Nietzsche and Other Exponents of Individualism — Nietzsche — John Shaqi
Nietzsche and Other Exponents of Individualism
Nietzsche · en
The marriage ceremony of this strange couple has been described in the
newspapers and it is almost the only fact of Stirner's life that stands
out boldly as a well-known incident. That these descriptions contain
exaggerations and distortions is not improbable, but it cannot be
denied that much contained in the reports must be true.
On the morning of October 21, a clergyman of extremely liberal
views, Rev. Marot, a member of the Consistory, was called to meet
the witnesses of the ceremony at Stirner's room. Bruno Bauer, Buhl,
probably also Julius Faucher, Assessor Kochius and a young English
woman, a friend of the bride, were present. The bride was in her
week-day dress. Mr. Marot asked for a Bible, but none could be found.
According to one version the clergyman was obliged to request Herr Buhl
to put on his coat and to have the cards removed. When the rings were
to be exchanged the groom discovered that he had forgotten to procure
them, and according to Wilhelm Jordan's recollection Bauer pulled out
his knitted purse and took off the brass rings, offering them as a
substitute during the ceremony. After the wedding a dinner with cold
punch was served to which Mr. Marot was invited. But he refused, while
the guests remained and the wedding carousal proceeded in its jolly
course.
In order to understand how this incident was possible we must know that
in those pre-revolutionary years the times were out of joint and these
heroes of the rebellion wished to show their disrespect and absolute
indifference to a ceremony that to them had lost all its sanctity.
Stirner's married life was very uneventful, except that he wrote the
main book of his life and dedicated it to his wife after a year's
marriage, with the words,
"Meinem Liebchen
Marie Dähnhardt."
Obviously this form which ignores the fact that they were married,
and uses a word of endearment which in this connection is rather
trivial, must be regarded as characteristic of their relation and their
life principles. Certain it is that she understood only the negative
features of her husband's ideals and had no appreciation of the genius
that stirred within him. Lauterbach, the editor of the Reclam edition
of Stirner's book, comments ironically on this dedication with the
Spanish motto _Da Dios almendras al que no tiene muelas_, "God gives
almonds to those who have no teeth."
Marie Dähnhardt was a graceful blonde woman rather under-sized, with
heavy hair which surrounded her head in ringlets according to the
fashion of the time. She was very striking and became a favorite of
the round table of the _Freien_ who met at Hippel's. She smoked cigars
freely and sometimes donned male attire, in order to accompany her
husband and his friends on their nightly excursions. It appears that
Stirner played the most passive part in these adventures, but true
to his principle of individuality we have no knowledge that he ever
criticized his wife.