Gertrud Luckner

Overview

Gertrud Luckner (née Jane Hart) born Liverpool, England September 26, 1900 (d. 1995). German pacifist resister against Hitler; Quaker convert to Catholicism; rescued Jews in Germany until sent to Ravensbrück 1943 for 19 months; honored by Yad Vashem.

Quotations

"I thought: ‘You must always comfort them. The only thing I can do is walk the way together with them.’ The whole thing had been so terrible—the deportations, one city after another—so that it really did not much matter anymore what happened to me." (quote and photo Pax Christi International)

Marie-Elisabeth Luders

Overview

Marie-Elisabeth Lüders born Berlin, Germany June 25, 1878 (d. 1966). Leading German feminist. First woman to earn PhD in political science in Germany. Member of Weimar Reichstag 1919-21, 1924-30; Bundestag, 1953-61. Lifelong disarmament advocate; delegate to World Disarmament Conference, 1932. Arrested and censored by Nazi regime, 1937.

Quotations

“War, the unknown Master: The war reigned over all, and with him his companion, Death. He also did not stop for women. There were no casualty lists of the 'heroines of everyday life,' who defended the honor and freedom of their country with their handiwork: Bread and grenades.” (photo Germanhistorydocs)

Joanna Lumley

Overview

Joanna Lumley born Srinagar, Kashmir, India May 1, 1946. British actress active in international causes of UNICEF, Amnesty International, ActionAid, animal rights; Buddhist.

Quotations

"You have to feel more involved than just writing out a cheque. Charity is almost the wrong word—I think people are beginning to feel more responsible for the world." (The Guardian, May 9, 2009; photo Wikipedia)

Kristin Lund

Overview

Kristin Lund born Norway May 16, 1958. First woman commander of UN peacekeeping force, Cyprus, 2014; previously served in UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon and Bosnia.

Quotations

"I think it's time, and I think it's important that other women see that it's possible also in the UN system to get up in the military hierarchy to become a force commander." (Deutsche Welle, May 13, 2004; photo forsvaret.no)

Rosa Lund

Overview

Rosa Lund born Copenhagen, Denmark December 4, 1986. Red-Green member Danish Parliament, 2011-15; teacher; participated in Freedom Flotilla III for Gaza, 2015.

Quotations

“It is legitimate to resist Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, and it is legitimate to resist in Colombia. But I take distance from the methods used by the two organizations use." (Sep. 12, 2011; photo da.wikipedia)

Sigrid Helliesen Lund

Overview

Sigrid Helliesen Lund born Kristiania, Norway February 23, 1892 (d. 1987). Norwegian Quaker humanitarian and peace activist. WILPF leader active in Nansen Relief program; rescued Jewish children from Nazis; assisted Norwegian resistance from Sweden. Honored by Yad Vashem, 2006.

Quotations

“[O]pposing outward war is now too simple and must be more far-reaching. Violence in and of itself, including spiritual oppression, is what we need to guard against.” (Friends Journal, Jan. 1997, p. 15)

Mimi Sverdrup Lunden

Overview

Mimi Sverdrup Lunden born Solund, Norway June 13, 1894 (d. 1955). Norwegian peace activist; feminist; educator, author, translator; anti-fascist 1930; promoted Nobel prize for Ossietsky; twice imprisoned WWII for aiding refugees; leader of Norwegian Peace Committee 1949; its principal delegate to International Peace Council Paris 1949; opposed atomic weapons and NATO, but resisted Communist takeover. (photo myheritage.com)

Gertrud Lutz

Overview

Gertrud Lutz Fankhauser born Rechthalten, Fribourg, Switzerland March 7, 1911 (d. 1995). Swiss humanitarian. As wife of Swiss consul, she looked after German civilians interned in Palestine, 1939-41. Helped rescue over 60,000 Jews in Hungary, 1942-45; hid 50 in basement, Budapest, 1944-45. Offered postwar children’s aid in Yugoslavia and Finland. Served as first head of UNICEF Poland, 1949-51; UNICEF Brazil, 1951-65; Turkey, 1965-66. Later headed UNICEF Europe and North Africa. Cared for a million children in Biafra War, 1967-68. Awarded Yad Vashem Righteous of the Nations, 1964.

Quotations

“[A]fter the war. . . I wanted to devote all my time and strength towards helping children and mothers.” (Reinhard Freiberg interview, April 24, 1984; photo frodo.at)