Regine Ulmann née Kohn (1847–1938), also known by her pen names Gertrud Bürger and Agnes Thai, was an Austrian school director, editor and feminist. An active member of the Jewish women's movement, in 1866 she was one of six women who founded the ''Mädchen Unterstutzungs-Verein'' (Support Association for Girls), later becoming the director of the association's training schools for poor Jewish girls.

Family and education

Born on 1 September 1847 in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, Regine Kohn was the daughter of the merchant Wolf (Wilhelm) Kohn (c.1810–1884) and his wife Netty née Bisenz (c.1813–1855). In 1867, she married the merchant Sigmund Ulmann (1835–1914). Following the early death of her mother, Kohn was educated privately under the direction of her stepmother.

Career

In 1867, when she was only 19, Regine Ulmann was a co-founder of the ''Mädchen Unterstutzungs-Verein'' which was designed to provide educational support and job training to girls from poor Jewish homes. In 1889, she established a training course for women in child care and in 1905, she initiated courses leading to women's employment as legal officials. As her family suffered from the stock market crash of 1874, she completed a teacher training course and first headed the training school before undertaking further development of the girls' support association. Over the next few years, the number of girls attending the training school grew considerably. Following the death of Paula Frankl-Hochwart in 1895, Ulmann became director of the association which, from 1902, was known as the ''Bund Österreichischer Frauenvereine'' (Federation of Austrian Women's Organizations). In 1896, in collaboration with Marianne Hainisch, she headed the non-confessional the ''Frauenvereinigung für soziale Hilfstätigkeit'' (Women's Social Assistance Association), becoming one of the most important figures in the Austrian women's movement. She also became active in many other women's organizations including the ''Verband Weiblische Fürsorge'' (Women's Welfare Association) which she later chaired until 1938. In particular, the association brought together 40 non-political welfare organizations in order to ensure better coordination during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. In 1923, together with

Anitta Müller-Cohen Anitta Müller-Cohen born Rosenzweig (; 1890–1962) was an Austrian-born Jewish woman who emigrated to Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine, in 1935. In Austria, she was a prominent social worker, politician and writer who became increasingly interested ...

and Marianne Hainisch, she organized the

First World Congress of Jewish Women The First World Congress of Jewish Women was held in Vienna, Austria, from 6 to 11 May 1923. It brought together some 200 delegates from over 20 countries. Zionism was a prominent topic, while emigration to Palestine for Jewish refugees was discus ...

which opened in the

Hofburg The Hofburg () is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty in Austria. Located in the Innere Stadt, center of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century by Ottokar II of Bohemia and expanded several times afterwards. It also ser ...

. During the congress, she presented the history of Jewish women's organizations in Austria. Ulmann was also active as a journalist and editor, contributing articles to all the main organs of the women's movement. For some 27 years, she was editor-in-chief of ''Das Blatt der Hausfrau'' (The Housewife's Paper). She also contributed articles to the Austrian, German and Swiss press, especially to the ''Neue Freie Presse'', the ''Osterreichische Volkszeitung'', the ''Wiener Mode'', the ''Vossische Zeitung'' and the ''Neues Wiener Tagblatt''. Regine Ulmann died in Vienna on 13 March 1939.

Awards and honours

In 1937, Ulmann was honoured with the Austrian Civil Medal of Merit in Gold (''Goldenes Verdienstzeichen des österreichischen Verdienstordens'').

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulmann, Regine 1847 births 1939 deaths Writers from Vienna Austrian feminists Jewish feminists Austrian editors Austrian women editors 19th-century Austrian women writers 20th-century Austrian women writers Austrian educators Austrian women educators 19th-century Austrian women educators Austrian headmistresses Activists from Austria-Hungary Educators from Austria-Hungary Writers from Austria-Hungary Editors from Austria-Hungary