Eva König

Who was Eva König?

Eva Catharina Hahn was a German woman of letters.

She was born in Heidelberg. In 1756 she married the Hamburg businessman Engelbert König, giving her the married name Eva König. In 1767 she first became friends with the playwright Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, who was also her son Fritz's godfather. On König's death in 1768, Lessing cared for her and finally became engaged to her in 1771. Due to König's estate she had to stay a long time in Vienna and in 1775 Lessing had to travel to Italy with Prince Leopold, so their contacts during their engagement are mainly known through their correspondence. In 1776 they finally got married, in Jork near Hamburg. She moved to Wolfenbüttel to be with him but died there, aged 41, in 1778 soon after their son's birth - her grave is now lost.