Emma Freundlich (25 June 1878 – 16 March 1948) was an Austrian writer and politician. In 1919 she was one of eight women elected to the Constituent Assembly, becoming the country's first female parliamentarians. She remained in parliament until 1934, when she was arrested and imprisoned following the

Austrian Civil War The Austrian Civil War (german: Österreichischer Bürgerkrieg), also known as the February Uprising (german: Februarkämpfe), was a few days of skirmishes between Austrian government and socialist forces between 12 and 16 February 1934, in Aust ...

Biography

Freundlich was born Emma Kögler, the youngest daughter of Adolf Kögler, a wealthy engineer and liberal politician who served as mayor of Aussig (now Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic).Emmy Freundlich
Frauen Sichtbar Machen In 1900 she travelled to Gretna Green against the wishes of her family to marry Leo Freundlich (1875–1954), a social democratic journalist. The couple moved to Mährisch Schönberg, where Leo became editor of ''Volkswacht''. After having two daughters, Emmy became active in social democratic politics and in 1907 began writing on family and women's issues for ''Kampf'', a social democratic journal; she continued writing for it until 1928. In the same year Leo was elected to the Imperial Council of

Cisleithania Cisleithania, also ''Zisleithanien'' sl, Cislajtanija hu, Ciszlajtánia cs, Předlitavsko sk, Predlitavsko pl, Przedlitawia sh-Cyrl-Latn, Цислајтанија, Cislajtanija ro, Cisleithania uk, Цислейтанія, Tsysleitaniia it, Cislei ...

. After Leo's defeat in the

1911 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1911. Africa * Liberian general election * Mauritius general election * Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council election Europe * Bulgarian Constitutional Assembly election * Bulgarian parliamentar ...

, the couple divorced and Emmy moved to Vienna.Erste Parlamentarierinnen in der Konstituierenden Nationalversammlung
Democracy CentreRoswhita Strommer (2008) ''Emmy Freundlich. Ein bewegtes Leben für die Genossenschaft'', p17 In Vienna, Freundlich became involved in the social democratic group of Karl Renner and the consumer cooperative movement. During World War I she was appointed to the Food Office of the Directorate of the War Economy. In 1918 she became a member of

Vienna City Council Vienna ( ; german: Wien ; bar, Wean, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the Capital city, capital, largest city, and one of States of Austria, nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's List of cities and towns in Austria, most populou ...

, remaining a member until 1923.Emmy Freundlich
Parliament of Austria The following year she was a

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties For ...

candidate in the Constituent Assembly elections and was one of eight women elected, Austria's first female parliamentarians. She was re-elected in

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 * ...

and

1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be ...

. In 1921 she became president of the International Cooperative Women's Guild, a role she held until 1948. In 1929 she was a delegate to the League of Nations Economic Section, its only female member. Following the

in 1934, she was imprisoned. In 1939 she left for London. During World War II she established the Austrian Committee for Relief. She moved to New York in 1947 to become an observer of the United Nations Economic and Social Council and died there the following year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freundlich, Emmy 1878 births 1948 deaths Politicians from Ústí nad Labem Writers from Ústí nad Labem German Bohemian people Social Democratic Party of Austria politicians Members of the Constituent National Assembly (Austria) Members of the National Council (Austria) 20th-century Austrian women writers 20th-century Austrian women politicians Austrian expatriates in the United Kingdom Austrian emigrants to the United Kingdom Austrian emigrants to the United States