Ellisif Wessel facts for kids

Ellisif Ranveig Wessel (born July 14, 1866 – died November 28, 1949) was a brave Norwegian writer, a leader in workers' rights (called a trade unionist), and a politician for the Labour Party. She worked hard to help people in her community and speak up for those who needed a voice.

Ellisif Wessel's Early Life

Ellisif was born in a place called Østre Gausdal. Her father, Wilhelm Jacobi Müller, was a doctor. Her family moved a few times before she turned ten. She finished middle school at Nissen School in 1882.

In 1886, she married her cousin, Andreas Wessel, who was also a doctor. They moved to Kirkenes, a town in northern Norway. Andreas became the local district doctor there. Ellisif and Andreas had seven children, but sadly, all of them passed away when they were young.

Photography and Helping Others

Ellisif loved to take pictures of the beautiful nature and the people around her. She especially took many photos of the Sami culture, showing their way of life. Her pictures and writings, like her 1902 book Fra vor grændse mod Rusland, are very important for understanding history.

As she traveled and took photos, Ellisif saw that many people in the area were very poor. This made her want to help them. At first, she voted for the Liberal Party, but by 1904, she decided to join the Labour Party.

Fighting for Workers' Rights

Ellisif and her husband became very active in politics. They invited people to speak about workers' rights. They also helped Russian refugees who had to leave their country after the failed 1905 revolution, which was an attempt to change the government in Russia.

Ellisif translated important books about social change from Russian and German. In 1906, she played a big part in starting a local group for workers called a trade union. This union was named Nordens Klippe. She became both the secretary and the treasurer of this group, helping to manage its activities and money.

Writing and Publishing

Ellisif wrote for many newspapers and magazines that supported the labour movement. She was a strong voice, and people often talked about her. She is mentioned in many books about Norway's worker movement and the history of northern Norway.

Because she had strong opinions, she even started her own magazine called Klasse mot Klasse in 1914 and 1915. In 1914, she also wrote a children's book about socialism, called Den lille socialist.

Ellisif was also a poet. She published several poetry books, including Vinter og Vaar (1903), Nye smaavers (1904), and Det kalder. Digte (1930). The first two were published by Aschehoug, a well-known publishing company.

Over time, she became more interested in a type of workers' movement called syndicalists. She wrote for their publications like Revolt, Direkte Aktion, Solidaritet, and Alarm.

After the Russian Revolution, Ellisif and her husband supported the Soviet Union. However, they never joined the Communist Party themselves.

Ellisif Wessel passed away in 1949 in Kirkenes. She was buried there, and people still visit her grave during the May Day parade, which celebrates workers' rights.