Have you met the Von Droste Hulfshoff ?

Jenny Von Droste Hulshoff:  b. 1795, 15 years old in 1810

Jenny was modest and gentle and often became the mediator between Wilhelm and her antagonizing little sister Annette.  The Twelve Dancing Princess is attributed to Jenny.  She and Wilhelm were very fond of one another, and had they been of the same social standing (the Von Droste’s were upper class), Wilhelm and Jenny may well have married and been very happy together.

Annette Von Droste Hulshoff: b. 1793, 13 years old in 1810

Annette became a rival of Wilhelm (think Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing).  She was witty and Jenny scoffed that Annette “radiated her brilliance constantly and jumped from one topic to the next.”  Annette went on to become of the best known female 19^th century author in German literature.  The Von Drostes were cousins to the Von Haxthausen.  (The “Von” in German names, literally meaning “of the,” often signifies an upper class family.)