Katharina von Oheimb

From 1920 to 1924 Katharina von Oheimb was one of the 36 women amongst the 466 representatives of the 1. Reichstag of the Weimar Republic. Despite being a member of the national liberal German People's Party she tended toward socialist beliefs. Until 1931, she was entitled as the secretary of the Pro Palestine Committee.

During the Weimar Republic, she hosted one of the most significant political salons in Berlin. Bankers and industrialists, ministers, military personnel, and artists socialized at her house at Kurfürstendamm (1919-1926) and later in her new apartment at Matthäikirchstreet 32. Her social and political engagement comprised a variety of activities and appointments, for instance her board membership of the East Prussia Relief. She took custodianship of illegitimate children and supported orphans. She was a friend of campaigner for women's rights Minna von Caurer, with whom she founded the "Bund for Mutterschutz" (League for Maternity Protection) together with sex educator Helene Stöcker. In 1922, she started educational courses for women hoping to prepare them for their rather new suffrage and opportunities to run for political office.^[1] Amongst the invited speakers were Gustav Stresemann and Clara Mende.^[1] As a result of her visibility in society and her turbulent private life, journalist and author Kurt Tucholsky addressed her in his derogative toned poem "An Frau von Oheimb" in 1930.^[2]