Joanne Carole Schieble

Her lifestory

Joanne was born on August 15, 1931 in Wisconsin, USA, the daughter of Artur and Irene Ziegler. During her studies, she became friends with Abdulfattah „John“ Jandali. When she found out that she was pregnant out of wedlock, she received no support from her parents. She decided to carry her future son, Steve Jobs, provided he was adopted into an educated academic family. Steve was given up for adoption by Joanne shortly after his birth in 1955 and was taken in by Paul and Clara Jobs. Joanne married Abdulfattah in the same year and worked as a speech therapist. After a second marriage, which produced their daughter Mona Simpson, she died in 2000.

Before the birth

The young student’s extramarital relationship with a muslim lecturer aroused great anger and disapproval among her catholic parents. They were not prepared to accept a possible marriage between the two and to support this relationship. At the age of 23, the question arose as to how she should deal with the pregnancy. She decided to go ahead with the pregnancy, but only on the condition that her future child would be adopted by a wealthy and academically educated family.