The Biography of the Composer and Singer of classical Music Luise Greger.
Luise Greger was born with her maiden Name Luise Sumpf on the 27th of December in 1861.
Her Father was the wealthy factory owner and Senator Mr. August Sumpf from the City of Greifswald in Germany.
She was the youngest of four children.
It became soon obvious that she was musically gifted and so her dedication to Music was promoted by her Parents.
At the age of nine, as being told by her Family, Luise was invited to St. Petersburg, Russia to perform playing the piano before the tsarina at the royal Palace.
In the German City of Greifswald she is attending the private piano classes of Mr. Gustav Bemman.
Mr. Bemman was a Director of Music by appointment of the German royal court at the Geifswald University since 1856.
Mr. Bemman lived from 1807 until 1893 and was a friend of the german composer Mr. Carl Löwe.
At the age of thirteen she begins composing by herself.
There is little know about her further musical education, Luise said that she was taught by Ms. Hedwig Wolff in Berlin in the fine art of singing. Ms. Wolff being the daughter of the well known sculptor Albert Wolff who was in fact a distant relative to Luise on the side of the mother.
Also Luise said that she received the title Composer for her profession to pursuit her career from Mr. Richard Strauss.
During her time spend in Berlin Luise made closer acquaintance with the doctor M.D. Ludwig Greger. They married on the 12th of March 1888 in Greifswald but kept their flat in Berlin in the Matthäikirchstreet 19 in the vicinity of the State Opera.
In the following year Luise Greger made further progress in the field of classical Music due to the continuity of her studies and her diligence as claimed by the Newspaper the “Hessenspiegel” in the year 1925.
In January 1889 Luise Gregers first son Helmuth was born and three years on in 1892 her son Klaus.
In the year 1894 the family Greger moved to the German City of Kassel. There, in the part of the City of Kassel called Kassel – Wilhelmshöhe, Mr. Greger, Doctor M.D. founded a Clinc.
In 1898 her youngest son Reinhold is born in Kassel.
Luise Gregers progress in the field of classical Music became slow during her time in Kassel – Wilhelmshöhe.
But six years after the family had moved to the City of Kassel Luise Greger writes to her sister Agnes telling her about this and that success she had in Kassel.
Luise Greger writes: “…I will appear to perform in front of a highly educated audience more often these days. At the beginning of April I will be a co-signer in two classical concerts and also play the piano. For this I will be paid a fee and if this goes all well I may have the chance to perform more often. Each time I will perform some Songs which I have composed by myself and even accompany myself playing the piano by heard.
As you can see my dear I carry on in my career in the field of classical Music and I do get praise from the people.”
In the year 1911 it was claimed that Luise Greger had a very fine contralto singing voice.
Also in 1911 Luises marriage broke down and the couple divorced.
Luise Greger then moved to a marvellous and spacious flat in the Wilhelmshöher Allee Street.
There in her new flat her musical sessions take place at which Luise Greger is singing and at the same time playing the piano.
Her son Helmuth, a surgeon by profession, had been also a qualified baritone singer at the Opera and accompanied her with his singing while Luise Greger sang and played the piano by heard.
Throughout her Lifespan Luise had a close relationship to her son Helmuth and he supported her in many ways so that Luise Greger had the ability to lead a Life which can be called prestigious.
In the following years Luise Greger becomes more well known in the world of music in Germany as well as throughout Europe.
Her compositions are being performed by many Singers.
Among her compositions are many which are dedicated to Artists of her time.
Her compositions are being performed in the German Cities of Dresden and Leipzig as well as in the prestigious Munich Odeon Hall and in the Cologne Gürzenich Hall.
In the year 1930 Luise Greger is made a honorary member by the Elsaß – Lothringer Association and to mark the 10th jubilee of the Association her Chorus work “Hymn to the Elsaß” is being performed at the City hall in Kassel.
Luise Greger travels to the Netherlands to the City of Doorn in 1931 to take part in the commemoration of the late royal Victoria and on this occasion Luise is presenting some of her fine works to the duchess, second spouse of the Kaiser.
In 1939 after the passing away of her eldest son, Luise Greger moves to the German City of Hofgeismar to live in the “Hessischen Siechenhaus Gesundbrunnen”.
On the 25th of January 1944, Luise Greger became a victim of the Nazi “euthanasia” murders at the Merxhausen State Hospital. On 19 June 2026 her grave in Kassel was dedicated as an honorary grave of the City of Kassel.
She found her final resting place at the cemetery in Kassel – Bad Wilhelmshöhe.
Commentary on Luise Gregers musical work and Achievement in this field.
The total Number of Luise Gregers Compositions is probable 170 pieces, some estimate the Number to be 240 pieces.(1932). (5) One of her late works the fairy – tale Opera “Gänseliesel” which first saw the limelight on the 10th of December 1934 at the City hall of Baden – Baden became a big success (6) and is marked with the Opus Number 170.
Her works incorporate also composition in local German dialect, for instance influenced by the Poet Ms. Alwine Wuthenow (1820 – 1908) from Greifswald and by the famous German Poets Mr. Theodor Storm, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Mr. Herman Löns and others of her time.
During Luise Gregers life most of her works have been published by Walter Simon, publisher, some in many editions. Therefore it is highly likely that Luise Gregers works are known to a larger audience.
On the occasion of Luise Gregers 70th Birthday in 1932 the Newspaper “Kasseler Post” wrote: “…The City of Kassel can be proud to be home to the most influential lyric poet of music of our time….”(7)
In an article published in a Newspaper she was praised for her compositions of Songs which, according to the article, were an example of fine melodic and clear, solemn classical music which radiated the warmth of natural feeling. (8).
Her Songs are being performed at Concerts and held in high esteem by many well established artists.
After the passing away of her son Helmuth in January 1939 who was the last living of her sons Luise Greger withdraws more and more from
Up to this time she lived in her apartment in the Hotel “Weissenstein”in Kassel- Wilhelmshöhe.
In the month of July 1939 Luise moved to the City of Hofgeismar into the “Hessische Siechenhaus-Gesundbrunnen” which was under supervision by the priest Reverend Theodor Weiss (10)
As told by her family Luise played her “Steinway” Piano from time to time there to give a concert.
On May 31th 1943 Reverend Weiss passes away with dire consequences for Luise Greger.
Reverend Weiss gave protection to the occupants against Nazi prosecution.
On the 25th of January 1944 Ms. Luise Greger fell victim to the Nazi Government by inadequate provision.
Her state of mind and awareness at that time is said to be good for a Lady of her age.
After her death of neglect and the turmoil of the second World War Luise Gregers works are drifting close to fading out of public consciousness.
About 50 years after her death her family discovers in an old iron chest about 170 woks of fine art in the field of classical music and letters (14) from Luise as original Documents.
Since then her Music was brought back onto the stage and performed in many Concerts in Germany and the United States of America.
The Furore Publisher in Kassel edited reprints of Luise Gregers manuscript papers done to make her Compositions more accessible to Musicians and Orchestras around the world.
Her Music may be recorded and released on Compact Disc.
Source of Information.
(1) Statement by Luise Greger on an Questionnaire of that time.
Ownership by Luise Gregers family.
(2) Letters of Luise Greger to her sister are written in “Sütterlin” handwriting and therefore not yet entirely known by content.
Ownership by Luise Gregers family
(3)Publisher Furore Verlag. Biography Edition 7670 Text on Luise Greger.
(4) Ebd.
(5) Compare “Kasseler Post” Newspaper 27th of October 1932 on the occasion of the 70th Birthday. Mr. Gustav Struckmann.
(6) Unknown source of information from the 1930th years. “Á successful and enchanting fairy – tale” (on the Play “Gänseliesel” by Luise Greger). A literary critic’s article on the first showing of Luise Gregers work in the German City of Baden – Baden from December 1934.
(7) Quotation taken from Mr. Wolfgang Hermsdorff article in the “Hessisch – Niedersächsische Allgemeine “ Newspaper 24th of December 1982.
(8)Newspaper article “Luise Greger on occasion of her 70th Birthday on the 27th of December 1932. Source unknown. Ownership of the Copy by Luises family.
(9)Statement of appreciation by Ms. Clara Schumann together signed by fellow Musicians in 1929. The Original is owned by the Sophie Drinker Institute in the German City of Bremen. Along with this are several dedications by Luise Greger of her works to Artists of her time.
Ownership of the Original documents by the Furore Publishing House.
(10)On the Matter of the history of the “Siechenhaus Hofgeismar“ and Reverend Weiss see the article by Julia Drinnenberg (2010) titled “Stätten der Erinnerung – Gedächnis einer Stadt. Die Opfer des Nationalsozialismus in Hofgeismar”.
(11) Certificate by an doctor M.D. dated 29th of November 1943. Certificate is in the Ownership of the State of Hessen. The collection is on the history of the “Hessisches Siechenhaus” and consists as a collection of medical documents and other documents on this matter.
(12) Medical documents and other documents of the Landesheilanstalt Merxhausen dated 02sec. of December 1943.
Ownership by the State of Hessen.
(13) Compare Ms. Gerlinde Hoffmann Page 44.
(14) All not yet published Letters, documents and pictures of Ms. Luise Greger are owned by her Family.
Translation from German done by Thomas Buchinger.(2013)