Ada Schnee

Ada Adeline Schnee (née Woodhill; 17 October 1872 – 11 May 1969) was a naturalized German writer and former actress, born to British parents in New Zealand. Her autobiographical writings about life in German East Africa as the wife of the last German governor, Heinrich Schnee, were published in 1918. In her memoir, Schnee recounts her firsthand observations of the East African campaign of World War I and reflects on her experience being treated as a female enemy alien due to her nationality.

Following the publication of her memoir, Ada Schnee gained public attention in post-war Germany, where she delivered lectures on her experiences during Germany's colonial past. An English translation appeared in 1995. Both the German original and its translation have been the subject of scholarly analysis – particularly in literary and military-historical studies – examining Schnee's perspective as a woman writer and the wider implications of her narrative for the German colonial context. Postcolonial studies have also noted her reports on human suffering in the war, including gender-related violence.