HISTORY OF FEMDOM
13th century:
Henri d'Andely writes "Le Lai d'Aristote" about greek philosopher Aristoteles who is ridden like a pony by Mrs. Phyllis who has a whip in her hand. The story inspires painters: Hans Baldung Grien "Phyllis Riding Aristotle (1513) and Bartholomaeus Spranger (who lived 1546 - 1611) "The Woman and the Philosopher" (The Lay of Aristotle).
Source: Gilles Neret "Erotica Universalis", published by Taschen
ca. 1580
English poet Christopher Marlowe writes this epigramm: "When Francus comes to solace with his whore, / He sends for rods and strips himself stark naked; / For his lust sleeps, and will not rise before / By whipping of the wench it be awaked. / I envy him not, but wish I had the power, / To make his wench but one half hour."
(Dühren, Eugen (Iwan Bloch) "Englische Sittengeschichte", 2. new edition, Berlin, Louis Marcus Verlagsbuchhandlung 1912, Band I, S. 441f.)
1676
In the theatreplay "The Virtuoso", written by british dramatist Thomas Shadwell, old man Snarl wants to be whipped, which is done by a young prostitute. He likes it because it reminds him of his schooldays-punishments.
(Dühren, Eugen (Iwan Bloch) "Das Geschlechtsleben in England")
1682
Premiere of theatreplay "Venice Preserv'd" of british dramatist Thomas Otway. Drama contains a scene, where prostitute Aquilina fullfills the wish of Senator Antonio and spits on him, treats him like a dog, kicks and whips him.
(Noyes, John K. "the mastery of submission", Cornell University Press 1997, S. 85f.)
(Website www.britannica.com)
1704
Edward Ward, author of "London Spy", describes a scene in a whorehouse. A sixty year old man asks for whipping equipment, because he wants to be whipped. This was the first time Ward heard of the flogging cullies, male lovers of passive flagellation.
(Dühren, Eugen (Iwan Bloch) "Das Geschlechtsleben in England")
1748
John Cleland "Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure" ("Die Abenteuer der Fanny Hill")
1765
Famous french philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau writes his autobiography "Confessions", which is published in 1781. There he describes the excitement he feels by thinking of dominant women. Since he was a child and met his thirty-year-old governess Mrs. Lambercier he has this fascination for dominant women. Rousseau is ashamed ofthis obsession and hides it from the public.
(Rousseau, Jean-Jacques "Bekenntnisse", Insel Verlag 1985, S. 49ff.)
1786
Painter James Gillray publishes a scene of flagellation: "Lady Termagant Flaybum going to give her stepson a taste of her dessert after dinner".
(Dühren, Eugen (Iwan Bloch) "Englische Sittengeschichte", 2. new edition, Berlin, Louis Marcus Verlagsbuchhandlung 1912, Band II, S. 257)
5. April 1837
British author Algernon Charles Swinburne is born in London. He didn't hide that he was a masochist and wrote many poems about the joy of passive flagellation ("If you were queen of pleasure / And I were king of pain")
(Leather History TimeLine, 4th edition, Februar 1999)
(www.britannica.com)
1869
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch writes the novel "Venus in Furs", which becomes a bestseller.
2. February 1882
Irish author James Augustine Aloysius Joyce is born in Dublin.
There is a letter which Joyce wrote to his beloved Nora Barnacle. There he describes his passionate wish to get whipped by her.
(Wallace, Irving u.a.: "Rowohlts indiskrete Liste. Von Kleopatra bis Elvis Presley. Ehen, Verhältnisse, Amouren und Affären berühmter Frauen und Männer", Rowohlt Verlag, Hamburg 1981)
12. July 1892
Polish Novelist, Painter and Kafka-Translater Bruno Schulz is born in Drogobytsch, Galizien. Most of his poetic stories describe weak men and dominant women. His paintings in black and white show submissve men at the feet of dominant women. Bruno Schulz was murdered by the nazis on 19th of November 1942.
(dtv Lexikon München 1999)
23. October 1893
In "Zeitgeist", a part of newspaper "Berliner Tageblatt", is an article written by Otto Brandes with the headline "Die Auspeitscherin" (The Whipping Woman).
(Dühren, Eugen (Iwan Bloch) "Das Geschlechtsleben in England")
1893
Robinson, Julian: "Gynecocracy, a narrative of the adventures and psychological experiences of Julian Robinson (afterwards Viscount Ladywood). Under petticoat rule, written by himself.", Paris and Rotterdam 1893
ca. 1910 books
Hallerer, R.: "In weiblicher Peitschenzucht. Nach Tagebuchaufzeichnungen einer Amerikanerin bearbeitet", Hamburg
and
Ramberg, Else: "Die neue Gouvernante. Ein hochinteressantes Erziehungsbild", about 1910
1913
Under the title "Die Weiberherrschaft" three books are published in Munich. These books contain descriptions of dominant women, collected by Eduard Fuchs.
(Noyes, John K. "the mastery of submission", Cornell University Press 1997, S. 98)
ca. 1922
German artist Otto Dix paints "Sadisten gewidmet", which shows two dominatrixes in a dungeon.
(Muthesius, Angelika (Hrsg) "Erotik in der Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts", Benedikt Taschen Verlag 1992, page 191)
1927
Artist Rudolf Schlichter paints aquarell "Domina mea". It shows a woman in boots in a victorious pose above a man who is on his knees.
(Muthesius, Angelika (Hrsg) "Erotik in der Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts", Benedikt Taschen Verlag 1992, page 195)
50s
Eric Stanton begins his work as SM-cartoonist. He also publishes many paintings about dominant women.
("Eric Stanton Taschen Diary 2000", Benedikt Taschen Verlag Köln 1999)
50s
Mechler, Ulrich: "Sadistinnen und Masochisten", Lischer Verlag, Basel
1954
Performance-Artist Bob "Supermasochist" Flanagan is born in the USA.
1963
Klinger, Franz: "Des Mannes Hörigkeit. Eine sexualpsychologische Studie für Ärzte, Juristen, Seelsorger, Erzieher und psychologisch Interessierte", Albert Müller Verlag, Zürich / Stuttgart / Wien
1983
Robert van Ackeren realizes the movie "Woman in Flames" about a female student who begins to job as a professional mistress. The movie is a hit.
1985 book
Sellers, Terence: "Der korrekte Sadismus. Die Memoiren der Angel Stern", ikoo Verlag, Berlin
1986
Tomi Ungerer releases the book "Schutzengel der Hölle" with interviews and paintings, as a result of a two year long stay with professional mistresses in Hamburg, Germany.
(Ungerer, Tomi "Schutzengel der Hölle", Diogenes Verlag Zürich 1995)
1986
Cleo Uebelmann directs the lesbian bondage-movie "Mano Destra".
(Uebelmann, Cléo "The Dominas", Verlag Claudia Gehrke Tübingen 1988)
1988
Uebelmann publishes the fotobook "The Dominas" with fotos of her film "Mano Destra" and of fotoseries "Museum of Modern Art".
(Uebelmann, Cléo "The Dominas", Verlag Claudia Gehrke Tübingen 1988)
1988 book
Koschorke, Albrecht: "Leopold v. Sacher-Masoch. Inszenierung einer Perversion", Piper Verlag, München
1991 book
Martin, Gigi "Die Herrin", ikoo Verlag, Pullenreuth
1994
Dutch filmmakers Maarje Seyferth und Victor Niewenhuijs realize a black-and-white-adaption of Sacher-Masoch's "Venus in Furs".
Graham Scott, Gini "Dominanz und Unterwerfung" (Erotic Power), Knaur Verlag
January 1996
Bob "Supermasochist" Flanagan dies at the age of 42 because of illness "zystic fibrosis".
1996 books
Antoniou, Laura (Hrsg): "Lederfrauen" vbz Verlag Bernd Zeun, Gießen
Sacher-Masoch, Wanda und Leopold von: "Szenen einer Ehe", Wiener Frauenverlag, Wien
June 1997
In czech village Cerna the "Other World Kingdom" (OWK, www.owk.cz) opens it's gates. It becomes an important meeting place for the femdom-scene. The matriarch house publishes femdom movies, books and magazines.
June 1997
British movie "Preaching to the Perverted" is released in the US. The film shows a dominatrix that runs fetish parties in London.
23. October to 1. November 1998
In Amsterdam for the first time Women At Leather Pride (WALP) meet with 85 participants.
Aril 1999
In Berlin for the first time the International Women's SM Leather Conference took place with about 50 participants.
Autumn 1999
115 women meet at Women at Amsterdam Leather Pride (WALP)
1999 book
Schneider, Sabrina (Pseudonym von Cagliostro) "Ausbildung zur perfekten Domina - Ein Lehrbuch", Erotex Verlag
April 2000
At second "International Women's SM Leather Conference" Play! Mate 2000 in Berlin 70 women meet.
Email: herwhip@usa.net
