Alma Söderhjelm
Humanist of the day

Alma Söderhjelm

With her research, Alma Söderhjelm gained an international reputation and went further in Finnish academia than any other woman had done previously. Söderhjelm, who studied the history of the French revolution, was appointed docent and subsequently professor. She did not pursue a feminist agenda as such, but certainly cleared the way for women to build an academic career for themselves. Besides her scholarly work, Söderhjelm could list a variety of popular written work among her achievements, from novels to newspaper sketches to film scripts.

Alma Söderhjelm

Born May 10, 1870, Viipuri.  Died March 16, 1949, Saltsjöbaden, Sweden.

Bachelor of Arts, 1893, Master of Arts, 1894, and Doctor of Philosophy (General History), 1900, Imperial Alexander University.

Docent, General History, 1906–27, Imperial Alexander University / University of Helsinki
Professor of General History, 1927–37, Åbo Akademi
Author and journalist

Founder member, Institut d’histoire de la révolution française, 1936

Honours
Order of the Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class, 1918
Knight, Order of the White Rose of Finland, 1945

Photo: Museovirasto
Written by Riitta-Ilona Hurmerinta
Translated by John Calton