Justine Siegemund published the first German textbook on obstetrics in 1690. Plagued by the ignorance of other midwives at the age of 21, she devoted herself to the profession. Justine Siegemund was a midwife who self-taught her way from village midwife to court midwife at the Brandenburg court. In the 17th century she also published the first German textbook for midwives.

The success story of the Lower Silesian midwife began with an alleged pregnancy. The agony that she implied and the ignorance of the midwives who attended her prompted the woman, born on December 26, 1636 in Rohnstock, near Jauer, to delve into the midwifery profession. Justine Siegemund: How did she become a midwife? At the age of 21, Justine Siegemund was mistaken for pregnant. According to Wikipedia and deutsche-biographie.de, the midwives urged the daughter of the Protestant pastor Elias Dittrich for several days until it finally turned out that the young woman was not pregnant at all.

To spare other women similar suffering, she took up the profession of midwife. She taught herself her trade, through books and illustrations. For 12 years, when she was 25, she helped rural women deliver their children safely. Justine Siegemund’s reputation preceded her, even in aristocratic circles.

In 1670 she was summoned to Liegnitz to work as a midwife, and later, in 1683, to Berlin by the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm as the so-called “Kurbrandenburgische Hofwehemutter”. Justine Siegemund also worked on other farms, including in Friesland and the Netherlands.

obstetrics:

Justine Siegemund published the first German-language textbook Thanks to her many years of experience, Justine Siegemund was able to publish the first German-language obstetrics textbook. According to deutsche-biographie.de, the midwife received her license to practice medicine from the Frankfurt medical school on March 28, 1689.

Justine Siegemund’s textbook has several editions and in 1756 received the title “The Royal Prussian and Kurbrandenburgische Hofwehemutter”. Already in 1691 her book was translated into Dutch. In her work, Justine Siegemund described the course of a birth, explained the position of the child’s face and pelvis, and described various examinations and hand movements.

That was Justine Siegemund

Justine Siegemund was a midwife living in Germany in the 17th century. She was born on December 26, 1636 in Rohnstock near Jauer and is considered the author of the first German textbook for midwives. Due to the ignorance of other midwives that she experienced at the age of 21, she dedicated herself to the midwifery profession.

He learned the trade in a self-taught way, through books and illustrations. For 12 years, when she was 25, she helped rural women deliver their children safely. Justine Siegemund’s reputation preceded her, even in aristocratic circles. In 1670 she was summoned to Liegnitz to work as a midwife, and later, in 1683, to Berlin by the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm as the so-called “Chur Brandenburgische Hofwehemutter”. Justine Siegemund has also worked at other courts, including Friesland and the Netherlands.

Thanks to her many years of experience, Justine Siegemund was able to publish the first German textbook for midwives. According to the German biography, she also received her license to practice medicine from the Frankfurt medical faculty on March 28, 1689.

Justine Siegemund’s textbook has several editions and in 1756 was titled “The Royal Prussian and Kurbrandenburgische Hofwehemutter”. Already in 1691 her book was translated into Dutch. In her work, Justine Siegemund described the course of a birth, explained the position of the child’s face and pelvis, and described various examinations and hand movements.

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