344:
320:. Three surviving letters from Margaretha to her father show that her health declined steadily over the next few years and she died at the age of 21 in March 1554. Rumors held that her death was caused by poison. However, unlike Snow White, Margaretha's stepmother could not have been involved since her father's second wife died in 1546 and he only remarried again in October 1554.
387:, located just west of Lohr and set among seven mountains. The smallest tunnels could only be accessed by very short miners, who often wore bright hoods, as the dwarfs have frequently been depicted over the years. The Lohr study group maintains that the glass coffin may be linked to the region's famous glassworks, while the poisoned apple may be associated with the deadly
359:
which claimed to trace the real-life inspirations of Hansel and Gretel, he created a tongue-in-cheek theory that Snow White was Maria Sophia
Margarethe Catharina, Baroness von und zu Erthal, born in Lohr on 25 June 1725. Her father, Philipp Christoph von und zu Erthal, was the local representative of
71:
According to
Christine Shojaei Kawan, the Grimms' version of the tale combines stories collected from at least three different informants: their friend Marie Hassenpflug and the collectors Ferdinand Siebert and Heinrich Leopold Stein. The Grimms also knew of eight other German variants. One theory
367:
In 1992, Bartels' fellow theorist and local museum head Werner Loibl analyzed a surviving letter from the stepmother, Claudia
Elisabeth von Reichenstein, which revealed that she answered Philipp Christoph's mail and handled important decisions while he was traveling abroad. Based on this, Loibl
334:
Sander theorized that other elements of the fairy tale were drawn from local folklore and different members of
Margaretha's family. For instance, the wicked mother figure paralleled the relationship of Margaretha's sister-in-law and niece, and the wedding of Snow White paralleled the wedding of
402:
Virtually no serious scholars agree with Sander's or
Bartels's theories. As stated by Professor Donald Haase, "There have been a couple of attempts to show that the story of Snow White is based on the fate of a historical figure, but they are pure speculation and not at all convincing."
371:
Mirrors made in Lohr were said to always tell the truth due to their high quality and smooth surfaces that were unusually clear for the time. Lohr Castle was home to one such mirror during the time that Maria Sophia's stepmother lived there. Supporters of the theory compared it to the
31:
known across much of the world. There has been debate over possible origins of the tale and whether it could be an amalgam of other stories, have mythical roots, or be inspired by a real person. It falls within the classification of Type 709 in the
759:
Das 'Lohrer
Schneewittchen' – Zur Fabulologie eines Märchens. Ein Beitrag zu: Christian Grandl/ Kevin J.McKenna, (eds.) Bis dat, qui cito dat. Gegengabe in Paremiology, Folklore, Language, and Literature. Honoring Wolfgang Mieder on His Seventieth
110:
in 1915, folklorists have noted that the tale of Snow White (and by extension, tale type ATU 709) shows a combination of motifs present in other folktales: the children in the woods (ATU 327, "Children and the Ogre" and or
218:(Snow White: Fairy Tale or True Story?), claiming he had uncovered an account that may have inspired the Grimms' fairy tale. After hearing a tour guide claim that workers in the mining town of Bergfreiheit had inspired the
368:
extrapolated that she was domineering and favored her children from her first marriage. Also in 1992, Loibl unveiled a Snow White-themed exhibit at the
Spessart Museum in Lohr Castle (once owned by Philipp Christoph).
410:
also noted that Maria Sophia von Erthal was born too late to have significant influence on the fairy tale, with motifs like the glass coffin already appearing in literature by the 17th century.
316:, son of Charles V, arrived at his aunt's court in 1549. He reportedly pursued Margaretha during the few months he was there, as well, though no official relationship could occur, as she was
206:. These two towns stood out by connecting the fairy tale to local historical figures, namely 16th-century countess Margaretha von Waldeck and 18th-century baroness Maria Sophia von Erthal.
56:
786:
Loibl, Werner (2016). Der Vater der fürstbischöflichen
Erthals – Philipp Christoph von und zu Erthal (1689–1748). Geschichts- und Kunstverein Aschaffenburg e.V., Aschaffenburg 2016.
186:
and raped her in her sleep. Then Apollo, disguised as an old crone, approached her and raped her again. This led Chione to openly boast that she was more beautiful than the goddess
443:
Jacob Grimm & Wilhelm Grimm: Kinder- und Hausmärchen; Band 1, 7. Ausgabe (children's and households fairy tales, volume 1, 7th edition). Dietrich, Göttingen 1857, page 264–273.
331:(Snow White Village) as part of its tourism industry. Like the fairy tale's dwarfs, the child laborers there used to live in large groups (about 20) in a single room house.
72:
holds that Snow White was an original creation by the Grimms’ younger brother
Ferdinand. However, this is disproven by the existence of earlier adaptations such as “
327:
in the mine. Sander connected the residence of the seven dwarfs to the former copper-mining village
Bergfreiheit, now a district of Bad Wildungen that calls itself
286:
506:
Goldberg, Christine (1993). "Review of Steven Swann Jones: The New Comparative Method: Structural and Symbolic Analysis of the Allomotifs of 'Snow White'".
323:
Margaretha's father owned several copper mines. A majority of workers were children, and Sander suggested that the legendary seven dwarfs were inspired by
814:
803:
Werner Loibl, Schneewittchens herrische Stiefmutter (The domineering stepmother of Snow White), Lohrer Echo, 28 August 1992 with further references.
394:
Despite the joking origins of Bartels's theory, it became popular as a marketing tactic for the local town. Maria's gravestone was found in 2019.
198:
Several German towns have laid claim to the origins of the fairy tale as part of tourism campaigns. As of 2009, the most active and well-known were
222:, Sander set out to prove that Snow White had originated in that area. According to Sander, the character of Snow White was based on the life of
884:
873:
791:
771:
741:
633:
656:
Lauer, Bernhard (2009). "Wem gehört 'Schneewittchen'?: Ein Beitrag zur Verortung von Märchenstoffen und zur Herausbildung von Stereotypen".
297:. Margaretha's presence at the court was partially meant to improve the relationship of her father with the emperor and help the release of
623:
262:
33:
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419:
356:
124:
542:
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Scholar Graham Anderson suggested that the story of Snow White had ancient mythical roots and compared it to the Roman legend of
174:
means "Snow" in Greek and, in the story, she is described as the most beautiful woman in the land, so beautiful that the gods
243:
157:
431:
Grudrun Anne Dekker, Schneewittchen: blonde Tochter einer Adligen aus Ostfriesland: Eine historische Spurensuche, BoD 2013.
294:
298:
77:
144:, in his commentaries, considered "Snow White" a later tale influenced or contaminated by these other stories. Scholar
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Böklen also shows that there has been extraordinary borrowing from other tales with similar motifs.
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reached a similar conclusion regarding the story after comparing European and African variants.
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in Lohr, and may have been in the castle as early as 1719. It can still be viewed there today.
355:, was part of a "study group" made up of friends who met regularly at a local pub. Inspired by
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364:. After the death of Maria Sophia's birth mother in 1738, her father remarried in 1743.
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Frankfurt am Main, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Warszawa, Wien. pp. 491–503.
590:. Perhaps it is not without significance that AaTh/ATU 709 is classified in the section
475:
145:
85:
45:
83:
Some earlier recorded tales share elements of the Snow White story, such as the Malay
68:) and numbered as Tale 53. They completed their final revision of the story in 1854.
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Margaretha's nephew. Both Margaretha's niece and niece-in-law shared her name.
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Schneewittchen: Märchen oder Wahrheit? : ein lokaler Bezug zum Kellerwald
388:
308:
At court, several high-ranking men vied for Margaretha's attention, including
134:
120:
28:
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736:. Geschichts- und Museumsverein Lohr a. Main, Lohr a. Main; second edition.
257:(1510–1546). Perhaps soon after, Margaretha was sent to be raised at nearby
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herself, resulting in Diana shooting her through the tongue with an arrow.
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both fell in love with her. Mercury put her to sleep with the touch of his
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915:
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published Snow White in 1812 in the first edition of their collection
953:"Innovation, Persistence and Self-Correction: The Case of Snow White"
455:"Innovation, Persistence and Self-Correction: The Case of Snow White"
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in "Snow White." It was constructed by the Mirror Manufacture of the
175:
519:
351:
Karlheinz Bartels, a pharmacist from Lohr am Main in northwestern
342:
868:. Geschichts- und Kunstverein Aschaffenburg, Aschaffenburg 2012.
609:
161:
586:
is an amalgamation of the archaic form of magic tales and the
383:
The dwarfs in Maria's story are also linked to a mining town,
844:"Das 'Lohrer Schneewittchen': Zur Fabulologie eines Märchens"
594:(AaTh/ATU 700–749) because it does not fit properly into the
866:
Die kurmainzische Spiegelmanufaktur Lohr am Main (1698–1806)
301:, who had been imprisoned in Brussels for his role in the
556:
Schmidt, Sigrid (December 2008). "Snow White in Africa".
269:("seven hills") to live with her mother's brother Johann
406:
Bartels’ theory in particular is recognized as a joke.
214:
In 1994, the German historian Eckhard Sander published
815:"Schneewittchen nach Vierteljahrhundert noch gefragt"
253:
By 1539, Margaretha had a stepmother, Katharina von
234:(1493–1574) and his first wife, Countess Margaret
115:"); a heroine cursed into a deep sleep (ATU 410, "
658:Hessische Blätter für Volks- und Kulturforschung
546:. London: G. Putnam and Sons. 1916. pp. 260–261.
250:city documents, she was famous for her beauty.
851:Paremiology, Folklore, Language, and Literature
482:. University of California Press. p. 124.
898:Schneewittchen – Zur Fabulologie Des Spessarts
734:Schneewittchen – Zur Fabulologie des Spessarts
912:"'Snow White' gravestone surfaces in Germany"
8:
106:Beginning with Ernst Böklen's seminal study
673:
671:
436:
951:Kawan, Christine Shojaei (2005–2006).
934:"Snow White becomes a girl-power icon"
691:
689:
453:Kawan, Christine Shojaei (2005–2006).
281:. In 1549, her father sent her to the
216:Schneewittchen: Märchen oder Wahrheit?
927:
925:
837:
835:
7:
813:Möhler, Thomas Josef (3 June 2015).
265:. In 1545, she traveled through the
263:Philip III, Count of Nassau-Weilburg
127:"); a house in the woods (ATU 451, "
347:A Lohr am Main statue of Snow White
119:"); treacherous sisters (ATU 510, "
14:
420:The Truth About Hansel and Gretel
391:that grows in abundance in Lohr.
125:One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes
508:The Journal of American Folklore
398:Criticism of historical theories
932:Stewart, Sara (25 March 2012).
592:Other Tales of the Supernatural
625:Fairytale in the ancient world
244:Edzard I, Count of East Frisia
1:
612:, Metamorphoses, Book XI, 289
295:Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
299:Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
18:Influences on the fairy tale
896:Bartels, Karlheinz (1990).
732:Bartels, Karlheinz (2012).
1021:
960:Estudos de Literatura Oral
842:Wolfgang, Vorwerk (2015).
757:Vorwerk, Wolfgang (2015).
462:Estudos de Literatura Oral
34:Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index
622:Anderson, Graham (2000).
582:It would seem to me that
242:(1500–1537), daughter of
78:Johann Karl August Musäus
678:Sander, Eckhard (1994).
310:Lamoral, Count of Egmont
339:Maria Sophia von Erthal
64:(in modern orthography
864:Loibl, Werner (2012).
348:
224:Margaretha von Waldeck
210:Margaretha von Waldeck
194:Historical inspiration
61:
570:10.1515/FABL.2008.021
346:
108:Schneewittchenstudien
76:”, a 1782 version by
291:Habsburg Netherlands
279:Limburg, Netherlands
543:Europa's Fairy Book
378:Electorate of Mainz
142:Europa's Fairy Book
54:. It was titled in
51:Grimms' Fairy Tales
990:Germany in fiction
985:German fairy tales
349:
329:Schneewittchendorf
289:, governor of the
152:Mythical parallels
938:The New York Post
885:978-3-87965-117-7
875:978-3-87965-116-0
792:978-3-87965-126-9
773:978-3-631-64872-8
743:978-3-934128-40-8
704:Dekker, pp. 31–32
635:978-0-415-23702-4
408:Ruth Bottigheimer
389:nightshade poison
277:, in present-day
275:Valkenburg Castle
232:Waldeck-Wildungen
113:Hansel and Gretel
89:and the Italian “
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1000:Folklore studies
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357:a previous hoax
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312:. Crown Prince
287:Mary of Hungary
273:(1506–1572) at
246:. According to
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146:Sigrid Schmidt
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86:Syair Bidasari
66:Schneewittchen
46:Brothers Grimm
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27:" is a German
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102:Amalgamation
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1005:ATU 700-749
980:Fairy tales
360:the Prince
325:child labor
230:, Count of
170:. The name
995:Snow White
974:Categories
853:: 491–503.
764:Peter Lang
664:: 390–425.
584:Snow White
426:References
135:Folklorist
123:", and , "
121:Cinderella
29:fairy tale
24:Snow White
819:Main-Echo
578:161823801
285:court of
228:Philip IV
57:‹See Tfd›
916:Fox News
760:Birthday
478:(1977).
414:See also
318:Lutheran
283:Brussels
271:Cirksena
259:Weilburg
255:Hatzfeld
236:Cirksena
184:caduceus
97:Theories
74:Richilde
60:German:
824:26 June
641:4 April
353:Bavaria
180:Mercury
40:History
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558:Fabula
528:541351
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385:Bieber
314:Philip
176:Apollo
172:Chione
158:Chione
956:(PDF)
847:(PDF)
574:S2CID
524:JSTOR
458:(PDF)
188:Diana
140:, in
881:ISBN
870:ISBN
826:2022
788:ISBN
768:ISBN
738:ISBN
643:2017
630:ISBN
610:Ovid
484:ISBN
202:and
178:and
162:Ovid
131:").
44:The
566:doi
516:doi
512:106
238:of
164:'s
93:”.
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