Josephine Lang grew up surrounded by important artists, thanks to her godfather, Joseph Stieler. Two well-known musicians, Felix Mendelssohn and Ferdinand Hiller, helped her learn how to write songs properly. They also used their influence to help publish her music. In 1838, Robert Schumann even published one of her songs in the music journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, which helped bring attention to her work. From early on, Josephine was often described as having a weak health. Despite this, she worked hard to keep up with her music lessons and performances while managing her health struggles. During one performance for the Bavarian king and queen, Queen Caroline Augusta noticed Josephine's poor health and arranged for her to rest in the German Alps. There, Josephine met Christian Reinhold Köstlin, a lawyer who also wrote poetry, and the two fell in love and married happily. Köstlin worked as a professor at the University of Tübingen. When Köstlin died in 1856, likely from cancer, Josephine returned to composing songs and teaching piano to support her family. After difficulties with earning money and publishing, she reached out to friends Ferdinand Hiller and Clara Schumann for help. Clara organized a concert featuring Josephine's music, with herself as the pianist, to raise support. Hiller wrote an essay about Josephine in 1867 to help publishers recognize her work. Thanks to their support, she became a known composer and had her music published.