BorninBerlin,HeleneSchweitzercameofageinStrasbourgduringatimeofgreatsocial,architectural,andhistoricaldevelopments.Itwasinthisculturalmilieu,asahistoryprofessor’sdaughter,thatHelenemetayoungpastornamedAlbertSchweitzer(1875-1965)anddevelopedadeepfriendshipthatflourishedforadecadebeforetheirmarriagein1912.Duringthoseyears,sheservedasthefirstwomanInspectorofCityOrphanagesinStrasbourg,apositionsheheldforfouryearsbeforebecomingacertifiednurse.ShealsoeditedandproofreadanumberofSchweitzer’sbooksinmultiplefieldsastheyworkedtogethertorealizetheirshareddreamofdevotingtheirlivestohumanity.Togetherin1913,AlbertandHeleneSchweitzerfoundedwhatisnowthelongest-runninghospitalestablishedbyEuropeansinAfrica,theAlbertSchweitzerHospitalincurrent-dayGabon.Withherquietstrength,clearsenseofpurpose,independentspirit,andwiderangeofskillsandtalents,HelenewasamodelformanyotherwomenwholaterservedtheSchweitzerHospital.Drawinguponthecouple’slifelongcorrespondence,aswellasHelene’sjournalsandprofessionalwriting,Marxsenrevealsamodernwomanofcourageindarktimeswhoseresilient,optimisticspiritallowedhertoleavealastinglegacythathasyettobefullyunderstood.HeleneSchweitzer’sdramaticliferevealsdeeperquestionsofhowmemoryisinfluencedbygenderassumptionsandhowbiographyisshapedbyplaceandhistory.Byprovidingacounter-narrativetothetraditionalimageofafrailwomanwhosacrificedherlifetoherhusband’sgenius,thisrichlydetailedchronicleofalittle-knownfigureinvitesalargerdiscussionaboutthemeaningofawoman’slifeobscuredbyapartner’sfame.
