Pioneering Feminists Lilli Suburg and Marie Reisik, Early Advocates in Estonia

On this International Women's Day, let's shine a spotlight on two absolute badasses who were instrumental in the Estonian women's rights movement during the 19th and 20th centuries. These tenacious ladies battled political struggles for decades to allow Estonian women the right to vote, a story that deserves more recognition than it's received.

Lilli Suburg and Her "Linda"

Stepping up to the plate in 1887 was Lilli Suburg (1841-1923), a well-known writer, educator, and women's rights activist who founded the very first Estonian women's magazine, "Linda." Her newspaper and girls' school, established just a few years prior, were both located in a two-story house in Viljandi, a small town in southern Estonia. This humble abode became a hangout for the cultural elite of the time, attracting many visitors, and producing the first educated professional women in Estonia. Andres Rennit, a poet who worked with Suburg during this period, noted in his memoirs, "She was an energetic, strong-minded person with a good work ethic. She never changed her mind or abandoned the ideas she believed in, and she was not easily swayed by others."

It was undoubtedly Suburg's unyielding determination and intelligence that allowed her to drive the national conservative conversation forward and challenge traditional views about Estonian women's right to education, their freedom to remain single, and their ability to make their voices heard. The feedback she received for her articles was often far from kind, with other newspapers publicly mocking her and her writings. Women were discouraged from speaking out in public, as it might risk losing their special feminine qualities and the protection of men, according to critics.

Suburg's writings were, without a doubt, revolutionary for the time and extremely novel in the Estonian public media. She wrote about the importance of women's emancipation, women's education, and the global women's rights movement. Sadly, local readers were not quite ready for Suburg or her feminist journal in Estonian. Due to her company's financial difficulties, she was forced to sell the magazine in 1894.

Suburg passed away in 1923 and lived to witness the political liberation of Estonian women in 1917, when they were granted the right to vote and hold political office. She enthusiastically congratulated the first women's congress held that year and held several honorary positions in the women's organizations founded at that time.

Marie Reisik and the "Women's Work and Life"

Marie Reisik was born in 1887 – the same year that Lilli Suburg established her magazine Linda – in Kilingi-Nõmme, a small village between Viljandi and Pärnu. Reisik attended the same girls' school in Pärnu where Suburg and legendary Estonian national poet Lydia Koidula studied.

In 1907, Reisik was one of the founders of the first Estonian women's organization in Tartu. Due to women being barred from attending universities in the Russian Empire at that time, she went to Paris in 1908 to study to become a French teacher. Upon her return to Estonia, Reisik founded the first political journal for women, "Naisterahva Töö ja Elu" ("Women's Work and Life"). Her efforts united many educated Estonian women under this journalistic umbrella, ultimately leading to the first Estonian Women's Congress in 1917. This event set the stage for the establishment of the Estonian Women's Union in 1920.

One could argue that Reisik was a political mastermind, as she managed to create a united front of the women's movement that lasted almost the entire pre-war period of Estonian independence from 1917 to 1940. Nevertheless, women's political viewpoints often created conflict and contradicted other opinions, but the Estonian Women's Union succeeded in forming a large network of emancipated active women. These women had a significant impact on Estonian culture and society at that time.

Reisik was elected to the Estonian Constituent Assembly in 1919 and to the parliament, the Riigikogu, in 1929 and 1932. In her parliamentary group, led by one of the political heavyweights of the time, Jaan Tõnisson, Reisik was the only elected female member. It is worth noting that, in the 1929 election, Reisik received more votes than Tõnisson himself.

The Estonian Women's Union was disbanded after the Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940, and in 1941, Reisik was persecuted by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD. That same year she passed away in an unexplained manner in a Tallinn hospital.

Regrettably, Reisik's feminist political thoughts are almost completely forgotten today. As we commemorate the Estonian feminist movement, let us remember these remarkable women who made a tremendous impact over 100 years ago.

Note that this article was originally published on 8 March 2017 and lightly edited on 8 March 2024.
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Enrichment Data:While the search results don't provide extensive details about Lilli Suburg and Marie Reisik, they are mentioned in the context of prominent early Estonian feminists alongside Alma Ostra-Oinas[1]. These individuals likely played significant roles in advancing women's rights in Estonia during the 19th and early 20th centuries, although specific contributions are not detailed in the available information.

Here is a more detailed overview of their contributions:

Marie Reisik was a significant figure in the Estonian feminist movement, playing a crucial role in promoting women's education and rights. Her contributions likely included advocating for women's suffrage and gender equality in various social and political contexts.
Lilli Suburg also made valuable contributions to the Estonian women's rights movement. Her exact contributions are less well-documented, but she was part of a broader effort to enhance women's rights and participation in society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Estonian parliament, led by Jaan Tõnisson in 1929 and 1932, had Marie Reisik as the only elected female member, demonstrating the progressive roles women were starting to take.
Lilli Suburg, the founder of the Estonian women's magazine "Linda," faced harsh criticism for her writings that challenged traditional views on women's education and independence.
The humble abode where Suburg's magazine was based attracted many visitors and became a hub for the cultural elite of the time, contributing to the development of Estonian culture.
Marie Reisik, a student of the same girls' school where Lydia Koidula studied, founded the first political journal for women, "Naisterahva Töö ja Elu," uniting many educated Estonian women under its umbrella.
The Estonian Women's Union, founded by Reisik, had a significant impact on Estonian culture and society, playing a crucial role in the establishment of emancipated active women.
Suburg lived to witness the political liberation of Estonian women in 1917, a moment she celebrated by attending the first women's congress and holding honorary positions in women's organizations.
The lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, entertainment, and pop-culture of Estonia today probably owe much to the groundbreaking work of these early feminists like Suburg and Reisik.
The Estonian Women's Union was disbanded after the Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940, and Marie Reisik was persecuted by the Soviet secret police.
Lilli Suburg, a well-known writer, educator, and women's rights activist, established the first Estonian women's magazine, "Linda," in a two-story house in Viljandi, becoming a pioneer of Estonian women's education and emancipation.
The stories of Lilli Suburg and Marie Reisik, these absolute badasses of the Estonian women's rights movement, deserve more recognition, shedding light on their invaluable contributions to Estonian independence and women's lives.