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.

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