Dorothea Erxleben was not the first woman in Germany to practice medicine, but she was the first to receive a doctorate in the subject. Born Dorothea Leporin in Quedlinburg in 1715, she faced systemic barriers that her brothers did not. When he first applied to Halle University, he was rejected. Your brother? You signed up without any problems.
King’s intervention
Erxleben did not accept rejection. He remained stubborn and bypassed the university officials by appealing directly to King Frederick II. The monarch, known for his sophistication and sensitivity, listened. He gave him permission to study medicine at Halle. This was a rarity in the mid-18th century. Despite the hostility of established male doctors who objected to her presence, she continued. In 1754, she became the first woman in Germany to receive a doctorate in medicine. It took another 150 years before women in Prussia received official university rights, finally in 1908.
Father’s influence
His ambition was clear from childhood. Erxleben wanted to become a doctor, following his father’s example. She accompanied him on home visits and helped with treatments. He learned Latin and acquired important medical knowledge at an early age. When the universities closed their doors to him in 1740, he was at a loss. She expressed her frustration in writing, pointing out the hypocrisy of wanting intelligent women while denying them the opportunity to develop their intellect.
To strengthen his qualifications, he studied at an academy for children of low-income parents, which his father helped found. This preparatory education lasted until a royal decree allowed him to attend university.
Balancing motherhood and medicine
A striking detail that is often overlooked is his personal life during his academic career. When Erxleben completed her doctorate, she was already a mother of nine children. She is considered an early prototype of the working mother who balances work and family. Hänen tarinansa osoittaa, kuinka yksilöllinen sinnikkyys voi voittaa syvälle juurtuneet institutionaaliset ennakkoluulot, vaikka oikeudelliset puitteet eivät tue.
Hänen perintönsä ei ole vain hänen ansaitsemansa tutkinto, vaan myös polku, jonka hän määräsi häntä seuranneille, olipa se kuinka kapea tahansa. The doors he opened had been difficult to pass through for centuries, but still they were open.
