Russian women in German universities — pioneers of female higher education?

Abstract

From the turn of the century till the beginning of World War I students from the Russian Empire formed the largest group of foreign students in Germany. In recent literature, Russian women have even been considered the pioneers of university education for women in Germany where the admission of females as regular students was permitted later that in other European countries. Between 1902 and 1917, 290 Russian women completed their studies at a German university. By discussing their backgrounds, education, migration trajectory and future careers, this article provides a collective portrait of this group. At the same time it makes clear that Russian women were preceded by Germans or other foreigners at all but one university. However, some of these figures were in fact pioneers both in their scholarly fields and in women’s academic careers in Russia and other countries. Thus, the article disproves the claim of their pioneering role in Germany, but at the same time opens up new perspectives on women’s higher courses and university education in Russia. Refs 49.