Maria Treben
September 27, 1907 – July 26, 1991
Maria Treben, née Günzel, was an Austrian writer and herbalist who became famous in the 1980s thanks to her two books "Health from God's Pharmacy" and "The Healing Successes of Marie Treben". Her first book has been translated into 24 languages and has sold over 8 million copies.
She was born in 1907 in Žatec as the middle of three daughters of the owner of a printing shop, Ignaz Günzel, and his wife Marie Anna, née Marková. Maria's father died when she was 10 years old.
In 1919, her family moved to Prague and Marie studied at the lyceum. Marie went on holiday with the family of the head forester, where she had the opportunity to get acquainted with nature and its laws. She was also influenced by her mother, who advocated a healthy lifestyle and treatment with natural remedies using the knowledge of pastor Kneipp.
As an adult, she worked in the editorial office of the German newspaper Prager Tagblatt and became the personal secretary of the writer Max Brod.
In 1939 she married Ernst Gottfried Treben, who worked as an electrical engineer, and moved with him to Kaplice. In 1942, their son Kurt was born. In addition to caring for her son, Marie focused on the study of herbs. She drew on old books and recipes and also met healers.
In 1945, after the end of World War II, she and her husband Ernst Gottfried Treben became victims of the expulsion of the Germans from Czechoslovakia. Their house was taken over by the Red Army and Ernst Treben was arrested. They lived in refugee camps for several years, and in Wülzburg she and her son fell ill with typhoid fever and had to be taken to a hospital in Weißenburg. After their recovery and Ernst's release, the family found refuge in Austria and settled in Grieskirchen in 1951.
Medicinal remedies She used traditional natural remedies from Germany and Eastern Europe, using only local herbs. Nutritional advice has always been part of the treatment. She commonly used thyme, greater celandine, bear garlic, speedwell, calamus, chamomile, nettle and lady's mantle. She treated a wide range of problems from psoriasis to constipation and diabetes to insomnia. She used her own recipes as well as traditional remedies such as Swedish Drops, which she believed to be a panacea.
Mary was a strong believer and published in a church newspaper in Austria. She was convinced that not only herbs but also faith and prayer have a healing effect.
Treben participated in seminars and lectured at conferences on natural remedies not only in Austria, but also in Italy, Germany and throughout Europe, and in 1984 she was also invited to the USA. [1] Her lectures attracted hundreds of people. She is seen as a pioneer of renewed interest in natural remedies and traditional medicine at the end of the 20th century.
Some of her remedies and advice have proven controversial, as have all natural remedies, as they are difficult to prove their effectiveness. Nevertheless, her works are still popular and are mentioned for her detailed knowledge of European medicinal herbs.