She was the daughter of Major Claus Conrad Schwartz (1796–1879), who educated army cadets, and his wife Karen Rasmine Baggesen (1796–1863).

[1] After attending Madam Lindes Institut, as the eldest child she took over the education of her brothers and sisters when her father was transferred to Frederikshavn in 1837, and later to Aalborg.

She also wrote plays, including Ruth, performed at the Royal Danish Theatre in 1854 with Johanne Luise Heiberg in the title role.

She also was a regular writer various magazines published by Meïr Aron Goldschmidt and contributed to Berlingske Tidende as a theatre critic.

[3] In 1866 she received the Anckers Scholarship (Danish: Det anckerske Legat) and conducted study trips in England, the Netherlands, and Belgium.