Bertha von Suttner

Activist Type

Peace

Bertha von Suttner, an Austro-Bohemian noblewoman, novelist, and pioneering pacifist, made history in 1905 as the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Von Suttner entrenched herself as a leader in the Austrian peace movement after publishing her novel Die Waffen nieder! (Lay Down Your Arms!) which advocated for disarmament and the establishment of peace institutions like the International Court of Justice.

Suttner would go on to address the International Congress of Women in Berlin and attend the First Hague Convention in 1899. Even amid personal tragedy and her battle with cancer, she continued her crusade for peace, shaping the discourse at the Second Hague Peace Conference. Von Suttner’s enduring legacy is commemorated on coins, stamps, and statues throughout Vienna and Graz.

Artwork by

Florine Glueck

To highlight Bertha von Suttner’s literary contributions, her own handwriting has been integrated into the portrait. At the top, you can see the title of her most famous book, Lay Down Your Arms, and her signature at the bottom. Her handwriting held significant personal value as well, as evidenced by the letters she exchanged with her close friend Alfred Nobel, a relationship often credited with influencing the establishment of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Austria

Capital

Vienna

Founded

March 17, 0976

Demonym

Austrian