Helene von Mülinen (27 November 1850 – 11 March 1924) was a Swiss

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

regarded as the founder of the organized Swiss women's suffrage movement. She founded the Swiss women's suffrage movement,

Bund Schweizerischer Frauenvereine alliance F (; by 2011) is the Federation of Swiss Women's Associations. History The presidents of the progressive women's associations from Bern (Helene von Mülinen), Zürich (Emma Boos Jegher), Lausanne (Marguerite Duvillard Chavannes) and Ge ...

(BSF), in 1900 and served as its first president between 1900 and 1904.

Biography

Mülinen was born in Bern, Switzerland, on 27 November 1850. Her family was part of the

Swiss nobility Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a collection of semi-autonomous cantons. As membership of the confederation has fluctuated throughout history, each of these cantons has its own unique history and nobility. Typically, each canto ...

. Although her parents prevented her from receiving a formal theological degree, von Mülinen audited lectures at the University of Bern, including lectures by Adolf Schlatter and

Fritz Barth Karl Barth (; ; – ) was a Swiss Calvinist theologian. Barth is best known for his commentary ''The Epistle to the Romans'', his involvement in the Confessing Church, including his authorship (except for a single phrase) of the Barmen Declarat ...

. In 1890, Mülinen became hospitalized for treatment for tuberculosis. There, she became acquainted with the medical student Emma Pieczynska-Reichenbach. The two became life-long partners, committed to the women's movement. Mülinen participated in the formation of the Bund Schweizerischer Frauenvereine (Federation of Swiss Women's Associations) and served as its president from 1900 through 1904. She also remained on the board through 1920. Mülinen died on 11 March 1924 in Bern.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulinen, Helene von 1850 births 1924 deaths Swiss suffragists Swiss feminists Swiss nobility 19th-century Swiss LGBT people 20th-century Swiss LGBT people

Biography

See also

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