Barth, Karl
Barth’s Commentary on Romans was rejected by three Swiss publishers; eventually published by a company in Berne, in an edition of 1000; first volume of Church Dogmatics (1932) actually a rewrite of an earlier book called Christian Dogmatics (1927).- Charlotte von Kirschbaum was a struggling nursing student in the 1920’s who took an interest in Barth’s writings. In 1929, Karl, a reasonably married father-of-five who had an affair with Charlotte three years before, invited her to enter his household. There she remained, alongside the rest of the family, including the wife Nelly, until after Karl’s death in 1968. She was his closest collaborator, & as far as we know, she & the rest of the family were at complete ease in their unconventional home.
