Agda Georgina Dorothea Alexandra Montelius née ''Reuterskiöld'' (23 April 1850 – 27 October 1920) was a Swedish philanthropist and feminist. She was a leading figure of the Swedish philanthropy, active for the struggle of women's suffrage, and chairman of the

Fredrika Bremer Association The Fredrika Bremer Association ( sv, Fredrika Bremer Förbundet, abbreviated FBF) is the oldest women's rights organisation in Sweden. The association stands for an inclusive, intersectional and progressive liberal feminism, and advocates for wome ...

in 1903–1920.

Biography

Montelius was born in

Köping ''Köping'' was a Swedish denomination for a market town since the Middle Ages, derived from the Old Norse word ''kaupang''. The designation was officially abolished with the municipal reform of 1971, when Sweden was subdivided into the Municip ...

in 1850, the daughter of the government defence minister and noble

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Alexander Reuterskiöld and Anna Schenström. She was educated at the fashionable girls' school '' Hammarstedtska flickskolan'' in Stockholm. On 20 September 1871, she married the Swedish archaeologist and professor

Oscar Montelius Gustav Oscar August Montelius, known as Oscar Montelius (9September 18434November 1921) was a Swedish archaeologist who refined the concept of seriation, a relative chronological dating method. Biography Oscar Montelius refined the concept ...

(1843–1921). She was described as diminutive, calm, kind and thoughtful, dutiful and always busy with her many projects. She had bad eyesight and eventually became blind in one eye. Her own personal ideals was simple and strict. Montelius was regarded as a central figure and an ideal among the women of the higher middle class in Stockholm.

Lydia Wahlström ''Lydia'' Katarina Wahlström (28 June 1869 – 2 June 1954) was a Swedish historian, author and feminist. She was one of the founders of the National Association for Women's Suffrage and its chairman in 1909–1911. Life and career Wahlst ...

often engaged her as an exam witness for the students of the girls' school ''

Åhlinska skolan Åhlinska skolan (Åhlin School), or Åhlinska flickskolan (Åhlin Girls' School), was a girls' school in Stockholm, Sweden. Active from 1847 to 1939, it was one of the first schools in Sweden that offered serious academic education to female stud ...

''.

Philanthropic work

Montelius was the leading figure of the Swedish philanthropy in the early 20th century. Her principle was to help people help themselves. She was member of the committee (1885–1901) and the chairperson (1900–1901) of the women's society ''

Nya Idun Nya Idun is a Swedish cultural association for women founded in 1885, originally as a female counterpart to Sällskapet Idun ('the Idun Society'). Its aim was to "gather educated women in the Stockholm area for informal gatherings". There was a ...

'' (New Idun); the Maria skyddsförening (Maria Protection Society) 1879–1892, co-founder and chairperson of ''Föreningen för välgörenhetens ordnande'' or FVO (Society of Organised Charity) in 1889–1911 as well as managing director of the FVO central committee in 1911–1920. She was a member of the central committee in the ''Sällskapet för uppmuntran av öm och sedlig modersvård'' (Society for the Encouragement of Tender and Decent Motherly Care) in 1901–1920, co-founder and committee member of the ''Centralförbundet för socialt arbete'' (Central Committee of Social Work) or CSA in 1903–1909 and ''Svenska fattigvårdsförbundet'' (Swedish Poor Care Society) in 1909–1920.

Women's rights activism

Through her philanthropic work, she also became involved with the work for women's rights. She was a supporter of

Difference feminism Difference feminism holds that there are differences between men and women but that no value judgment can be placed upon them and both sexes have equal moral status as persons. The term "difference feminism" developed during the "equality-versus ...

and believed it to be important for women to participate in politics and the organization and formation of society on order to protect the rights of the sick, the weak and needing and to make society a home. In 1886, Montelius officially became a member of the women's rights organisation of

Sophie Adlersparre Carin ''Sophie'' Adlersparre, known under the pen-name Esselde (born Leijonhufvud; 6 July 1823 – 27 June 1895) was one of the pioneers of the 19th-century women's rights movement in Sweden. She was the founder and editor of the first women' ...

: the Fredrika Bremer Association or FBF. Two years prior, she had been one of its co-founders. Formally, the FBF was headed by

Hans Hildebrand Hans Olof Hildebrand Hildebrand (5 April 1842 – 2 February 1913) was a Swedish archeologist. He is internationally known as one of the pioneers of the archaeological technique of typology. Biography Born in Stockholm, he was the son of Bror E ...

because Adlersparre thought it necessary for the society to be headed by a male for it to be taken seriously. In reality, however, Adlersparre functioned as its chairperson, and upon the death of Adlersparre in 1895, she was succeeded by Montelius. Montelius was initially called vice chairman, but in 1903, she formally became chairman, officially the first female chairperson of the FBF. The goal of the FBF was to work for

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...

, but previously, it had not worked for

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

. In 1899, a delegation from the FBF presented a suggestion of women's suffrage to Prime Minister

Erik Gustaf Boström Erik Gustaf Bernhard Boström (11 February 1842 – 21 February 1907) was a Swedish landowner and politician who was a member of the Swedish Parliament (1876–1907) and the longest-serving Prime Minister of Sweden of the 19th century. He ...

. The delegation was headed by Montelius, accompanied by

Gertrud Adelborg Gertrud Virginia Adelborg (10 September 1853 in Karlskrona – 25 January 1942) was a Swedish teacher, feminist and leading member of the women's rights movement. Biography Gertrud Adelborg was born at Karlskrona in Blekinge County, Sweden. She ...

, who had written the demand. This was the first time the Swedish women's movement themselves had officially presented a demand for suffrage. In 1902, the Swedish National Association for Women's Suffrage (''Landsföreningen för kvinnans politiska rösträtt'', LKPR) was founded. Montelius never became a formal member, probably because of her chairmanship of the FBF, but she was informally active for the LKPR. She performed many tasks for the LKPR, she made the resources and the members of the FBF available for service in the LKPR, and she made the paper of the FBF, ''

Dagny Dagny () is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Population Geography The river Aubetin flows northwestward through the commune. See also * Communes of the Seine-et-Marne departme ...

'', the spokes organ of the LKPR until 1911. In 1911, when the LKPR abandoned its political neutrality by a resolution of boycott against political parties opposing woman suffrage, she stopped the use of the FBF's paper ''Dagny'' as the paper of LKPR. She was a consultant in the governmental committee for the reformation of the marriage rights law in 1912, which eventually (in 1920) led to husband and wife being given equal rights within marriage.

Peace activism

Montelius was also active within the peace movement, during which FBF again collaborated with the LKPR. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the LKPR took the initiative for a peace organisation formed by women of the neutral countries with the aim to form pressure on the neutral governments to act as mediators between the warring parties. The Peace Movement was formed by the LKPR with members also from the Fredrika Bremer Association, KFUK, the social democratic women's organisations among others, with Anna Whitlock, Emilia Broomé and

Kerstin Hesselgren Kerstin Hesselgren (14 January 1872 – 19 August 1962) was a Swedish politician. Hesselgren became the first woman to be elected into the Upper House of the Swedish Parliament after female suffrage was introduced in 1921. She was elected by sug ...

as leading members. A great peace manifestation was to take place 19 February 1915 organised by the Swedish women with support and participation also from the women of Denmark and Norway. However, on 18 February, Montelius was called to meet with Queen

Victoria of Baden Sophie Marie Victoria of Baden (german: Sophie Marie Viktoria; 7 August 1862 – 4 April 1930) was Queen of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until her death in 1930 as the wife of King Gustaf V. She was politically active in a conservative fashion du ...

, who demanded a stop of "The foolish presumption of women" to involve in politics. King

Gustav V of Sweden Gustaf V (Oscar Gustaf Adolf; 16 June 1858 – 29 October 1950) was King of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until his death in 1950. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxe ...

interrupted and said that women were of course entitled to present demands to the government, but that the present situation made it difficult. The king referred the matter to Knut Wallenberg,

Minister for Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...

, who warned them that such an action could damage Swedish neutrality. The action was therefore silenced in Sweden and Norway as well as in Denmark. However, the Swedish Peace Movement did send 16 delegates to the

International Congress of Women The International Congress of Women was created so that groups of existing women's suffrage movements could come together with other women's groups around the world. It served as a way for women organizations across the nation to establish formal m ...

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

in April 1915.

Award

She was awarded the Swedish Royal Medal ''

Illis Quorum ''Illis quorum'' (''Illis quorum meruere labores'') ( English: "For Those Whose Labors Have Deserved It"), is a gold medal awarded for outstanding contributions to Swedish culture, science or society. The award was introduced in 1784 by King Gu ...

'' in 1910.

References

Other sources

* Österberg, Carin et al. (1990) ''Svenska kvinnor: föregångare, nyskapare'' (Lund: Signum) (Swedish) * Barbro Hedwall; Susanna Eriksson Lundqvist (2011) ''Vår rättmätiga plats. Om kvinnornas kamp för rösträtt'' (Stockholm: Förlag Bonnier)