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Page 1 — Blonde poison

Page 2 — "The nature looks even in death from all trains"

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Margaret Gottfried was of lovely form. Their apparent suffering and almost boundless sacrificial readiness came to this. The people called m "Angel of Bremen" – under this nickname, y reached beginning of 19th century. A certain degree of notoriety in city in new century. They brought ir respect, but also pity, because fate did not seem to be good with fearing young woman. The misfortunes systematically hit ir family and friends. Full of devotion she devoted herself to caring for her loved ones, who, however, one after or, fell ill and died. Mor, far, children, bror, husbands, lovers, friends and acquaintances – it was like a curse.

Merit Petersen is a historian and lives in Ratzeburg to authors page

Margare Gottfried, affectionately known by all, was born in 1785 as daughter of women's tailor Johannes Timm and wool seamstress margare Timm. She had a twin bror, Johann. According to contemporaries, she was a very pretty blonde girl from a really "ereal appearance". They said she was warm-hearted and sensitive. Margare liked to play atre and excelled even in some small pieces in area. Of little money she possessed, she secretly took dance and French lessons. Her great wish was to become an actress. She refore rejected all proposals for marriage. At age of 21, ir far n married m against ir will with Sattler master Johann Gerhard Miltenberg, from which family hoped for a financial and social ascent.

With middle game escaped poor conditions of ir milieu, but marriage was not happy. Miltenberg possessed a certain wealth and made expensive gifts for his own, but orwise led to a rar wasteful life in pubs and brols. In this way he was slowly, but certainly entire parental heritage through. After seven years of marriage and three common children, he died – apparently in aftermath of his "dissolute" life. As an orphaned widow and single parent, she felt compelled to live with her parents again under one roof.

Two years after her arrival, mischief broke through family. In May 1815, mor and two daughters died unexpectedly and immediately in succession. No month later her far, and in September her son succumbed to consequences of this unexplainable disease, which whole clan haunt seemed to have. Symptoms and progression were same among all "infected": it began with severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and bloody failures that were not to stop, and ended in a agonizing death. A year later, suffering came to her twin bror Johann, also he died. Within a very short time, family was completely wiped out – only she was spared.

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The following year she remarried – wine merchant Michael Christoph Gottfried, who had already been ill at that time, with whom she had to have a relationship for many years. He died shortly reafter, and widow wore not only his name, but also a handsome legacy of it. However, ir now lavish lifestyle also fuelled this fortune quickly.

Now doubly widowed, she engaged again six years later: with fashion dealer Paul Thomas Zimmermann. It is already suspected: Months later this also fell ill, was bedridden and died. It did not come to wedding, but Gottfried inherited again.

In following years, series of deaths continued in narrower circle of acquaintances, and mistrust in city slowly grew. Rumors made rounds: something did not seem to go with right things at "Angel of Bremen".

Date Of Update: 05 February 2018, 12:03