Kerstin Hesselgren

Overview

Kerstin Hesselgren born Torsåker, Sweden January 14, 1872 (d. 1962). Called "Kerstin the First": first woman elected to upper house of Swedish parliament, 1922. Delegate to ILO, 1919; Swedish delegate to the League of Nations; opposed Italy's war on Ethiopia, 1935; member of first international committee on status of women, 1937.

Quotations

"How could women wish to bear children in a world that is so hopeless, so insecure!" (July 3, 1935, League Social Comm., in Feminism and Motherhood, p. 171, Allen; 1938 photo Wikipedia)

Ali Hewson

Overview

Alison Hewson (née Stewart) born Dublin, Ireland March 23, 1961. Irish peace activist; wife of rock star Bono; 5 weeks famine relief Ethiopia 1985; aid to Nicaragua and Salvador 1986; led protest at Sellafield nuclear plant 1992; aboard Greenpeace’s MV Solo protesting Norwegian whaling 1994; Chernobyl documentary and aid 1993; ran 1.3 million postcard campaign against Sellafield 2002.

Quotations

“Nuclear fall-out doesn’t have any respect for borders.” (Glasgow Herald, April 25, 2003)

“Anyone who lives 600 kilometers around a nuclear installation should be concerned. If it happened at Chernobyl, it could happen anywhere.” (U2@ May 13, 2003; photo irishcentral.com)

Lida Gustava Heymann

Overview

Lida Gustava Heymann born Hamburg, Germany March 15, 1868 (d. 1943). German radical; feminist-pacifist; co-founder of WILPF. Co-founded the first German feminist society with her partner Anita Augspurg, 1902.

Quotations

“Millions of men have been left on the battlefield. They will never see home again. Others have returned broken and sick in body and soul. Europe’s soil reeks in blood. Shall this war of extermination go on? Women of Europe, where is your voice? Are you great only in patience and suffering? Come together in the North and South of Europe and protest with all your might against this war, which is murdering the nations, and perform your duty as wives and mothers, as protectors of true civilization and humanity.“ (“Women of Europe, when will your cry ring out”)

“A Europe with Women’s suffrage would not have become victim of a World War.” (Fembio, Lida Heymann; photo Wikipedia)

Elizabeth Coltman Heyrick

Overview

Elizabeth Coltman Heyrick born Leicester, England December 4, 1769 (d. 1831). Quaker pacifist; ex-army wife; radical pamphleteer; pioneering abolitionist; founder of women's reform groups; prison reformer; opponent of capital punishment and animal abuse.

Quotations

"Truth and justice, make their way best in the world, when they appear in bold and simple majesty; their demands are most willingly conceded when they are most fearlessly claimed." (1824 Immediate Abolition, 1837 ed. 22; photo Lond. YM Quakers in the World)

Rosalyn Higgins

Overview

Rosalyn Higgins (née Cohen) born London, England June 2, 1937. First woman justice of International Court of Justice (ICJ); President of ICJ 2006-9; professor of international law, expert on terrorism and UN peacekeeping.

Quotations

"Serbia has violated the obligation to prevent genocide, under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in respect of the genocide that occurred Srebrenica in July 1995." (Feb. 27, 2007 judgment, para. 5; photo ICJ)

Bronagh Hinds

Overview

Bronagh Hinds born Belfast, Northern Ireland July 27, 1951. Contributed to peacemaking efforts in Iraq, Liberia, Timor, and Colombia. Co-founded Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition to help negotiate peace talks between Ireland and Northern Ireland, 1998. Founded DemocraShe to empower women in politics, policy influence, and peace-building, 2000. Received UK Woman of Europe Award for contribution to Northern Ireland peace agreement, 1998.

Quotations

“If we're talking about getting violence out of society at every level, children learn best in the home. When you smack a child it's very often out of frustration of the parent.” (BBC Question Time, May 20, 1999; photo Women’s National Coalition)

Emily Hobhouse

Overview

Emily Hobhouse born St. Ives, Cornwall, England April 9, 1860 (d. 1926). Leading opponent of Boer War; exposed British concentration camps in S. Africa; opposed World War I.

Quotations

On Gandhi's satyagraha: "I should not be surprised if one of these days you have to go to the gallows for the sake of truth. May God show you the right path and protect you."(Gandhi, Satyagraha in South Africa)

"[P]oor women who were being driven from pillar to post needed protection and organized assistance. And from that moment I was determined to go to South Africa in order to render assistance to them." (late 1900, Spartacus Educational bio.: photo sahistory.org.za)

Hannah Hoch

Overview

Hannah Höch born Gotha, Germany November 1, 1889 (d. 1978). Anti-war Dada artist and feminist. Pioneer of photomontage, inspired by a poster of a soldier exalting German military glory on which she pasted a picture of her dull landlord. “Heads of State” showed men like the emperor without clothes, 1918; “Dada Panorama” made fun of generals in their spiked helmets, statesmen in bathing suits, and battle scenes, 1919. “The Little P” mocked Hitler, showing an orator with a drooling baby mouth, 1931.

Quotations

“It was not very easy for a woman to impose herself as a modern artist in Germany. . . Most of our male colleagues continued for a long time to look upon us as charming and gifted amateurs, denying us implicitly any real professional status.” (Feminist Art Archive; photo Wikipedia)

Ulrike Hofken

Overview

Ulrike Höfken born Düsseldorf, Germany May 14, 1955. Green Party representative 1994; farmer and agricultural expert interested in biodiversity and sustainability.

Quotations

"[T]his new policy is to support the European economy in a way that encourages quality control, consumer, animal and environmental protection and social justice in the global competition. The needs of the developing countries must be particularly respected." (photo Wikipedia)

Karin Hokborg

Overview

Karin Hökborg born Luleå, Sweden October 3, 1941. Judge of Rwanda War Crimes Tribunal, 2003; Swedish diplomat and international lawyer.

Quotations

"Having found Athanase Seromba guilty of the crime of genocide and crime against humanity (extermination); Sentences Athanase Seromba to a single sentence of 15 years of imprisonment." (http://bit.ly/wKgBQZ; photo http://bit.ly/wPpEy1)

Ethel Carnie Holdsworth

Overview

Ethel Carnie Holdsworth born Ostwaldthistle, Lancashire, England January 1, 1886 (d. 1962). Socialist, pacifist, union organizer, feminist novelist, and poet. Opposed World War I; promoted resistance to conscription through the British Citizen Party.

Quotations

“There'll be as much to fight here, now it's over, as there was there. . . Till all the wars is over . . . Till everybody's happy . . . Till there isn't one lot allus trampling t'others down under their heels. Till there's real peace. . . There'll be no peace in our time. . . But [it might] happen—if we fight hard—in somebody's time.” (General Belinda, p. 310, 1924)

Meek Pacifism, all negation
Whilst nation made arms against nation,
And hounds of war shouted in wander
For aeroplanes—with blood and thunder.
There walked the Soldier, left unlettered,
With all his ignorance, slave fettered,
For to give him erudition
Would bring the menace of sedition.”

("The Carnival of State”, 1923; photo Reading Univ.)

Ann-Margret Holmgren

Overview

Ann-Margret Holmgren (née Tersmeden) born Uppsala, Sweden February 17, 1850 (d. 1940). Swedish suffragist; author; pacifist. Advocated peaceful separation of Norway, 1905; Vice-President of Swedish Women’s Peace Society 1901-10.

Quotations

"[War] was shameful and unworthy of Scandinavian people." (H. Arnold Barton, Sweden and Visions of Norway, p. 76, 2003; photo Wikipedia)

Winifred Holtby

Overview

Winifred Holtby born Rudston, Yorkshire, England June 23, 1898 (d. 1935). Pacifist novelist, poet, journalist; ardent feminist and socialist; lifelong close friend of Vera Brittain; lecturer on League of Nations; anti-racism activist.

Quotations

"Those who prepare for war get it. . . There's never been a lack of men willing to die bravely. The trouble is to find a few able to live sensibly." (Vera Brittain, Testament of Friendship, p. 132; photo Wikipedia)

Magda Hoppstock-Huth

Overview

Magda Hoppstock-Huth born Hamburg, Germany September 3, 1881 (d. 1959). Co-founded German WILPF 1916, opposed anti-Semitism; defended minorities 1930s; arrested 1944, rescued from Fuhlbüttel prison 1945; postwar politician opposed nuclear weapons, Cold War and German remilitarization; advocated total disarmament.

Quotations

"International women's peace work can help pave the way. . . so that through reason people will find a civilized relationship with their neighbors." (German WILPF; photo hamburg.de)

Goretti Horgan

Overview

Goretti Horgan born Ireland July 5, 1956. Irish social activist. Socialist, pro-choice leader, and university lecturer. One of “Raytheon Nine” women arrested for chaining themselves to Londonderry arms factory making missiles used to bomb Gaza, 2009; acquitted. Peace march for Gaza across Peace Bridge.

Quotations

“It was agreed we would do it as this is a Peace Bridge and because the people of Derry have experience of conflict, and we wanted to use our Peace Bridge to help bring some peace to the people of Gaza.” (Derry Journal, July 18, 2014; photo Action on X)

Florence Horsbrugh

Overview

Florence Horsbrugh born Edinburgh, Scotland October 13, 1889 (d. 1969). Delegate to League of Nations, 1933-34, 1935; British delegate to the founding of the UN San Francisco, 1945. Conservative Minister of Education under Churchill, 1951-54. Delegate to Council of Europe and Western European Union 1955-60; delegate to UNESCO, 1953.

Quotations

“UNESCO contributes to the general welfare of all nations by promoting collaboration in education, science and culture.” (Dec. 18, 1952, Hansard; photo national portrait gallery)

Ellen Horup

Overview

Ellen Hørup born Copenhagen, Denmark December 29, 1871 (d. 1953). Danish Gandhian; opposed NATO, Korean War.

Quotations

"Gandhi meant, to me, the apostle who would bring, not only to India but to the entire world, the gospel of the future—the abolishing of violence from mankind." (Copenhagen, Sept. 23, 1936; photo Dan. Peace Acad.)

Elizabeth Fox Howard

Overview

Elizabeth Fox Howard born Walthamstow, London, England March 6, 1873 (d. 1957). Quaker relief worker, author, poet, and impressionist artist. Visited imprisoned conscientious objectors and aided enemy internees during World War I. Led postwar reconciliation efforts with Germany. Served as hostess to Gandhi, London, 1931. Ran “Rest Home” refuge for concentration camp recovery, Bad Pyrmont, 1933-39. Arrested by Nazis, but released, 1935. Aided with German relief after World War II.

Quotations

“Alongside the purely relief work we were always trying to carry a quiet and unostentatious message of friendship and reconciliation.” (“Quiet Helpers: Quaker Service in Postwar Germany”)

Edith How-Martyn

Overview

Edith How-Martyn born Erith, Kent, England June 17, 1875 (d. 1954). English suffragist, birth-control advocate, mathematician; imprisoned for suffrage protests; founder and strategist nonviolent Women's Freedom League 1907; opposed World War I; one of first women to run for parliament 1918, antiwar; first birth control clinic 1921.

Quotations

"I can use my brain better without a hat, and as I come to these meetings to use my brain, I take my hat off." (comment on St. Paul's edict, 1920, in New York Times, July 3, 1995; photo spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk)

Ruth Hubbard

Overview

Ruth Hubbard born Vienna, Austria March 3, 1924 (d. 2016). Biochemistry professor at Harvard and Woods Hole Institute. Peace activist for over 40 years with husband George Wald, opposing Vietnam War and the arms race.

Quotations

“The Kennedy School is more responsible for the wars that the United States is involved in than the arms manufacturers.” (Harvard Crimson, Apr. 2, 1991)

“The [Vietnam] war made me see that science and the universities help maintain differences in wealth and power between nations and between the ethnic, racial, and economic groups within them.” (Politics of Women's Biology, 1990, p. 1; photo Wikipedia from Harvard Square Library)