[Editorial Note 2020, by Glenys Livingstone, Ph.D.: With deep sorrow I share the passing of my friend and Mago contributor Dr. Claire French, a remarkable woman who lived through so much, and was deeply dedicated to Goddess. Her doctoral thesis (1989) studied the gender roles in the Welsh saga collection “Mabinogion” with regard to the role of the Celtic Goddess in Her different aspects. It was published in 2001 in English under the title The Celtic Goddess. Claire was perhaps the first to be teaching a course on Gaia in Australia or anywhere, in 1993, with the Melbourne Council of Adult Education. I have her hand written notes. Her funeral will be live-streamed to friends on 17th April, and a proper celebration of her life at a later date.]
Dr. Claire French was born in 1924 in the backwoods of Bavaria in South Germany. She was educated by nuns in Italy, and later at high school in Germany. Claire was the first woman in Australia to be awarded a Ph.D. in Women’s Studies (1989). Her thesis studied the gender roles in the Welsh saga collection “Mabinogion” with regard to the role of the Celtic Goddess in Her different aspects. It was published in 2001 in English under the title The Celtic Goddess, Great Queen or Demon Witch, by Floris Books at Edinburgh and in German (2001) by Edition Amalia at Bern, under the title Als die Goettin keltisch wurde (When the Goddess became Celtic).
From 1965 to 1995 Claire worked with the Melbourne Council of Adult Education, initiating new courses in European Cultural Studies, Women’s Studies, Spirituality and Celtic Studies. She also contributed lectures and workshops to the C.G. Jung Society of Melbourne – many directly addressing Goddess. In 1993-94, Claire taught a series on GAIA.
During the World War II, Claire had been conscripted to the German paramilitary organization for women working for Tyrolean mountain farmers and later in a military hospital: this year of paramilitary service was conditional for enrolment of women at any German University (educated women were seen as dangerous … the authorities wanted “incubators”). Claire studied modern languages and politics at Innsbruck University in Austria after the war and was conscripted as an interpreter by American and French Army forces. In 1951 Claire embarked for Australia, where she worked as a housemaid, a grape picker, an interpreter and as a secretary at Melbourne University.
Claire married an Australian engineer, had babies, fitted in some academic positions, and found the voice of Goddess emerging within her continuing research, writing and teaching.
Claire has published her memoirs: in German Meine Verkehrte Welt and in English My Upside Down World.
PUBLICATIONS:
Der Prinz von Annun (First Branch of the Mabinogion retold for Juveniles ), Innsbruck 1979 and Stuttgart 1995
In Dutch: De Grijze Jager, Zeitz 1983
In English: The Queen of the Silver Castle, Edinburgh 1999
The Celtic Goddess, Great Queen or Demon Witch, Edinburgh 2001
In German: Als die Goettin Keltisch wurde, Bern 2001
Autobiography in German: Meine Verkehrte Welt, Bolzano/Italy 2003
English version yet unpublished: “My upside down World, From Bolzano to Australia”
Contributions to Books and Magazines
English:
Robyn Rowland (ed.): Women who do and Women who don’t, London/Melbourne 1984
Jan Fook, Susan Hawthorn and Renate Klein (eds.): Horse Dreams, The Meaning of Horses in Women’s Lives, Melbourne 2004
Patricia Monaghan (ed.): Goddesses in World Cultures Vol.2: “Danu,Raetia,Marisa: Mountain Goddesses of the Alps”, Santa Barbara 2011 (Warning: The Notes have been totally mixed up by the typesetter. No errata sheet was provided. Very poor reproduction!)
German:
Birgit Grube-Kersten (ed.): “Warum noch Mann und Frau ?” (“Why still Man and Woman ?” Dornach/Switzerland 2007
” Das Reich der Fanes – eine Tragoedie des Mutterrechts ?” (“The Kingdom of Fanes – a Tragedy of Mother Right? “)
in “Der Schlern”, Bolzano, No 49/1975 English translation pending.
“Mutmassungen ueber den Namen ‘Danay’ ” (“Thoughts about the Name ‘Danay’ ” ) in “Der Schlern” Bolzano, No73/1999. English translation pending.
Various essays in “Pandora”
Unpublished: “Die Silbernen Pfeile” (The Silver Arrows ) This is a dramatic treatment of the Ladinian epic
” The Kingdom of Fanes” or “Dolasilla”, (see above) seeking an English translator.