Bertha von Suttner: The First Woman to Win the Nobel Peace Prize Who Lived in Georgia for Nine Years 🇬🇪🇦🇹
Did you know that the first woman ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize spent almost nine years of her life in Georgia?
Bertha von Suttner (1843–1914) was an Austrian writer, journalist and peace activist. She became internationally famous for her campaign against war and in 1905 made history by becoming the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
But what brought this remarkable European woman to Georgia, and what did she think about life in Tbilisi in the nineteenth century?
Let’s discover her Georgian story.
How Did Bertha von Suttner Come to Georgia?
Bertha von Suttner was born in Prague in 1843. Her father was an Austrian army general who died shortly before her birth. She grew up in an aristocratic environment and spent much of her early life in Vienna and travelling around Europe.
Her connection with Georgia began through one of the country’s most distinguished women, Ekaterine Chavchavadze-Dadiani, the former Princess of Samegrelo.
The two women became acquainted during Ekaterine’s travels in Europe. Their meeting and subsequent relationship would eventually change the course of Bertha’s life.
In 1876, Bertha married Arthur Gundaccar von Suttner, an Austrian writer and aristocrat. The couple travelled to Georgia and settled in the region of Samegrelo, where they became closely connected with the Dadiani family.
They would spend almost nine years in Georgia, from 1876 to 1885.
Life in Georgia
During their years in Georgia, Bertha and her husband lived in several places, including Gordi, Kutaisi and Tbilisi. Their connection with the Dadiani family played an important role in their Georgian experience.
The couple earned their living through teaching and other activities. Bertha was particularly interested in Georgian society, local customs and the contrast between traditional Eastern influences and European lifestyles.
In 1882, Ekaterine Chavchavadze-Dadiani died. Bertha and Arthur eventually left Georgia in 1885 and returned to Europe.
However, their years in Georgia left a lasting impression on Bertha, who later described her experiences in her memoirs.
What Did Bertha Think About Tbilisi?
One of the most interesting aspects of Bertha’s Georgian story is her description of nineteenth-century Tbilisi.
In her memoirs, she portrayed a city where European and Oriental cultures existed side by side.
Here is how she described Tbilisi:
“Tbilisi is a half-Oriental, half-European city. In the European part of the city, life is much the same as in our large cities. European clothing, European customs, French cooks, English governesses, the same regular social gatherings, conversations in Russian and French, and so on.”
She also wrote about her relationship with Arthur and their social position in Tbilisi:
“People in the city knew about the love story between Arthur and me. They also knew about our close relationship with the Dadiani family. In Tbilisi society, we were not regarded merely as an ordinary factory employee and an ordinary music tutor, but rather as a kind of aristocratic expatriates…”
These observations offer a fascinating picture of Tbilisi in the nineteenth century, especially its European-oriented social circles and multicultural atmosphere.
Bertha was not simply passing through the city. She was experiencing everyday life in Georgia and becoming part of its society.
From Georgia to the Nobel Peace Prize
After returning to Europe, Bertha continued her literary career and became increasingly involved in the international peace movement.
In 1889, she published her most famous novel, Lay Down Your Arms! (Die Waffen nieder!), a powerful anti-war work that brought her international recognition.
She also became a close friend and correspondent of Alfred Nobel. Their conversations about war, peace and international cooperation helped shape the ideas behind the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1905, Bertha von Suttner became the first woman in history to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Her commitment to peace also took her across the Atlantic. During her visit to the United States in 1904, she met President Theodore Roosevelt at the White House.
Bertha died in Vienna on 21 June 1914, just weeks before the outbreak of the First World War.
A Remarkable European Connection to Georgia
Today, when we explore Georgia’s historical connections with Europe, we often discover that some of the most interesting stories belong to people whose names are not widely known among ordinary travellers.
Bertha von Suttner is one of them.
She spent almost nine years in Georgia, experienced life in Samegrelo, Kutaisi and Tbilisi, became connected with one of Georgia’s most prominent aristocratic families and later went on to become a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Her story is a wonderful reminder that Georgia was not isolated from nineteenth-century European life. On the contrary, it was connected to remarkable people, ideas and events that shaped European and world history.
And perhaps the most surprising fact is that the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize once called Georgia home.
Mukhran Guliashvili
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