by Gillian Taber

Created on: August 18, 2009   Last Updated: August 19, 2009

Ava of Melk is remembered today as the first woman to be named as a writer in any genre of German literature. She wrote five pieces, written in Middle High German, around 1120 to 1125.

Ava is referred to by several names, Frau Ava, Ava of Gottewig and Ava of Melk or Lady Ava. She was born around 1060 and appears to have gone into seclusion after the death of her husband. This is based on evidence of a certain Ava who became an anchorite (a person who retires from society for religious reasons, such as a hermit or monk.). This person is recorded at Gottewig Abbey in Austria, but is also mentioned as having died at Melk Abbey, in the Wachau area of Austria.

Ava is known to have had two sons, Heinrich and Hartmann, thought to have been priests and possibly to have aided Ava in her work. Near Gottewig, at Klein-Wien, there is a tower called 'Avaturm' or Ava's Tower, which may be all that remains of an ancient nunnery, possibly connected to Ava the poetess.

Ava's work was rather romanticized, details being added which were not to be found in the Bible, including some which we would recognize today such as the ass at the cradle of Christ. Ava took inspiration from the Bible and produced works which have been called a poetic rendering of the history of salvation. Ava chose to write her poetry in rhyming couplets.

Her works, to which a fifth was later added, were called 'Johannes Der Tuafer', which deals with John the Baptist's parent, Zacharias and Elizabeth and is 446 lines long. This was followed by 'Leben Jesu' (Life of Christ), 2268 lines long, 'Sieben gaben des heiligen Geistes' (Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit), 150 lines, 'Der Antichrist', 118 lines long and 'Das Jungste Gericht' (The Last Judgement, 290 lines). Two versions of her works are known, Vorauer Handschrift, dated to the late twelfth century, and Gorlitzer Handshrift, from the fourteenth century but now missing.

Sadly, little is actually known about Ava and her life. What is known comes mostly from some very vague references in her final work, including references to her sons, and from records of her death, said to have been at Melk Monastery in 1127. This record also records Ava as a religious recluse. For her time, Ava must have been an exceptionally well educated woman, although it is likely that her sons, in their role as clerics, helped Ava with much of the scripture translations.

For more information about Ava of Melk and for an interesting look at Melk Monastery, follow these links - Ava biography, Melk, description of Ava's poems, and links to Ava's poems online.

Learn more about this author, Gillian Taber.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.