Sophie von La Roche

Sophie von La Roche, around 1774, Freies Deutsches Hochstift / Goethe Museum Frankfurt

The writer Sophie La Roche (1730–1807) lived in Ehrenbreitstein for ten years and created a meeting place for those interested in literature and art in her house. After her husband Georg Michael La Roche (1720–1788) was appointed as a conference councilor to the court of the Trier Elector Clemens Wenzeslaus (1739–1812) in 1771, the La Roche family moved to Ehrenbreitstein to the house at Hofstrasse 262. The house was located near the Philippsburg, the Elector’s residence and the Directorial Building, the headquarters of the authorities.

The whole family came together again in Ehrenbreitstein. The two daughters Maximiliane (1756–1793) and Lulu (1759–1832) had been brought up in a monastery in Strasbourg up to this point and their son Fritz (1757 –around 1814) was brought up by Sophie’s cousin, the writer Christoph Martin Wieland (1733–1813). Sophie took the latter’s first visit to Ehrenbreitstein as an opportunity to invite a circle of poets. This was the first of many visits by writers and intellectuals to Ehrenbreitstein. From then on the La Roches ran a welcoming house with changing visitors who often stayed for several days. Members of the court and well-known families from Koblenz and the surrounding area were among their circle of friends and acquaintances such as the families of Baron von Stein, Count von Eltz and von Lassaulx. This led to stimulating meetings between authors, scientists and people interested in literature.

Sophie La Roche created a space for sophisticated conversation, literature and readings in Ehrenbreitstein which can be seen as a forerunner of the famous 19th century salons of Henriette Herz (1764–1847) and Rahel Varnhagen (1771–1833).

(Image and text [slightly adapted] taken from: Koelges, B.: Sophie La Roche and Clemens Brentano in Ehrenbreitstein und Koblenz. In: von der Bank, M. [Hrsg.][2020]: Museum Mother Beethoven House. Petersberg 2020)