Johanne Münter facts for kids
Johanne Elisabeth Münter (1844–1921) was a Danish writer and a strong supporter of women's rights. She worked hard to make sure women had equal opportunities.
After visiting Japan in 1895, Johanne wrote several books about Japanese women. She was very interested in the country. In the 1890s, she joined the women's movement. She gave talks about culture and religion at the Kvindelig Læseforening (Women's Reading Society). She also joined the Danske Kvinders Forsvarsforening (Danish Women's Defence Association). She was also part of the women's group of the Red Cross.
In 1904, she helped start the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) in Berlin. This group worked for women's right to vote. In 1906, she started her own women's suffrage group called Kvindevalgretsklubben. This club was part of the Danske Kvindeforeningers Valgretsforbund (Danish Women's Society Suffrage Union). Johanne Münter also went to IWSA meetings in Amsterdam (1908) and London (1909).
Her Life Story
Early Life and Travels
Johanne Münter was born on 13 May 1844 in Rønne, a town on the island of Bornholm. Her father, Peter Johnson, was a ship owner. Her mother was Maren Kirstine Sonne. In 1865, she married Alexander Herman Jacob Balthasa Münter. He was a naval officer.
From 1873, Johanne lived for 10 years in Malmö, Sweden. Her husband worked there as the director of a shipyard and as a Danish consul. In 1883, she moved to Copenhagen. At this time, her husband was working far away in the Far East. He was a military adviser in China and Japan.
In 1895, Johanne visited her husband in Japan. This trip gave her many ideas. She started giving talks about her travels. She also wrote books about her experiences. One of her books, Minder fra Japan, talked about the lives of Japanese women. It also showed how much she loved the country.
Working for Women's Rights
Johanne Münter became very interested in the women's movement. This happened after the 1895 Copenhagen Women's Exhibition. She was also inspired by people who fought for women's right to vote in the late 1890s.
She also studied and wrote about different religions. She learned about Buddhism and Shintoism. She believed these religions could exist alongside Christianity. In 1901, she published Buddhismens Historie (The History of Buddhism). Later, in 1914, she wrote Den esoteriske Buddhisme (Esoteric Buddhism).
Johanne joined the Danske Kvinders Forsvarsforening (Danish Women's Defence Association). She also became part of the women's section of the Red Cross. In 1904, she went to the first meeting of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) in Berlin. This group worked to get women the right to vote. She also represented Denmark at IWSA meetings in Amsterdam (1908) and London (1909).
In 1906, she started her own women's suffrage group. It was called Kvindevalgretsklubben (KVK). People often called it "Fru Münters Club." It had about a hundred members. Many of these members were important women who worked for women's rights. Her club was connected to the Danske Kvindeforeningers Valgretsforbund. Johanne was the international secretary for this group from 1904 to 1909. After that, Thora Daugaard took over.
Johanne Münter also edited the KVK members' newspaper, Kvindestemmerets-Bladet, from 1907 to 1913. She also wrote articles for other newspapers and magazines. These included Berlingske Tidende, Damernes Blad, Kvindernes Blad, and Husmoderens Blad.
Johanne Münter passed away in Hellebæk on 27 July 1921. She was buried in Copenhagen's Vestre Cemetery.
