Katharina von Gebersweiler
摘要
Katharina von Gebersweiler, a Dominican nun at the Unterlinden convent in Colmar, authored the Liber de vitis primarum sororum de Subtilia in Columbaria, also known as the Vitae sororum, a prominent example of the late medieval “sisterbook” genre. This collection of 42 biographies of Dominican nuns aimed to highlight their exemplary lives and inspire others. Preceded by a prologue and eight thematic chapters on monastic life, the text reflects Dominican traditions of spiritual guidance and resembles contemporary Sister Mirrors. Katharina’s autograph is lost, but a fifteenth-century manuscript survives in Colmar, with an abridged version in Paris that includes additional biographies.