Was Anna Plochl a True 'Tradwife'? New Biography Questions Her Role

A new biography by Gabriele Reiterer delves into the life of Anna Plochl, offering a potentially unsettling look at her relationship with Archduke Johann of Austria and challenging perceptions of her historical role. The book prompts a comparison with the contemporary "Tradwife" movement, where women promote a subservient, domestic lifestyle online.

Reiterer's biography suggests that Plochl, much like modern "Tradwives," was not naive. Instead, she was a self-aware manager who effectively ran Archduke Johann's agricultural estates. While this could be seen as progressive for the early 19th century, it was not entirely unique, especially within the rural bourgeoisie from which Plochl hailed.

However, the biography highlights Plochl's willingness to subordinate herself to the Archduke, who was frequently absent. For years, she lived and worked as a housekeeper at the Vordernberg estate, seemingly confined while Johann traveled. His diary entries reportedly express a desire to control her life, stating, "She will never leave this house again." He dictated details of her clothing, insisted on extreme modesty, and cut off contact with her family, effectively isolating her.

Furthermore, Plochl was denied a formal employment contract before marriage and was not included in any of Johann's property ownership after marriage, a practice common in bourgeois households at the time. The author contrasts Plochl's situation with today's "Tradwife" phenomenon, arguing that while modern independent women may present themselves as dependent, Plochl was a dependent woman who was marketed as free and modern for her era, a perception that has persisted.

The article recommends both Reiterer's biography and Caro Claire Burke's "Yesteryear," which explores the inner life of a "Tradwife," suggesting both offer compelling, albeit disturbing, insights.