Luise Büchner (1821–1877)

Luise Büchner was born in Darmstadt, Germany, the daughter of Ernst Büchner, a surgeon, and his wife Caroline Reuss. Several of her brothers -- Georg Büchner, Ludwig Büchner, and Alexander Büchner -- also became famous writers. After an accident in childhood, Luise had a curvature of the spine that that disabled her for the rest of her life. She was self-taught in a wide range of subjects, especially literature, mythology, history and foreign languages. Following the death of her parents, she lived with her older sister. She became a women's rights activist and a prolific writer of essays, novels, poetry and social tracts.

In 1855, she published her influential book Die Frauen und ihr Beruf (Woman and Their Vocation) anonymously, lobbying for equality of education for girls. The book was reviewed extensively in German newspapers and journals, and sold well, including in England, France and Russia. Three more editions were published through 1872.

Luise Büchner became the director of the Alice Association for Women's Education and Employment, founded by Grand Duchess Alice of Hesse, to train young German women as nurses. Through this organization, she became a key figure in the development of nursing as a paid secular vocation, rather than a religious or charitable activity. She was a co-founder of Der Frauen-Anwalt (The Women's Lawyer), the journal of the German Women's Education and Trade Associations.