Bertha von Suttner
Austrian; First woman to win Nobel Peace Prize, opposed arms race
Bertha von Suttner was a peace activist, writer, and Austrian pacifist who was the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905. She was born on June 9, 1843, in Prague, Czech Republic and died on June 21, 1914, in Vienna, Austria.
Suttner’s life was marked by her opposition to war and her commitment to the cause of peace. She was deeply influenced by her experiences as a governess in the household of the wealthy industrialist, Alfred Nobel. She became involved in pacifist circles in Vienna, where she met many of the leading figures in the movement, including the Austrian philosopher Franz Brentano and the Swiss writer Henri Dunant, who was the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Suttner was a prolific writer and author of several books on the subjects of war and peace. Her novel “Die Waffen Nieder!” (“Lay Down Your Arms!”) published in 1889 was an international bestseller that contributed to the growing public demand for disarmament and peace.
She was a founder and the first president of the Austrian Peace Society, and worked tirelessly on behalf of the International Peace Bureau, which campaigned for a world court and a general disarmament agreement.
Bertha von Suttner’s legacy as a peace activist and writer continues to inspire generations who work for the cause of peace and disarmament.
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