Marie von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind the Making of On War

by Vanya Eftimova Bellinger

The marriage between Carl von Clausewitz and Countess Marie von Brühl was a remarkable intellectual partnership. Many historians have noted the instrumental role Marie played in the creation, development, and particularly in the posthumous editing and publishing of Clausewitz's opus, On War, which remains the seminal text on military theory and strategic thinking. Highly intelligent and politically engaged, Marie was also deeply involved in her husband's military career and advancement, and in the nationalist politics of 19th-century Prussia. Yet apart from peripheral consideration of her obvious influence on Clausewitz and on the preservation of his legacy, very little has been written about Marie herself.

In Marie von Clausewitz, Vanya Eftimova Bellinger proposes to address this oversight, capitalizing on the recent discovery of a vast archive of material―including hundreds of previously unknown letters between Marie and Clausewitz―to produce the first complete biography of this understudied figure. Delving into the private correspondence between the two, Bellinger shows how Marie, a highly educated woman of Prussia's upper echelon, broadened Clausewitz's understanding of the cultural and political processes of the time; provided him with insights into the practical side of daily politics; sharpened his writing style; and served as the catalyst for his ideas. The depth of her influence on and contribution to Clausewitz's theoretical writings, Bellinger argues, is greater than historians have previously suggested. Bellinger also establishes Marie as an impressive figure in her own right, both politically outspoken and socially adept at moving among the ranks of Prussian nobility. The marriage between Marie, an intimate of the royal family, and Clausewitz, an obscure young lieutenant with dubious claims to nobility, allows Bellinger to engage in a broader discussion of gender and class relations in 19th-century Europe; and her study of their epistolary debates also sheds light on the political climate of the time, particularly incipient German nationalist fervor.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, 19th Century

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carl von Clausewitz’s work On War occupies a central place in the canon of literature on military strategy and international relations, yet few who have read it are likely to know that Carl’s wife, Marie, co-produced many of his ideas as well as the writing (the now-famous phrase “war is a continuation of politics by other means” was written in his notes in her hand, for example).

Drawing on newly discovered letters between Marie and Carl as well as other archival materials, this excellent biography unearths this history of this seminal (intentional word choice!) work, demonstrating that Marie was Carl’s treasured and highly respected intellectual partner, not simply a glorified secretary who gathered and published his papers upon his death.

This is mandatory reading for anyone who wants to understand the ideas behind On War.

[Rosa Angelone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and interesting overview of Prussia in the Napoleonic Wars from the perspective of Marie von Clausewitz and her husband's letters. She was a skilled courtier and networker and he of course an observer of the new nationalistic and populist views were shaping war and politics. This book made me want to break out the big maps and set up soldiers as I followed the Clauewitzs across middle Europe. The author makes an excellent case for Marie's involvement with her husbands thinking. Correspondence newly discovered while Bellinger wrote the book makes for a depth of reading to rival a novel.

[B.szoke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good book. I enjoyed the look it gave into the lives of a thoroughly modern couple, who were partners not just in marriage but intellectually as well.
Based on newly discovered letters between the two of them, which were kept by the family for centuries, they reveal the character of both Carl and Marie and paint a fascinating picture of life during the Napoleonic wars. Above all, I like how Bellinger ties in the gradual conception of On War, and how their lives influenced the writing of Clausewitz's masterpiece.

[Lorissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So often women's contributions to history are overshadowed if not erased by the men who stood and stand in the spotlight. Bellinger's biography of Marie von Clausewitz is a long overdue and compelling portrait of the woman who helped shape and define modern warfare. An excellent read for anyone interested in military history.

[J.C. Eberdt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fascinating. It offers insights not only into the way Carl von Clausewitz came by his vision which he could never have achieved such ageless insight without Marie's intellectual support, but also an insight into 19th century life, pre-German history and a very special couple.

I would say reading this is essential to anyone who is interested in On War.

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

on war

For those of us that have read or been subjected to von Clausewitz quotes this is a must read. An interesting behind the scenes look at the times and conditions in which this important text was created.

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl von Clausewitz was a Prussian general known for his unfinished work On War. It was his wife Marie von Clausewitz who edited his works and had them published. Yet despite this fact, Marie von Clausewitz’s accomplishments had on this has been glimpsed over and her influence has been greatly undermined. In this first biography of Marie von Clausewitz, Marie has been given the spotlight. This book not only discusses her accomplishments but it also showed how she has helped influenced Carl’s work, On War.

Marie von Clausewitz was the daughter of a nobleman and was a member of the royal court where she served as lady-in-waiting. When Marie married Carl von Clausewitz, she had actually married down. Carl was not of noble blood and he was an officer in the Prussian army. Yet after two years of flirtation and after much time of consideration, Marie agreed to marry him. It would be years until they finally married, but when they did it was a happy one. The reason that Marie chose to marry him was because he treated her as an equal intellectually. He let her be actively involved in politics. Marie was an intellectual and was very much allowed to share her views of politics. She also accompanied her husband to the battlefield. It was through these ideas and experiences that helped influence Carl’s unfinished work, On War.

Overall, this biography gives us a different perspective of Marie von Clausewitz, who has often been in the background to many historians. In fact I did not really know much about Marie, I have only heard of Carl von Clausewitz and his classic work, On War. Reading this biography was an eye-opener. It showed us how influential Marie was on his works and her accomplishments. It also showed us the deep respect Marie and Carl had for each other. They loved each other's intellect, and even discussed political views they had at the time. This book is not only a good biography, but I also thought it gave a comprehensive look at the politics and social issues of Germany during their era. While this book is comprehensive to the average reader, it is very dry. I found the book writing style to be dull at times, so occasionally I stopped reading this biography and started reading another book and then come back to it later on. Still, I find this book to be a great tribute to a fascinating woman, and I hope that there will be more biographies of this subject. Marie von Clausewitz is just as important as Carl von Clausewitz, and hopefully history will give her the credit she deserves.
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t say that this was one of the most riveting biographies I’ve ever read, but it’s a well-researched and comprehensive one, and I like wandering along the byways of history at times so enjoyed discovering Marie von Clausewitz, a woman who has unfairly had little attention paid to her before this biography. Carl von Clausewitz is still renowned for his magisterial work “On War” which remains an important text on military strategy. What is less well known is that Marie was not only his much loved wife but an important contributor to Clausewitz’s thinking and the writing of the book. At a time when women were often marginalised, Marie broke out of the familial and societal constraints that might have hemmed her in and became an integral part of her husband’s life, and in fact prepared the manuscript for publication after Carl’s untimely death. A good solid scholarly but accessible biography that uncovers a little bit of forgotten history.

[Gio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Von Clausewitz is little more than a footnote in the history of "On War", the famous military treatise written by her husband Carl. This biography aims to change that and show the influence Marie had on the shaping, editing and publishing of the work.

Marie was the daughter of a nobleman who served at court as a lady-in-waiting when she met Carl, an officer in the Prussian army. To the eyes of the world, when she married him, she married down. But in fact, she married her equal. Carl always treated as her equal, respected her opinion, allowed her to accompany him on the battlefield and get involved in politics (at least, as much as that was possible for a woman at the time).

By shedding a light on Marie and her marriage to Carl, the reader can finally grasp the contribution Marie made on her husband's life and work. My only problem is that the writing style is quite dull, which makes the work more accessible to scholars than casual readers

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid and readable piece of scholarship discussing Marie von Clausewitz's direct and indirect influences on Carl's On War, providing insights about the continuing relevance of Clausewitz's work to the current day and the context in which it was produced.

[Robert Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provides the "Rest of the Story"

No book to date does a better job painting the whole picture of the context in which On War was written.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda slow, but fascinating!