Barbara Uthmann

Barbara Uthmann (born around 1514 in Annaberg in the Ore Mountains in Germany; died 14 January 1575, also in Annaberg) was considered to be one of the greatest supporters of bobbin lace making (probably incorrectly, as explained by Reinhart Unger in his work, Barbara Uthmann und ihre Zeit (German)) and was a successful businesswoman in the Ore Mountains. Her last name has sometimes been spelled Uttmann, but the spelling Uthmann is generally considered to be correct today.

She was the daughter of Heinrich von Elterlein and successfully continued the business of her deceased husband, Christoph Uthmann, but failed as a result of intrigue by her competition. She was thus forced to look for another field of activity. It cannot be historically proven that she actually had bobbin lace made as a cottage industry (commonly referred to as manufacturing at that time), but it can be proven that she was active as a manufacturer of braids. At times, she employed 900 braid makers. After her death, she left behind a considerable life's work and is still counted today as one of the extraordinary personalities of the Ore Mountains.

In 2003, Planetoid 1998 CA, discovered on 1 February 1998, by the Drebach Observatory in the Ore Mountains, was named after Barbara Uthmann. The planetoid, which is now officially called Uthmann (312231), orbits the sun between the planets of Mars and Jupiter.

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