Hanna Albertina Rydh (12 February 1891 – 29 June 1964) was a Swedish archaeologist and politician for the Liberal People's Party. She served as a Member of Parliament in the

Riksdag The Riksdag ( , ; also or , ) is the parliament and the parliamentary sovereignty, supreme decision-making body of the Kingdom of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral parliament with 349 members (), elected proportional rep ...

from 1943 to 1944 and was the 3rd President of the

International Alliance of Women The International Alliance of Women (IAW; , AIF) is an international non-governmental organization that works to promote women's rights and gender equality. It was historically the main international organization that campaigned for women's suff ...

from 1946 to 1952.

Biography

Hanna Rydh was born in Stockholm to director Johan Albert Rydh and his wife Matilda Josefina Westlund. In 1919, she was married to fellow archaeologist Bror Schnittger (1882-1924). After his death, she was married in 1929 to

Mortimer Munck af Rosenschöld Mortimer is an English surname. Norman origins The surname Mortimer has a Norman origin, deriving from the village of Mortemer, Seine-Maritime, Normandy. A Norman castle existed at Mortemer from an early point; one 11th century figure associa ...

(1887-1942) who served as Governor of Jämtland-Härjedalen (1931-1938).

Scientist

Rydh was a pupil at the

Wallinska skolan Wallinska skolan (Wallin School) or Wallinska flickskolan (Wallin Girls' School), was a girls' school in Stockholm, Sweden. Active from 1831 to 1939, it was one of the first five schools in Sweden to offer serious academic education and secondary ...

in Stockholm and proceeded studying archaeology at

Stockholm University Stockholm University (SU) () is a public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, social ...

. She graduated in literature history, archaeology and art history in 1915. She submitted her doctoral dissertation at

Uppsala University Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially fou ...

in May 1919. Between 1916 and 1930, she and her husband conducted archaeological excavations at

Adelsö Adelsö is an island in the middle of Lake Mälaren in Sweden, near Björkfjärden. The island is part of Ekerö Municipality and Stockholm County. It is about by ferry and road west of downtown Stockholm. The administrative center of the impo ...

and between 1917 and 1921 at

Gästrikland Gästrikland () is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Uppland, Västmanland, Dalarna, Hälsingland and the Gulf of Bothnia. Gästrikland is the southernmost and the most densely populated of the No ...

. In 1922, she was granted a research grant from the

International Federation of University Women Graduate Women International (GWI), originally named the International Federation of University Women (IFUW), is an international organisation for women university graduates. IFUW was founded in 1919 following the First World War by both British and ...

. When asked if she should be given the scholarship, as she had just become a mother, she famously replied: "my son's birth makes no difference",Hanna A Rydh (-Munck af Rosenschöld), urn:sbl:6279, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (art av

Hjördis Levin Hildur Charlotta "Hjördis" Levin (; born 4 June 1930) is a Swedish historian and author whose field of research focuses on gender studies. Early years and education Hildur Charlotta Eriksson was born in Smedby, Östergötland County on 4 June 19 ...

), hämtad 2015-06-13. which was given attention worldwide. She was attaché temporaire at the

Musée des Antiquités Nationales The National Archaeological Museum (French: Musée d'Archéologie nationale) is a major French archaeology museum, covering pre-historic times to the Merovingian period (450–750). It is housed in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the '' ...

in S:t Germain-en-Laye in 1924–1925. Aside from her work as an archaeologist, she published in many popular scientific journal. About the time of her graduation, marriage and beginning of her professional life in 1919, women in Sweden had only recently achieved equal rights with men, which had been the goal of the women's movement since its start fifty years prior. The new focus of the Swedish women's movement was to use these rights, defy traditional gender prejudices, and prove wrong those who doubted women could handle their new role in society. Hanna Rydh provided an example and role model of the "

new woman The New Woman was a feminist ideal that emerged in the late 19th century and had a profound influence well into the 20th century. In 1894, writer Sarah Grand (1854–1943) used the term "new woman" in an influential article to refer to indepe ...

" who could use her rights as a professional public person and still be a married woman with a family, which she demonstrated particularly during the tenure of her second spouse as governor in 1931–1938, when she performed all the social representational duties of a governor's wife of the time while in parallel being an internationally respected career professional.

Engagements

She was also engaged as a social reformer. Her first assignment was as a member of the central committee of the Swedish Student's Temperance Association (''Sveriges studerande ungdoms helnykterhetsförbund'') or SSUH in 1909–1914. She was a member of the board of the ''Sveriges Husmodersföreningars riksförbund'' in 1936–1941, chairperson of

Fredrika-Bremer-förbundet The Fredrika Bremer Association (, abbreviated FBF) is the oldest women's rights organisation in Sweden. The association stands for an inclusive, intersectional and progressive liberal feminism, and advocates for women's rights and LGBT rights. ...

in 1937–1949, second vice chairperson of the Finland Relief Society (''Centrala Finlandshjälpen'') in 1940, vice president of the

in 1939–1946, member of the commission of home-and family issues in 1941, the 3rd President of the

from 1946 to 1952. She was a member of The Committee for Increased Women's Representation, founded in 1937 to increase women's political representation.Rönnbäck, Josefin, '"Utan kvinnor inget folkstyre": en historisk exposé över kampen för ökad kvinnorepresentation i Sverige', Tidskrift för genusvetenskap., 2010:3, s. 61-89, 2010 Hanna Rydh served as an MP for the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

in the Second Chamber of the Parliament of Sweden for Stockholm in 1943–1944. As MP she focused on work related issues for women public servants. She was awarded the Swedish Royal Medal ''

Illis Quorum ''Illis quorum'' (''Illis quorum meruere labores'') (English: "For Those Whose Labors Have Deserved It") is a gold medal awarded for outstanding contributions to Swedish culture, science or society. The award was introduced in 1784 by King Gusta ...

'' in 1936.

Selected works

* 1930- ''Adelsö'' (Stockholm : Wahlström & Widstrand i kommission) * 1948 - ''Jämtland och Härjedalen'' (Uppsala : Lindblad)

References

External links

* Nerman, Birge
''Hanna Rydh : in memoriam''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rydh, Hanna 1891 births 1964 deaths Stockholm University alumni Uppsala University alumni 20th-century Swedish women scientists Swedish women archaeologists Members of the Riksdag from the Liberals (Sweden) Women members of the Riksdag 20th-century Swedish archaeologists 20th-century Swedish politicians 20th-century Swedish women politicians 20th-century Swedish women writers Recipients of the Illis quorum International Alliance of Women people Members of the Andra kammaren