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They paved the way to universities, broke new ground in art, inspired people with their stories about life in the mountains and the world, or caused a sensation in sports and film: Eight stories from female pioneers.
On March 8th, there will be a global fight for equal rights and against discrimination against women. Reason enough to pay tribute to a few women who shaped Swiss history in different ways.
Marie Heim-Vögtlin (1845-1916)
In 1868, the then 23-year-old was the first Swiss woman to study medicine at the University of Zurich. At that time, the general public was of the opinion that women were physically weak and should therefore not study.
Legend:
Marie Heim-Voegtlin, in an undated photo.
KEYSTONE/PHOTOPRESS ARCHIVE/Str
Against all odds, Heim-Vögtlin successfully completed her studies. She later opened her own practice in Zurich, becoming Europe’s first gynaecologist.
Meret Oppenheim (1913-1985)
The virtuoso painted, created jewelry, Furniture, figures, plastics and sculptures, and wrote surrealistic poems. Today she is considered the most important representative of surrealism.
Legend:
Meret Oppenheim in the Kunstmuseum Winterthur (photo: 01/19/75)
KEYSTONE/PHOTOPRESS ARCHIVE/Str
Elisabeth Kopp (*1936)
A novelty came in 1984, when a woman from Zurich was elected Federal Councilor for the first time in Swiss history. Before that, she was the first woman to be elected to the Zurich Education Council and had served in Zumikon as the first woman mayor in Switzerland.
Legend:
Federal Councilor Elisabeth Kopp, flanked by Federal Chancellor Achille Casanova (right) and FDJP spokesman Jörg Kistler (left) in 1988
KEYSTONE/Karl-Heinz Hug
Kopp politicized for the FDP, but sat down despite opposition from his own party, he also campaigned for environmental protection.
Johanna Spyri (1827-1901)
With the “Heidi” books (1879 and 1881), the children’s and youth book author celebrated international success. The stories have been translated into over 50 languages and filmed several times. Today they are among the most widely read books in the world.
Legend:
Portrait of Johanna Spyri (undated photo)
KEYSTONE/Johanna Spyri Foundation/Str
Marie Goegg-Pouchoulin (1826-1899)
The pioneer of women’s rights thus laid the foundation for the equality movement not only in Switzerland but throughout Europe.
Emilie Kempin Spyri (1853-1901)
In 1887, Emilie Kempin-Spyri was the first woman in Europe to receive a doctorate in law. Throughout her life, she fought for equal rights for women and paved the way for her successors: from 1898, women from Zurich were admitted to the bar for the first time.
Legend:
Emilie Kempin-Spyri in an undated photo.
Wikipedia Creative Commons
In addition, Kempin-Spyri lived in New York for three years, where she founded a law school for women, ran a law firm and taught as a professor.
Martina Hingis (*1980)
The St. Galler is by far the most successful tennis player in Swiss history and an absolute world star of the sport. She won a total of 25 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed tournaments and was at the top of the world rankings for 209 weeks.
She also still holds the record as the youngest ever world number 1.
Ursula Andress (*1936)
From Bern to Hollywood: The actress achieved her breakthrough in 1962 as the first Bond girl in the James Bond film series. In 1964 Andress was awarded a Golden Globe Award.
Especially in the 1960s and 70s she took part in a large number of international productions. With her athletic, body-hugging portrayal, she was style-defining for the role of the self-confident, beautiful woman.