Author: [STIEBER, Wilhelm].
Title: Die Prostitution in Berlin und ihre Opfer.
Description: Berlin, Hofmann 1846. Octavo contemporary (publisher's?) quarter cloth and boards (worn around the edges but solid and decent); [6],210pp. Extensive but gentle and neat pencilling, easily removed by anyone more patient than I am. ¶ Second, unchanged edition, first published in the same year. A fairly remarkable book. Stieber is best known as police chief and spy (he claimed to have infiltrated Marx's house in London and filched the membership list) but this is an early work - and fairly revolutionary approach to prostitution, crime and their social effects. Leaving aside the influence Stieber had on the subsequent theories and practice of social scientists, criminologists, police, psychologists, and government, this is an extensive and personal document. The women are named, by their nicknames at least and often by their real first name, and in many cases we get a description and some history. Thus we learn about Judenbertha, or Rebecca, one of few Jewish prostitutes; and Splinter auch Splitter; and Schweinekreuz; and Scottish Marie, and The Ships Captain, and Unfaithful Lette; and many more.

Keywords: social sciences law government sex prostitution history criminlogy psychology c19th Germany crime