Annemarie Schwarzenbach / A Life

Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Annemarie Schwarzenbach 

A Life

Annemarie Schwarzenbach was born on May 23rd, 1908 in Zurich, into one of the richest families in Switzerland of that period. Her father, Alfred Schwarzenbach, was one of the great patrons of the textile industry. She grew up in the family house and studied History in Zurich and Paris. In 1931, she received her doctorate and wrote her first book. In 1930, she made friends with Erika and Klaus Mann, with whom she remained close for most of her life. Schwarzenbach lived as a writer in Berlin where she had her first experiences with morphine. From 1933, she began traveling, first with the photographer Marianne Breslauer, to the Pyrenees, then to the Near East. Her first six-month trip took her to Beirut, Jerusalem, Baghdad, Baki and Teheran where she met the French diplomat, Claude Clarac. In 1934, she accompanied Klaus Mann to the first Congress of Writers, in Moscow.

Schwarzenbach was often in conflict with her family. It was because of this turmoil that she made her first suicide attempt. Shortly thereafter, she left for Teheran to marry Claude Clarac. She obtained French nationality and a diplomatic passport. But, soon after, she fell into a depression, which was aggravated by her appetite for drugs. In addition, her love affair with the daughter of the Turkish Ambassador in Teheran, provoked a scandal.

The Travels of Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Annemarie Schwarzenbach

CR MUSE: THE TRAVELS OF ANNEMARIE SCHWARZENBACH

LOOKING BACK AT THE SWISS JOURNALIST WHOSE PURSUIT OF ADVENTURE MASKED A DARK PERSONAL LIFE

This is CR Muse, a series dedicated to the remembrance of important artists and idea-makers from our past who have shaped culture as we know it today. From traditional creators to those of conceptual thought, we celebrate these women known not only for their work but their confident, eccentric style as well.

Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Annemarie Schwarzenbach burned brightly, but quickly. The novelist, journalist, and photographer cultivated an impressive career, chronicling everything from the Great Depression in America to the rise of fascism in Europe all before her untimely death at the age of 34. Hers was a life so filled with adventure and drama, it's surprising that her story has not inspired a Hollywood epic.

Schwarzenbach was born in Switzerland in 1908 to an aristocratic background and family wealth. She could have easily led a charmed life, but instead chose to pursue a career in writing. By 23, she earned a doctorate in history from the University of Zurich, publishing her first book shortly after.

Annemarie Schwarzenbach

By all accounts, she was enigmatic yet alluring. Looking back at photos of her, one can easily see why. At a time when it was still socially unacceptable for women to wear pants, she stood out with short hair and a wardrobe largely comprised of menswear. Whether or not this had anything to do with her mother dressing her as a boy when she was a child, Schwarzenbach looked at ease in suits and trousers. It’s no wonder she inspired Clare Waight Keller’s Spring/Summer 2019 collection for Givenchy—who wouldn't want to harness the same self-possession Schwarzenbach exudes?

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By 1933, she began traveling, writing for Swiss publications along the way. Her adventures abroad heightened in 1936 when she married French diplomat Achille-Claude Clarac. The marriage was largely one of convenience (both Schwarzenbach and Clarac were gay), but the union earned her a diplomatic passport. It is unclear when her interests in photography began, but it is certain that her trip to the U.S. that same year honed her skills as a photojournalist.

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Despite the thrilling adventures that took Schwarzenbach far and wide, her personal life was filled with darkness. Frequently described as “fragile,” she struggled with depression, addiction, and an overbearing family. In the 1930s, her family made it increasingly clear that they sympathized with the rising Nazis. Schwarzenbach, an anti-fascist, was torn between her family and what she knew was right. The push-and-pull led to her first suicide attempt.

What might've been a form of escapism, she developed a morphine addiction early on in her career. Though she tried to fight it off—including taking a trip with fellow writer Ella K. Maillart, in which they drove from Switzerland to Afghanistan—she was never able to combat her addiction. By 1940, Schwarzenbach returned to the U.S., but her second trip was marred with darkness. A breakup with American writer Carson McCullers lead to depression and a second suicide attempt. After a few more trips, she returned to Switzerland for good.

Her death was an accident. While riding her bike with no hands, Schwarzenbach fell and hit her head. Due to a misdiagnosis, she died nine weeks later. Upon her death, her mother destroyed her diaries and letters (fearing what they might do to the family’s reputation). Thankfully, a friend was able to preserve her photographs. This, along with Schwarzenbach’s already-published pieces, made an archive possible, and by the 1980s, her career was rediscovered—as was her extraordinary influence as an accomplished journalist, fearless adventurer, and pioneer of androgyny.

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