Lyla Lindsey
Austria has produced many Nobel Prize winners, including two Peace Prize winners. The first Austrian to win the Nobel Peace Prize was Bertha von Suttner, an Austro-Bohemian noblewoman, novelist, and pacifist. She was also the first woman to win the prize, which she received in 1905 for her audacity to oppose the horrors of war.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Bertha von Suttner |
| Birth Name | Countess Kinsky |
| Birth Date | 9 June 1843 |
| Birth Place | Prague, Austrian Empire |
| Death Date | 21 June 1914 |
| Occupation | Novelist, journalist, pacifist |
| Known For | First Austrian and Czech Nobel laureate; first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize; editor of a pacifist journal |
| Awards | Nobel Peace Prize (1905); featured on the Austrian 2 euro coin; commemorated on a 1965 Austrian and 2005 German postage stamp; statue in her honour in Vienna and Graz |
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What You'll Learn
Bertha von Suttner was the first Austrian to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Von Suttner's life was certainly dramatic. She was born in 1843 in Austrian Prague, just after the death of her father, who was 75. She moved to Georgia, then part of the Russian Empire, where she became a tutor to Baron von Suttner's children. She fell in love with the oldest, who was seven years her junior, and eloped with him as his parents disapproved of the match. She then took a job as a secretary for Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, and they became lifelong friends.
Von Suttner's writing career began with a failed stint in opera singing. She returned to Austria and published her pacifist book, "Die Waffen Nieder!" ("Lay Down Your Arms!") in the late 1880s. The book was a huge success, being translated into 12 languages, and made her a notable figure in the pacifist movement. She also edited a pacifist newspaper of the same title. In addition to her writing, she was a notable organiser of peace conferences and introduced the law of war to the law order just before World War I broke out.
Von Suttner's influence on the creation of the Nobel Peace Prize is also significant. She corresponded with Alfred Nobel until his death in 1896, and it is believed that she was a major influence on his decision to include a peace prize in his will. Her work and activism continue to be commemorated in Europe, including on coins, stamps, and statues.
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She was also the first woman to win the award
Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicitas von Suttner, born Countess Kinsky in Prague in 1843, was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She was also the first Austrian to be awarded the prize and the second female Nobel laureate. Marie Skłodowska-Curie, a Pole, had won the Nobel Prize in 1903, two years prior to von Suttner's win.
Von Suttner was an Austro-Bohemian noblewoman, pacifist, and novelist. Her work as a journalist and novelist was influential for those involved in the peace movement. Her novel "Die Waffen Nieder!" or "Lay Down Your Arms!" made her a notable figure in the pacifist movement. She also became the editor of a pacifist newspaper of the same title.
Von Suttner was a pioneer for women's rights, having to overcome numerous obstacles to achieve her goals. She was also a notable figure in organizing peace conferences and introducing the law of war to the law order just before World War I broke out. Her work and influence may have even popularized the prize itself.
Von Suttner's legacy is honoured in various ways. She was selected as a motif for a high-value collector's coin, the 2008 Europe Taler. She is also depicted on the Austrian 2 euro coin and was pictured on the old Austrian 1,000 schilling banknote. In addition, she was commemorated on postage stamps in Austria and Germany in 1965 and 2005, respectively. Furthermore, statues in her honour can be found in Vienna and Graz.
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Suttner was a novelist, journalist and pacifist
Austrian-born Bertha von Suttner was a novelist, journalist, and pacifist. She was the first Austrian, the first woman, and the second female Nobel laureate to win a Nobel Peace Prize, which she accepted in 1905.
Suttner was born in 1843 in Austrian Prague, and her life was full of trials and errors. She was a pioneer who fought one obstacle after another to achieve her goal. She was a notable figure in organizing peace conferences and introducing the law of war to the law order just before World War I broke out. She also became internationally known as the editor of a pacifist journal, "Die Waffen Nieder!", which translates to "Lay Down Your Arms!". The book of the same title was translated into 12 languages, making her a notable figure in the pacifist movement.
Suttner's work has remained influential for those involved in the peace movement. She was selected as a main motif for a high-value collectors' coin: the 2008 Europe Taler, which featured important people in the history of Europe. She is depicted on the Austrian 2 euro coin and was pictured on the old Austrian 1,000 schilling banknote. She was commemorated on a 1965 Austrian postage stamp and a 2005 German postage stamp. On 10 December 2019, Google celebrated her with a Google Doodle. There are statues in her honor in Vienna and Graz.
Suttner's personal contact with Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, was brief, but they corresponded until his death in 1896. It is believed that Suttner influenced his decision to include a peace prize in his will. She received the prize together with her comrade, the legal scholar Tobias Asser, for their help in developing an international order based on peace rather than war.
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Her work influenced the inclusion of a peace prize in Alfred Nobel's will
Bertha von Suttner, an Austrian citizen, was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905. She was also Alfred Nobel's lover, and their letters have been published in a German-language book held by the Library of Congress. Von Suttner's work as a pacifist influenced the inclusion of a peace prize in Alfred Nobel's will.
Nobel was a Swedish entrepreneur, scientist, and writer. He was also an arms dealer and the inventor of dynamite. Upon his brother’s death in 1888, a French newspaper published an obituary entitled “The Merchant of Death is Dead,” mistaking Alfred for his brother. This mistake, along with his invention of dynamite, led to Nobel's desire to ensure his legacy as a man of peace.
Nobel wrote several wills during his lifetime. He composed the last one over a year before he died, signing it at the Swedish–Norwegian Club in Paris on November 27, 1895. In his will, Nobel specified that his fortune be used to create a series of prizes for those who conferred the "greatest benefit on mankind" in five fields: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace.
The Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. The prize is awarded "to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." Von Suttner's work as a pacifist aligned with Nobel's desire to recognize those who have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind and promoted peace.
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She was awarded the prize in 1905
In 1905, Bertha von Suttner, an Austrian writer and pacifist, became the first-ever woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She was also the first Austrian and Czech laureate. Born in 1843 in Austrian-occupied Prague, she was an Austro-Bohemian noblewoman. Her father, an Austrian Lieutenant General, died when she was born, and her mother was almost fifty years his junior.
Von Suttner's work has been highly influential for those involved in the peace movement. Her first significant political work, Inventarium einer Seele ("Inventory of the Soul"), was published in 1883. In this work, she took a pro-disarmament, progressive stance, arguing for the inevitability of world peace due to technological advancement. She also wrote frequently for the Austrian press and worked on her early novels. In the late 1880s, she returned to Austria and published her pacifist book, "Die Waffen nieder!" ("Lay Down Your Arms!"). The book's success, which was soon translated into 12 languages, made her a notable figure in the pacifist movement, and she became the editor of a pacifist newspaper of the same title.
Von Suttner was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on 10 December 1905, together with her comrade, the legal scholar Tobias Asser (1838–1913). They were recognized for their efforts in establishing an international order based on peace rather than war. The presentation took place on 18 April 1906 in Kristiania. She was only the second female Nobel laureate, after Marie Curie won the prize in 1903.
Von Suttner's legacy has been honored in various ways. She was selected as a motif for the 2008 Europe Taler, a collector's coin featuring important people in European history. A commemorative silver 10-euro coin was also issued in Germany to commemorate the centennial of her Nobel Prize. Additionally, she is depicted on the Austrian 2-euro coin and was previously featured on the old Austrian 1,000-schilling banknote. She has also appeared on postage stamps in Austria and Germany and was honored with a Google Doodle on 10 December 2019.
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Frequently asked questions
The first Austrian to win the Nobel Peace Prize was Bertha von Suttner in 1905.
Bertha von Suttner was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the second female Nobel laureate.
She won the prize in 1905.
Marie Curie was the first female Nobel laureate in 1903.
She was awarded the prize "for her audacity to oppose the horrors of war".
