Hertha von Siemens

Short Biography

Hertha Harries, née von Siemens (1870-1939)Hertha von Siemens was the youngest daughter of Werner von Siemens and his second wife Antonie. A special exception was made for her to study with the important Berlin chemist Emil Fischer on account of her particular gift for science. In 1899 she married Fischer's assistant Dr. Carl Dietrich Harries. Hertha devoted herself to the social needs of the Siemens workforce, and established children's homes, welfare institutions and recreation homes; she was particularly involved in the financing and training of young people with no means of support. In 1909 she established the Hertha von Siemens Foundation, which gave the company's employees the opportunity to stay in a recreation home at low cost; for this purpose she had the "Ettershaus" built in the Harzburg, which opened in 1910 as Siemens' first recreation home. In 1916 she was a cofounder of the "Vereinigung für Wohlfahrtsbestrebungen" (Welfare Association), which included among its responsibilities the administration of the Siemens homes and social counseling for female employees. Hertha Harries died on January 5, 1939 in Berlin.