The Story of the Death of my First Lesbian Role Model
10.18.23
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Obituary photo via Alexis Schwarzenbach.
Annemarie Schwarzenbach died by euthanasia on November 15th, 1942. They* were 34 years old.
They had been taken out of their home, transported to Geneva’s Prangins Clinic, and put into a medical coma that lasted for four days.
When they woke up, they immediately asked to leave the clinic. Instead they were kept heavily sedated, and given electro-insulin shock every day for two weeks. Once released, they suffered what appeared to be a minor bike accident, and fell into a second coma for three days. They were returned to the clinic.
After three weeks, their husband was told where they were. But arriving at the clinic, he was prevented from seeing them for four more days. Doctors told him A. was improving, and should avoid excitement. But when he saw their actual condition, he moved immediately to have them discharged. They were returned to their home, accompanied by a nurse.
Annemarie S. and husband Claude Clarac
Less than two weeks later, they were given euthanasia. Their cause of death is listed as toxic encephalopathy, pneumonia, and heart failure.
None of this information** was made public until 2008***.
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* * Like the CoE I've practiced discernment and want to use they/them pronouns to talk about this dead historical figure. Bite me.
** Except for the part about the apparently minor bike accident.
*** All credit goes to Alexis Schwarzenbach's biography, Auf der Schwelle des Fremden.
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