Letter from Kathe Schirmacher to May Wright Sewall.

SCHRIMACHER, KAETTHE JAN 15 1893

[25?], January 1893

Dear Madam!

You were so kind to send to Frau Dr. Heidfeld, President of our ? Women's Association, which I myself am a mbmer of - a copy of the [?] address of the World's Congress Auxiliary, asking her at the same time to suggest subjects of papers and the names of German women that ought to take a part in the May Congress at Chicago.

Frau Dr. Heidfelt, knowing the great interest I take in the Woman's Question in general and the Chicago Exhibition in particular, has charged me to answer your questions as best I can - an opportunity I avail myself of with great pleasure.

The subject I would ventur to propose to you is:

Character of the [true?] of the modern woman. Mark the difference between her and the [?] [?] society woman. the judgement of Germany as modern women

Why is marriage less attractive to and less easy to be attained by the modern woman, particularly in Germany.

As to ladies from Danzig that might take part in the May Congress at Chicago, Frau Dr. Heidfeld wants me to tell you, that we have no first class notoriety, we could send over, and that on the whole it is not very likely anybody from our town will go to America on that purpose.

Yet at Frau Dr. Heidfeld has charged me to answer your letter, as she knows what kind interest I take in the Exhibition, as she sent me this [?] to Berlin as a delegate from Danzig [Frauerwohl?] to take part in the celebrations of the German Women on their participation in the Chicago Exhibition. I think I do not quite [?] her intention if I take the liberty of [?] the following question to you: Would you have us joining in the May Congress?

If I have not yet attained a well acknowledged position in Germany, yet I am already to a certain extent known by my essays, my first book: Liberty! by my general activity towards the formation of the Woman [?]. As you will already have guessed from the choice of my subjects, I am myself a modern woman and a young one, in a very old part of an old world, where it is not easy to make one's way.

How ever since I heard of the Chicago Exhibition my "schulichster wurisch" has been to be able to go to Chicago and see it. Yes, as I have not the money to undertake the journey of my own expense, I had to look for an opening, an opportunity and it was all so [?] for that until now I did not succeed.

Please, dear Madam, could you and would you perhaps tell me if you see any possibility

of my coming over to Chicago? What is for interesting the [?] meaning of the words: The National Council of Woman of the United States pledged themselves to [entertain?] driving the Congress the degeates ? it from foriegn counties?

Please let me know about it, I am so eager to [?] to me and to help. I should so like to come [?] into contract with you, your work and ideas. I think too it would not be to bad an investment of capital and humanity would profit by in of I had the opportunity of seeing great things and afterwards using [?] in the service of a cause I am most truly devoted to.

I am, dear Madam, Yours very sincerely Kathe Schirmacher

4 [?] [?] by Danzig, Prussia.