The great poetess =Annette von Droste-Hülshoff= (1797–1848) wrote a most powerful novel, “Die Judenbuche”, which is based on the belief that murderers are forced by a mysterious power to return to the scene of their crimes. The prolific but now almost forgotten writers =Karoline Pichler=, =Henriette Paalzow=, =Otilie Wildermut=, Countess =Ida Hahn-Hahn=, =Fanny Lewald= and =Louise Mühlbach= were followed in the second part of the 19th Century by =Eugenie John=, better known under her nom de plume =Marlitt=. Her novels “Das Geheimniss der alten Mamsell” (“Old Mamselle’s Secret”), “Heideprinzesschen” (“The Princess of the Moor”), “Gold Else” (“Gold Elsie”) and others met with tremendous success and have been in translations also enjoyed by many English and American readers. With like enthusiasm the women of Germany read the novels of =Wilhelmine Heimburg=, =Louise von Francois= (“Die letzte Reckenburgerin”) and =Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach=. The latter is regarded as the greatest of all modern novelists of Germany, Paul Heyse not excepted. When the University in Vienna bestowed upon her the degree of Doctor phil. honoris causa, the enormous body of her readers heartily rejoiced. Her most famous novel is “Das Gemeindekind” (“The child of the Parish”). She also published a volume of “Aphorisms.” =Wilhelmine von Hillern’s= once much read novel “Die Geierwally” has been surpassed by far more valuable works of =Ilse Frapan=, =Ida Boy-Ed=, =Helene Pichler=, =Margarete von Bülow=, =Bianca Bobertag=, =Ossip Schubin=, =Helene Böhlau=, =Emma Vely=, =Emmy von Dinklage=, =Dora Dunker=, =Marie von Bunsen=, =Sophie Junghans=, =Louise Westkirch=, =Clara Blüthgen=, =Olga Wohlbrück=, =Carry Brachvogel= and a number of other modern writers. Among them =Enrica von Handel-Mazetti= and =Ricarda Huch= are distinguished by their great ability in drawing strong characters as well as deeply affecting situations. The first of the two authors transports her readers in the two novels “Meinrad Helmpergers denkwürdiges Jahr” and “Jesse und Maria” to the turbulent times of the 17th and 18th Centuries, when a superstitious world was upset by cruel warfare between Catholics and Protestants. Ricarda Huch created works of equal value in the novels “Erinnerungen von Ludolf Urslen dem Jüngeren” (“Reminiscences of Ludolf Urslen, Junior”), “Aus der Triumphgasse” (“From the Alley of Triumph”) and “The Verteidigung Roms” (“The Defense of Rome”). =Elizabeth von Heyking= carried the reader to the more recent times of the Chinese Boxer War with her admirable novel “Briefe die ihn nicht erreichten” (“Letters he did not get”).