| 1867 | Käthe Schmidt is born on July 8th in Königsberg. |
| 1885/86 | studies at the women artists school in Berlin with Karl Stauffer-Bern |
| 1888/89 | painting studies in Munich with Ludwig Herterich at the school for women artists in Munich |
| 1890 | first etchings |
| 1891 | marriage with Karl Kollwitz, move to Berlin |
| 1892 | birth of son Hans |
| 1896 | birth of son Peter |
| 1898 | artistic breakthrough with "A weavers' rebellion" at the Berlin exhibition of art |
| 1898 bis 1903 | director of the Artists School Berlin |
| 1902 bis 1908 | work at the etching cycle "Peasants' war" |
| 1904 | study trip to Paris |
| 1907 | study trip to Florence |
| 1909 | beginning of sculptural arts |
| 1914 | At the age of 18 the younger son Peter dies as a war volunteer in Flanders. |
| 1917/1918 | big anniversary exhibition at the Gallery Cassirer in Berlin |
| 1919 | her appointment as a member of the Prussian Academy of Arts (she is the first women) and simultaneous conferment of the professorate; beginning of woodart technique |
| 1922 bis 1924 | work on the woodart sequence "War" |
| 1927 | trip to the Soviet Union |
| 1928 | Käthe Kollwitz is commissioned to lead the master class of graphic arts at the Academy. |
| 1929 | She is awarded the medal "Pour le mérite"of the science of art. |
| 1932 | erection of the memorial "The Parents" for the fallen son at the soldiers' cemetary in Roggefelde/Flanders |
| 1933 | forced by the National Socialists to leave the Prussian Academy of Arts, removal from office as the leader of the master class for graphic arts; loss of her studio |
| 1934 bis 1942 | The sequence of eight litographs on the topic "Death" is published. In the following years most of her sculptures are made. |
| 1936 | unofficial prohibition of her exhibitions |
| 1942 | last print made "Saatfrüchte sollen nicht vermahlen werden" |
| 1943 | flight from Berlin; destruction of her flat and destruction of many works |
| 1945 | Käthe Kollwitz dies on April 22nd in Moritzburg |