The Story Of The Incredible Limbless Violetta
Aloisia Wagner, who went by the stage name of Violetta, was a limbless sideshow performer well-known throughout the circus world. Incredibly, she was born without legs or arms. Her story is astounding not only for her condition but also for how she reached fame and success despite the obstacles she faced.
The number of years Aloisia performed in sideshows is evidence of her determination and grit. She fascinated audiences all over the world, from famed writers and surrealist artists to ordinary people.
Who Was Violetta?
Violetta’s real name was Aloisia Wagner. Records of her birth are a bit unclear, with various publications noting it was between 1905 and 1907. She was born in Hemelingin, Germany, to her mother, Elise Wagner, with tetra-amelia syndrome (see more below).
She started performing at the age of 15 and assumed the stage name of Violetta. This would mark the start of her lengthy career in sideshow.
Photo credit: Wikimedia
A Brief Look Into Aloisia Wagner’s Life
Aloisia Wagner left her city of birth in March 1924, accompanied by her manager, Karl Grobecker, and her stepbrother. The trio boarded a ship named SS George Washington, which arrived in New York in April 1924. Her description for the manifest described her as blonde-haired, green-eyed, 3 feet tall, and without legs or arms.
Initially, she was granted entry into the United States to work for 25 weeks. During that time, she was allowed to join Samuel Gompertz as a sideshow performer in his Dreamland Circus Side Show.
Aloisia Wagner performed in several sideshows. Some of the most well-known are the Mighty Haag Circus and Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus. She also performed for the World Museum in Los Angeles.
Photo credit: Wikimedia
Her career in sideshow performance was marked by her beauty. Described as comely with a well-proportioned torso, she was often wrapped in revealing clothing. She performed small everyday tasks that audiences marveled at, and lit cigarettes.
She spoke well and engaged in witty banter with her audiences, all while playing a strange object of desire. Audiences could come up and touch her to see that she was real. Many tried to kiss her, something she did not allow.
Violetta fascinated many around the world with her lengthy career in sideshow performance. Jean Cocteau, the famed writer, visited Violetta in Paris in 1927 and noted that she was a “stubborn German woman.”
A Belgium surrealist journal also published a photo of her as an art piece. The London Life Magazine referenced her multiple times and described her way of life.
Tetra-amelia Syndrome
Although Violetta was born without legs or arms, she got along just fine! Wallace Stort wrote an article in London Life Magazine about how she lived with her condition.
She hopped around with the bottom of her torso to move around. She was also adept at using her mouth to carry out daily tasks.
Aloisia could dress herself and comb her own hair. She could also thread a needle, and was adept at sewing. When she married, she wore her wedding band around her neck on a chain. Other than this, little else is known about her marriage or personal life.
Death
From what can be deduced, Violetta seemed to enjoy her life as a performer and didn’t view being limbless as something that limited her quality of life. Some sources claim that she would often reply to questions about her limbless state with the statement that she never really thought about limbs at all.
Her cause of death is unknown. Wallace Stort’s publication referencing Violetta is the last known article on her.
After 1940, she seemed to disappear from the world, and her stage name wasn’t heard again. All we know is that she was a big part of the American sideshow scene and captivated people from all around the world.
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