Bodil Cathrine Hansine Hellfach (1856–1941) was a pioneering Danish nurse who was vice-chair of the

Danish Nurses' Organization The Danish Nurses' Organization ( abbrev. DNO; in Danish ''Dansk Sygeplejeråd'', abbrev. ''DSR'') is a trade union in Denmark. It represents 95% of all nurses with a membership of 75,000. The DNO is affiliated with the FTF – Confederation of ...

from 1899 to 1907. She later represented the organization at meetings and congresses at home and abroad, establishing the reputation of early Danish nursing.

Biography

Born in the village of Hyllinge, west of

Næstved Næstved () is a town in Næstved Municipality, the municipality of the same name, located in the southern part of the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in Denmark. Næstved has several adult education centers, five Primary education, elemen ...

, on 21 October 1856, Hellfach was the daughter of Johannes Mikael Hellfach and his wife Birgitte Kirstine Bech. Her father owned Petersdal Estate near

Sorø Sorø () is a town in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in east Denmark with a population of 8,433 (2025).

. When he died in 1886, she began to gain her living as a nurse, despite the fact that the profession was not yet recognized as suitable for women from the middle and upper classes. She moved to

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

to work as a nurse at the Municipal Hospital under Dorthea Secher (1849–1926) who been employed there since 1878. By 1892, thanks to Secher's instruction and support, she was appointed nursing supervisor with responsibilities for new apprentices. She actively represented her staff, pressing for improved training, including theory, which had not been included in her own training. Hellfach was one of the leading proponents of the

(''Dansk Sygeplejeråd'', DSR) which was founded in 1899 to provide closer contacts between Danish nurses. She acted as deputy chair until 1907 during a difficult period when she was often required to sort out conflicts and rally support. From her contributions to the journal ''Tidsskrift for Sygepleje'', published by the DSR, it can be seen that she always had a positive approach, ever ready to support the need for improvements in working conditions for nurses, even after her retirement in 1913. In later life, she became an active board member of DSR's recreational home in

Vedbæk Vedbæk is a wealthy suburban neighbourhood on the coast north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It belongs to Rudersdal Municipality and has merged with the town of Hørsholm to the north. The area has been inhabited for at least 7,000 years, as evidenced ...

. By speaking at conferences and conventions, she became an effective communicator, enhancing respect for Danish nursing at home and abroad. Bodil Hellfach died in Copenhagen on 26 August 1941.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hellfach, Bodil 1856 births 1941 deaths Danish nurses Danish women nurses People from Næstved Municipality