Sylvia von Harden: An Icon of Weimar Germany's "New Woman"

b: 28 March 1894 in Hamburg d: 4 June 1963 in Croxley Green

Sylvia von Harden

Sylvia von Harden (1894-1963) stands as a compelling figure of the Weimar Republic, primarily recognized as the subject of Otto Dix's iconic 1926 painting, "Portrait of the Journalist Sylvia von Harden." However, her life extended far beyond this singular artistic representation. She was a journalist and poet who embodied the era's "New Woman," a symbol of evolving gender roles and social change. Sylvia came to England in 1933 and at some in the early 1960s decided to live in Croxley Green 

Sylvia von Harden - Birth Record

Journalist Sylvia von Harden by Otto Dix 1926

She was famously portrayed in the painting by Otto Dix entitled "Bildnis der Journalistin Sylvia von Harden" (Portrait of the Journalist Sylvia von Harden) (1926). It depicts von Harden with bobbed hair and monocle seated at a cafe table with a cigarette in her hand and a cocktail in front of her. It is now in the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. This painting was re-created in an opening scene of the film “Cabaret”.

Here's a closer look at her life and legacy:

• A Woman of Her Time:
  • Born Sylvia von Halle, she adopted the name von Harden.  
  • She was a journalist and poet actively participating in the vibrant cultural scene of Weimar Berlin.  
  • Her writings appeared in various German and, later, English newspapers.  
  • Her lifestyle and appearance challenged traditional feminine ideals.
• The Dix Portrait:
  • Otto Dix's painting immortalized von Harden, capturing her distinctive and somewhat androgynous appearance.  
  • The portrait, with its depiction of her bobbed hair, monocle, and confident posture, became a symbol of the "New Woman."  
  • Von Harden herself provided insights into the painting's creation, recalling Dix's declaration that she represented an entire epoch.
  • The painting is a very important example of the New Objectivity art movement.
  • The painting is housed in the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
• Life Beyond the Portrait:
  • Von Harden's career included literary contributions, and she published volumes of poetry.  
  • She experienced the turbulent times of the 20th century, eventually leaving Germany for England in 1933.  In 1933 Sylvia von Harden-Lehr was recorded as a refugee as filed in Refugee Cases Geliebter-Lion [from Old Box 30; ? from July 1941] with the reference number 5BFW/12/03, Box 1 Folder 4
  • She continued to write in exile, adapting to her new circumstances.
  • She passed away in Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, England.
• Legacy:
  • Sylvia von Harden's legacy is inextricably linked to Dix's portrait, which continues to fascinate and provoke discussion.
  • She represents a moment in history when women were redefining their roles in society.  
  • Her life story provides a glimpse into the cultural and social complexities of the Weimar Republic.

In essence, Sylvia von Harden was more than just a painting. She was a woman who lived through a transformative period, and her image remains a powerful reminder of the changing times and chose Croxley Green as a place to live.
Sylvia von Harden appears on the 1939 Register as Sylvia Lehr and was showing as incapacitated, a widow and living at Alton Villa Whalley Avenue, Sale, Cheshire.

(© National Archives - #D827) Appearing on the 1939 Register as Sylvia Lehr in Sale, Chedhire

During the war years and still named as Sylvia Lehr, she was an “Internee at Liberty in the UK” working as a domestic at Roseneath, Whalley Avenue, Sale, Cheshire though a tribunal decision gave her exemption from internment and she had no desire to ever return to Germany.

Sylvia Lehr, she was an “Internee at Liberty in the UK”

Prior to moving to Croxley Green, it appears that Sylvia von Harden lived at 6 College Cross, Islington, London N1. Sylvia von Harden was still showing at this address in 1960 as she appeared on the electoral register.

1953-1958 saw Sylvia's address as 6 College Cross, Islington, London N1

 In 1960 to 1963, Sylvia von Harden
​was recorded in the Post Office phone book as living at 267 Watford Road, Croxley Green.

Phone Book record 1960 to 1963

1961 Sylvia von Harden in front of her portrait

We note that Sylvia von Harden appeared in the phone book as Sylvia von Harden-Lehr but there are no records of any marriage or reason why she changed her name to this but as she appeared as a widow on the 1939 Register perhaps, she married in Germany before coming to England as a refugee. We have to assume that she married Friedrich Carl (Félix) Lehr who died in 1922. From 1919 to 1923, she lived with the writer Ferdinand Hardekopf, with whom she had a son. During the 1920s she lived in Berlin, and published two volumes of poetry in 1920 and 1927.