Marie Reisik

Marie Reisik was born 6 February 1887 in Kilingi-Nõmme. She attended school in Pärnu, yet as women in Estonia could not enter the university at that time, Reisik studied in Paris and became a teacher of French. She was one of the founder of the first women's organisation in Estonia in 1907, the Tartu Eesti Naesterahva Selts, and she founded the first political journal for women, “Naisterahva Töö ja Elu” (“Women’s Work and Life”) which united educated women of Estonia. Her work contributed to organizing the first Estonian Women Congress (1917) which helped to found Estonian's Women Union (1920). She initiated the emancipation movements across the country and became an active politician. In 1919 she was elected to the Estonian Constituent Assembly and she was the only member of the parliament.[1]