkish immigration in German

V

• Rahel Varnhagen (1771–1833), essayist, correspondent
• Clara Viebig (1862–1952), novelist, playwright
• Hermine Villinger (1849-1917), novelist and short story writer
• Helene Voigt-Diederichs (1875–1961), travel writer, novelist, short story writer

W

• Marianne Weber (1870–1954), women's rights activist, nonfiction writer
• Ruth Weiss (1928–2020), German-born American poet, performer, playwright
• Anna Elisabet Weirauch (1887–1970), playwright, novelist
• Ruth Westheimer (born Karola Siegel, 1928), German-American sex therapist, talk show host, author, professor, Holocaust survivor, and former Haganah sniper.
• Ottilie Wildermuth (1817–1877), children's writer, novelist, biographer
• Gabriele Wohmann (1932–2015), novelist, short story writer
• Christa Wolf (1929–2011), novelist, critic, essayist
• Caroline von Wolzogen (1763–1847), novelist, biographer
• Mathilde Wurm (1874–1935), politician, journalist

Y

• Barbara Yelin (born 1977), cartoonist

Z

• Sidonia Hedwig Zäunemann (1711–1740), poet
• Susanna Elizabeth Zeidler (1657–c.1706), poet
• Juli Zeh (born 1974), novelist, author of Eagles and Angels
• Eva Zeller (1923–2022), poet, novelist
• Hedda Zinner (also Elisabeth Frank, 1905–1994), political writer
• Kathinka Zitz-Halein (1801–1877), poet, biographer
• Unica Zürn (1916–1970), poet, artist

See also

• List of women writers
• List of Austrian women writers
• List of Swiss women writers
• List of Luxembourg women writers
• List of German-language authors