Vibeke Salicath facts for kids

Vibeke Salicath was a Danish woman who worked hard to help others.

Vibeke Ingeborg Salicath (born Frisch, 1861–1921) was an important Danish woman. She was a philanthropist, which means she loved to help people. Vibeke was also a feminist, working for equal rights for women. She became a politician too.

From the 1890s, Vibeke was very active in the Danish Women's Society. Her sister, Gyrithe Lemche, also joined her in this work. From 1901, Vibeke helped edit the magazine Kvinden & Samfundet.

Early Life and Family

Vibeke Ingeborg Frisch was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on August 1, 1861. Her father was Hartvig Frisch, a headmaster. Her mother was Elisabeth Alexandra Mourier. Vibeke had a younger sister named Gyrithe Lemche, who also became a famous feminist.

In 1884, Vibeke married Gerhard Guise Salicath. They had six children together. Sadly, only one of their children, Karen, survived childhood.

Vibeke grew up in a comfortable home in Lyngby. Her family moved there when she was young. After she married, she and Gerhard moved to a smaller home in Vesterbro, a part of Copenhagen. Later, she and her husband decided to live separately in 1903.

Helping Women and Children

Vibeke Salicath was very dedicated to helping others. In 1902, she started a special home for women called Kvindeherberget. She founded it with a journalist named Valborg Andersen. This home was later known as Kvindehjemmet. It was located in the Nørrebro area of Copenhagen.

This home offered help to single mothers and their children. It was a new and important idea at the time. This kind of support helped change how people viewed single women who were struggling.

Fighting for Women's Rights

In the 1890s, Vibeke joined the Danish Women's Society. She encouraged her sisters, Gyrithe and Asta, to join too. She became a leader in the Copenhagen branch of the organization in 1900. By 1905, she was the vice-president.

Vibeke also worked as an editor for Kvinden & Samfundet starting in 1901. She wrote articles for other women's magazines too. These included Frou-Frou and Hjemmet.

A big goal for Vibeke was women's suffrage. This meant women getting the right to vote. She became very focused on this after attending a conference in Berlin in 1904. At this meeting, the International Woman Suffrage Alliance was started. From 1907 to 1908, Vibeke led the Women's Society's Suffrage Union. She took over this role from Louise Nørlund.

Becoming a Politician

In 1909, Vibeke Salicath made history. She was one of the first seven women elected to the Copenhagen City Council. She represented the conservative party, Højre.

As a council member, she was especially interested in the Nærumgård children's home. She worked to improve conditions for children there. In 1914, she also helped create the Danish Women's Conservative Association.

Vibeke Salicath passed away in Copenhagen on April 22, 1921. She is buried in Lyngby's Assistens Cemetery.