Heinrich von Kleist’s play “Katie of Heilbronn” premièred in Vienna in 1810. Twenty-five years later the play was first staged in Heilbronn.
Only a few years later it was already used to advertise for the city - the most beautiful town house on Market Square, the “Steinhaus”, was officially renamed “House of Katie”. And instead of the traditional festival maids, “Katie Girls” represented the city on festive occasions henceforward.
The stage character is not based on a real person. Possibly the medical stories written by Heilbronn physician Eberhard Gmelin made the playwright base the leading character of his romantic knightly play in Heilbronn.