I Am My Own Wife

are the lines in "I Am My Own Wife" a liable primary source from Charlotta? Or did the writer of the play (I don't know his name) make them up?

It's based on truth. Get a copy of the play and read the introduction.

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to write a research paper, you'll need a copy of the play. You can't possibly use direct quotes from memory of seeing the play once.

(saw it in NY and then a few weeks ago in Boston...incredible).

The information was culled from extensive interviews that Doug Wright did with Charlotte before her death in 2002. Sure, there is poetic license here and there, but most of it comes right from the horse's mouth.

If I were you, I'd also see if I could track down a copy of "I am My Own Woman" the documentary on Charlotte von Mahldorf by Rosa von Praunheim from about 10 years ago. It's basically a long form interview with Charlotte in which he/she tells some of the same stories she told to Doug Wright that formed the basis of the play. Fascinating.

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The differently translated title is interesting- I suppose that both would be "Ich bin meine eigene Frau" in German, but they have totally different meanings, or at least connotations, in English. It's also handy for telling the play and documentary apart. :)

Good luck with your research paper. If you read German, you might want to go through archives of news coverage of her whole award controversy. That perspective would be very interesting.

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