✓ Elisabeth Selbert (1896-1952)
One of the mothers of the Basic Law: gender equality was enshrined in the constitution thanks to her persistence.
✓ Louise Otto-Peters (1819-1895)
One of the most important pioneers of the first women’s movement in Germany, who campaigned for women’s education, employment, and political participation.
✓ Clara Zetkin (1857-1933)
A central figure in the international labor movement—one of the initiators of the first International Women’s Day. Equality and social justice were her key issues.
✓ Luise Pusch (born 1944)
Linguist and activist for gender-inclusive language.
✓ Judith Butler (*1956)
A prominent gender theorist whose approaches have significantly influenced feminism and queer theory.
✓ Rosa Parks (*1913-2005)
Civil Rights Movement activist: she steadfastly sat down, initiating the bus boycott that drew attention to a discriminatory law and led to its repeal.
✓ Alice Salomon (1872-1948)
One of the most important pioneers of social work, a feminist, and a social reformer in Germany. She is considered the founder of professional social work and continues to shape the field today. Because she was Jewish, she was stripped of her German citizenship in Nazi Germany and emigrated to the USA.
✓ Jane Addams (1860-1935)
An American social reformer, feminist, pacifist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate: a pioneer of community work, co-founder of social work as a profession, one of the most influential women’s movement figures of her time, and a pacifist during World War I.
✓ Mary Richmond (1861-1928)
Developer of casework theory in social work: she helped to make social services systematic and professional, and combined practical assistance with scientific analysis.
✓ Maria Montessori (1870-1928)
An educational reformer who saw teachers as guides rather than strict authorities. Her educational goal was to promote independence, personal responsibility, and individual development through hands-on learning.