Berlin woman of choice - Luise Greger

For my woman of choice in Berlin, I decided to write about Luise Greger. Today we visited where her house used to be, and where a small “monument” is on the ground to remember her. MaryAnn told us a lot about her, and I learned a ton! She was born in 1862, and when she was six she started taking piano lessons. At age 10, she was good enough that she played for the Tsar of Russia. She even started composing herself at age 12. She got married in her mid 20s to Ludwig Greger. She had three sons and was performing, playing, and teaching to add to family income. She got divorced in 1911 but still was supporting herself through these ways. She eventually got too old and moved into an old folks home because she couldn’t support herself anymore. She was euthanized by the Nazis because she was, as they saw it, not productive and didn’t do anything to society anymore. 


I think there are many things that made Luise Greger’s contribution important. All of her achievements had an impact on the world of classical music. Due to gender bias, her work was often overlooked. Although, she was so talented that she challenged these norms and paved a path for future female composers. By going into a male-dominated field, she helped to slowly change perceptions and opinions about women’s capabilities in this field. Her contributions have been recognized as crucial in broadening the diversity and inclusivity of the classical music world.   


In my opinion, I don’t think that Luise Greger has been commemorated very well. First, she has a small piece on the ground where her house used to be. Second, as MaryAnn told us, she has a music school named after her in her hometown in Germany. I think this is a fitting tribute for her contributions, as it celebrates and focuses on her impact on music and the arts. However, besides this, there is limited recognition. I think there could be a lot more done to recognize her achievements and how much she impacted not only her time, but future generations as well.


Slay!

Sophie



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