Marianne Hainisch (March 25, 1839 – May 5, 1936) was a prominent Austrian feminist, activist, and the leader of the Austrian women's movement.Partner Marie von Najmajer
Queer Places:
Hainisch Family Crypt, northwestern slope of the Schafkogel near Eichberg, 2640 Gloggnitz
Marianne Hainisch (March 25, 1839 – May 5, 1936) was a prominent Austrian feminist, activist, and the leader of the Austrian women's movement.
Born Marianne Perger in Baden bei Wien, she was raised in a comfortable middle-class family. She received home tutoring and later completed her education at the Institut Betty Fröhlich in Vienna.
In 1857, she married the successful industrialist Michael Hainisch. They had three children, including Michael Hainisch, who would later serve as the first President of the Republic of Austria (1920–1928).
A transformative experience for her occurred in the late 1860s when she witnessed a friend struggle to find work to support her family despite having extensive skills. This sparked her lifelong commitment to improving educational and employment opportunities for women.
In 1870, she publicly campaigned for girls' schools, leading to the creation of the first school in Vienna that prepared girls for university. In 1888, she founded the 'Verein für erweiterte Frauenbildung' (Association for the Extended Education of Women).
She founded and led the 'Bund österreichischer Frauenvereine' (Federation of Austrian Women's Organisations) from 1902 to 1918.
She was a leader in the movement for women's suffrage and an advocate for the world peace movement, maintaining a friendship with Bertha von Suttner.
She is credited as the initiator of Mother’s Day in Austria, which became an official holiday in 1926.
Marie von Najmajer was a contemporary activist and a significant patron of the movement for women's education in Austria.
Najmajer and Hainisch collaborated closely within the Association for Women's Education in Vienna, focusing their efforts on opening pathways for women to enter Austrian universities.
Najmajer was one of the most important financial supporters of Hainisch’s initiatives. Following the admission of women to the university in 1897, Najmajer established an annual grant for full-time female university students. Additionally, she made significant financial donations (including 40,000 kronen in 1901) to support the schools championed by the Association.
Even in her 90s, Marianne Hainisch remained active and was a co-founder of the Austrian Women's Party in 1929. She died in Vienna at the age of 97.
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