The publication of Verena Stefan’s first book, Häutungen [Shedding] by the Munich feminist press Frauenoffensive in 1975 was a galvanizing event for the German feminist movement. Thousands of women who read it recognized their own struggles to define themselves and their sexuality without reference to rigid gender roles. The book became a runaway best seller. It was translated into English (Shedding, 1978) and seven other European languages. Thirty-five years later, with a half-dozen book publications and several literary prizes to her credit, readers still think of her first and foremost as the radical feminist author of Häutungen.
Verena Stefan was born on 3 October 1947 in Bern, Switzerland, to a Swiss mother and a Sudeten German father. A self-described “wild brat”, she recalls hearing contradictory messages as a child: “You can be whatever you want...
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Citation: Clausen, Jeanette. "Verena Stefan". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 06 January 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12460, accessed 09 June 2026.]
