Biography

Hedwig Courths-Mahler (pronounced [he:tviç kurts ma:ləʁ]), née Ernestine Friederike Elisabeth Mahler (February 18, 1867 in Nebra (Unstrut) – November 26, 1950 in Rottach-Egern, Bavaria) was a German writer of formula fiction romantic novels. She used the pseudonyms Relham, H. Brand, Gonda Haack and Rose Bernd.

Courths-Mahler's novels generally follow a single pattern: socially disadvantaged characters overcome class differences through love. The lovers fight against adversity and are finally joined as a couple, gaining wealth and a high standing.

It is estimated that by the time of her death in 1950, 80 million copies of her works had been sold. During the 1970s, five of her novels were adapted as telemovies, made by and shown on Süddeutscher Rundfunk. Only one of her novels, Die Perlenschnur (1927), has been translated into English as The String of Pearls (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1929).

Despite Courths-Mahler's traditional perspective on male-female relationships and criticism of the clichés in her oeuvre, her books still enjoy a broad, largely female readership. They continue to be reprinted in dime novel format by the genre fiction publisher Bastei Lübbe, making her the most popular female German writer by number of sold copies.