Roumanian Fairy Tales

Mite Kremnitz, born Marie Charlotte von Bardeleben on January 4, 1852, in Greifswald, Germany, was a distinguished German writer and translator whose deep connection to Romania shaped much of her literary legacy. The daughter of renowned surgeon Heinrich Adolf von Bardeleben, she spent her early years in Greifswald, London, and Berlin. In 1875, following her marriage to Dr. Wilhelm Kremnitz, a physician to the Romanian royal family, she moved to Bucharest. There, she formed a close friendship with Queen Elisabeth of Romania (known by her literary pseudonym Carmen Sylva) and served as her lady-in-waiting from 1881. The two women collaborated on several novels and dramas, under under the joint pseudonym "Ditto and Idem," with Kremnitz later adopting "Mite Kremnitz" as her primary pen name. Immmersed in Romanian culture, Kremnitz became passionate about preserving its rich folklore. Her most enduring contribution is Roumanian Fairy Tales (1885), a collection of traditional stories drawn from sources like Petre Ispirescu and the periodical Convorbiri Literare. Adapted into English by J. M. Percival, this anthology introduced Western readers to the enchanting world of Romanian folktales—filled with clever peasants, dragons, magical helpers, and moral depth—bridging German and Romanian literary traditions. After her husband's death in 1897, Kremnitz returned to Germany but continued to write about Romania, including biographies of the royal family. She passed away in Berlin on July 18, 1916. Today, her work remains a vital link in the preservation and global appreciation of Romanian folklore.