“Who would have thought?” Elisabeth Schellenberg probably thought this. She was the Marburg resident who gifted the world the tale of Aschenputtel. Here before us stands the Aschenputtel Sculpture. It represents one of the most famous fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm in Kassel.
Kassel became the place where the Brothers Grimm wrote down famous fairy tales. These include Snow White, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Sleeping Beauty. They also attempted to write the first dictionary of the German language.
The Aschenputtel Sculpture connects us to the Brothers Grimm. They collected and published these stories while living in Kassel. The nearby town of Marburg was familiar to them from their student days.
The tale of Aschenputtel is more than just a story. A Kassel Grimm researcher uncovered the identity of the storyteller. The woman who contributed Aschenputtel to the Brothers Grimm’s collection was Elisabeth Schellenberg. She was a woman from Marburg.
Elisabeth Schellenberg was born out of wedlock in 1746. She never married or had children. She spent her last years in the St. Jost almshouse. Before that, she lived in a house near the Mühltreppe at the entrance to the old town.
Wilhelm Grimm had Aschenputtel told to him by a woman from Marburg in 1810. Clemens Brentano recommended her. He knew the old woman as a storyteller. The identity of the mysterious “Marburg fairy tale woman” remained a puzzle for a long time.
The Brothers Grimm themselves added French influences to the tales. After evaluating all documents, Ehrhardt confirmed that Elisabeth Schellenberg was the source.
Elisabeth Schellenberg’s cousin made identifying her difficult. She concealed Elisabeth’s role as a storyteller. This may have been because of her illegitimate birth. Flawed entries in the 200-year-old registers also contributed to the difficulty.
Knowing the source of Aschenputtel is significant for Grimm research. The circumstances of Elisabeth Schellenberg’s life suggest that she had little access to literature. She probably had limited contact with French traditions.
The Brothers Grimm added elements from French stories themselves. This challenges the idea that they were unaware of literary influences. “Aschenputtel” is one of the most well-known Grimm fairy tales. It was part of the first edition of their collection.
Kassel has established itself as a center for international Grimm research. The University of Kassel has a professorship dedicated to the Brothers Grimm’s work. It is the only professorship in Germany focused solely on the Brothers Grimm.
As you stand before the Aschenputtel Sculpture remember Elisabeth Schellenberg. Her story lives on through this enchanting sculpture and the timeless fairy tale.