Justine Siegemund APK for Android Download

Justine Siegemund, a revolutionary German midwife who defied gender norms in the 17th century, is being honoured today with a Google Doodle. Her ground-breaking book, "The Court Midwife," challenged societal attitudes and earned her the distinction of being the first woman to publish a significant medical text in German.

Who is Justine Siegemund?

Born on December 26, 1636, in Rohnstock, now called Roztoka, Lower Silesia, Justine Siegemund was motivated to become a midwife after being mistreated by midwives who wrongly diagnosed her with pregnancy instead of a prolapsed uterus at age 20. She initially offered free services to disadvantaged women, but eventually gained recognition and began attending to the needs of women from noble families.

In 1683, she was appointed the City Midwife of Lignitz and later became the Court Midwife of Berlin in 1701. During her tenure as Court Midwife, Siegemund helped deliver royal babies, and it's believed that her book, The Court Midwife, was written at the request of Mary II of Orange, who was impressed by Siegemund's expertise and asked her to create a guide for other midwives. Prior to the publication of her book, there was no standardized method for documenting safe childbirth practices among German midwives, who relied on passing down their knowledge through oral tradition.

The Court Midwife featured detailed illustrations by renowned medical illustrators and contained birthing techniques developed by Siegemund herself. She wrote the book with compassion for women and focused on saving the mother's life in life-threatening situations. Despite facing sexist attacks on her reputation by male physicians and midwives, Siegemund persevered. She stood out from her male counterparts for her limited use of pharmaceuticals or surgical instruments during procedures.