Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcelos


Carolina Michaëlis de Vasconcelos, born Karoline Michaelis was a German-Portuguese romanist.

Early life, education and private life

Michaelis was born in Berlin as the last of five children of Gustav Michaelis, a mathematics teacher.
In 1876 she married Joaquim António da Fonseca Vasconcelos, founder of Portuguese art history writing.

Academic career

In 1911, she became the first female professor in Romance studies and German studies, at the Faculdade de Letras at the university of Lisbon. She was one of the first women in Portugal who were concerned with women's subordinate status and in particular about improving the educational opportunities for Women in Portugal together with Francisca Wood, Maria Carvalho, Alice Pestana, Alice Moderno, Angelina Vidal, Antónia Pusich and Guiomar Torrezão.

Death, honours and commemoration

Michaëlis de Vasconcelos died in Porto in November 1925.
Several schools and streets have been named in her honour in both Portugal and Germany.
The Porto Metro station Carolina Michaelis is on lines A, B, C, E, or F.
In 2001 Portugal issued a postage stamp to commemorate her 150th anniversary.

Works