Ragna Nielsen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ragna Nielsen
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Portrait by Asta Nørregaard
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| President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights | |
| In office 1886–1888 |
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| Preceded by | Anna Stang |
| Succeeded by | Anna Bugge |
| In office 1889–1895 |
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| Preceded by | Anna Bugge |
| Succeeded by | Randi Blehr |
| 2nd President of the Riksmål Society | |
| In office 1910–1911 |
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| Preceded by | Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Eriksen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ragna Vilhelmine Ullmann
17 July 1845 |
| Died | 29 September 1924 |
| Nationality | Norway |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | Viggo Ullmann (brother) |
Ragna Vilhelmine Nielsen (born Ullmann) (17 July 1845 – 29 September 1924) was an important Norwegian woman. She was a teacher, a school principal, a writer, and a leader in many groups. Ragna Nielsen was also a politician and a strong supporter of women's rights.
Contents
Ragna Nielsen's Early Life and Family
Ragna Nielsen was born in a city called Christiania, which is now known as Oslo, Norway. Her parents were Jørgen Axel Nicolai Ullmann and Cathrine Johanne Fredrikke Vilhelmine Dunker. Her mother, Vilhelmine Dunker, was also a teacher and a writer who believed in women's rights.
In 1879, Ragna married Ludvig Nielsen. They moved to a city called Tromsø. However, they separated in 1884, and Ragna moved back to Christiania. Ragna also had a brother named Viggo Ullmann, who became a politician.
Ragna Nielsen's Career and Achievements
Ragna Nielsen started her journey in education at a young age. She first went to her mother's school for girls. Later, she attended a private school for girls run by Hartvig Nissen until 1860.
Becoming a Teacher and Principal
From 1862, Ragna worked as a teacher at Nissen's school. She taught there until 1879. After moving to Tromsø, she continued teaching until 1884.
In 1885, Ragna Nielsen started her own school in Christiania. It was called Fru Nielsens Latin- og Realskole. At first, it was only for girls. But soon, it became a school for both girls and boys. Ragna Nielsen was the first woman in Norway to be the principal of a secondary school, which is like a high school.
Leading Women's Rights and Other Groups
Ragna Nielsen was a very active leader. She was the president of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights two times. Her first term was from 1886 to 1888, and her second was from 1889 to 1895.
She also helped start many other important organizations:
- Kvindestemmeretsforeningen (Women's Suffrage Association) in 1885, which worked for women's right to vote.
- Norske kvindelige Handelsstands Forening (Norwegian Women's Business Association) in 1890.
- Norsk Fredsforening (Norwegian Peace Association) in 1891.
- Hjemmenes Vel (The Homes' Welfare) in 1898.
In Politics and Language
From 1901 to 1904, Ragna Nielsen was elected to the Christiania City Council. This meant she helped make decisions for the city.
She also cared a lot about the Norwegian language. In 1907, she helped create the language organization Riksmålsforeningen. She led this group from 1909 to 1910.
Writing and Other Interests
Ragna Nielsen was also a writer. In 1921, she helped start a women's magazine called Norske Kvinder. She wrote several books, including:
- Norske kvinder i det 19de aarhundrede (Norwegian Women in the 19th Century) from 1904.
- Fra de smaa følelsers tid (From the Time of Small Feelings) from 1907.
- Sisyphos og de politiske partier (Sisyphus and the Political Parties) from 1922.
She was also interested in the spiritualism movement, which explores spiritual ideas. She helped start Norsk Selskap for Psykisk Forskning (Norwegian Society for Psychical Research) in 1917.
