Heymann, Lida (1867–1943)

German feminist. Born Lida Gustava Heymann, Mar 15, 1867, in Hamburg, Germany; died July 31, 1943, in Zurich, Switzerland; dau. of Gustav Christian Heymann (merchant and investor) and Adele von Hennig; educated at private schools; spent 1 semester at University of Berlin and 5 at University of Munich; never married; no children; lived with Anita Augspurg.

Major leader of the German women's movement during early 20th century, combined feminism with pacifism, insisting that Europe would be spared future wars only when women had the right to vote; inherited multimillion dollars(1896); founded a progressive kindergarten, a club for single women, and an association of women office workers, and participated in German abolitionist movement at Munich (1896–98); met Anita Augspurg at a women's meeting in Berlin (1896); with Augspurg, was among 13 cofounders of the German Union for Women's Suffrage (1902), participated in the German Women's Suffrage League (1907), worked in International Women's Suffrage Alliance (1904–09), attended a women's meeting at The Hague which established the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (1915); went into hiding after being exiled from Bavaria for her criticisms of German government and German war policy (1916); became vice president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (1919); with Augspurg, edited the journal Woman in the State (1918–33) and moved to Zurich(1933).

See also Women in World History.