Bodil Begtrup

Photo: Icarriedawatermelondk — CC BY-SA 4.0Source

Bodil Begtrup

politician · diplomat · feminist

Born
November 12, 1903 · Nyborg
Died
December 12, 1987 · Copenhagen
Age
84 years

About Bodil Begtrup

Bodil Begtrup, 84, Danish women's rights activist, chairman of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

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Full Biography

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Bodil Gertrud Begtrup (12 November 1903 – 12 December 1987) was a Danish women's rights activist and diplomat.

In 1929, she became a member of the board of Kvinderådet, in 1931, she was elected vice-president, and in the period 1946-1949 she was president. In 1939 she became Denmark's first female film censor. After the war she became a member of the Danish delegation to the UN General Assembly. In 1946 she became chairperson of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Begtrup was vice chairperson of the committee that negotiated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. She was appointed envoy to Iceland in 1949, and became Denmark's first female ambassador, when in 1955 she was appointed ambassador to Iceland.

Early years

Bodil Andreasen grew up in an academic home where her father, Christian Adolph Andreasen, was a judge and her mother, Carla Sigrid Locher, worked as a teacher. At a young age, being the only girl, Andreasen chose to study at the mathematical line at Aalborg Cathedral School, where she graduated in 1921. She then chose to study further and began art history at the University of Copenhagen. However, her interest turned to social policy and international law, and began to study political science. In 1926, Andreasen became Representative of the Student Union in Geneva and met with Henni Forchhammer, who chaired the Danish Women's National Council (DKN). Later, Andreasen became the Forchhammer's secretary and developed an interest in women's issues. In 1929, she graduated from the university and married a specialist physician and widower Erik Worm Begtrup, son of Holger Begtrup, and became the stepmother of his four children. She influenced them, and over time Birgit Begtrup became politically active in women's issues, and Lena Begtrup (married Vedel-Petersen) became a significant name in the social policy area. Together with Erik Begtrup, Bodil Begtrup conceived a daughter, Marianne (1931), who died of congenital heart failure at five years of age. Her marriage to Erik Begtrup resolved a short time before her daughter's death. She remarried in 1948 to ambassador Laurits Bolt-Jorgenson.

Bodil Begtrup advanced up in DKN's hierarchy, and in 1929 she became a member of the board. Two years later, she became a vice chairman and in the years 1946-1949 she was the President of the council. She committed herself to the conditions and rights of women and children. This commitment led her to the public department Mothers' Relief Council, which she became a member of in 1939. Due to scarce financial resources and the great dependence of the council on private contributions, the Association of Our Little Children's Clothing was formed in 1940 with Begtrup as chairman. One of the funding problems in the Mothers' Relief Council was just finding adequate means for giving to the needs of children. With the new association and its parole; "No child must freeze in winter" it collected clothes that were given to children and infants. In 1935, Begtrup was one of the founders of a subdivision to DKN, Vore Borns Sundhed, who conducted awareness campaigns in the field of child health and well-being. This activity was to lay the foundation for the healthcare system, which included works in counseling for toddlers who are present in Denmark today. The same department also supported the introduction of school physicians and nurses. Begtrup worked in many because one of Denmark's three film censors would be a woman. As a result, she was appointed film censor in 1939, being the first woman in the country. For her, the influence of the film on children was a question that took much of her time, and in 1947 she released the book Children and Film, which addressed this. She held this trust mission until 1948.

Begtrup was a proponent of the construction of more public buildings. In an entry in the Boligen newspaper, she argued that the common facilities would be of major importance to the everyday lives of women. She also mentioned that a special collective housing assistance service could help housewives in their hurry every day.

In 1959, she is accredited to Switzerland in Berne, and from 1968 to 1973, she is appointed Ambassador to Portugal, in Lisbon

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Sources

Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions

Questions drawn from Bodil Begtrup's archived record and the sources above.

  1. 1.On what date was Bodil Begtrup born?

    • A.12 November 1931
    • B.12 December 1987
    • C.12 November 1903correct
    • D.12 December 1903

    Bodil Gertrud Begtrup was born on 12 November 1903.

    Source: biographical overview

  2. 2.What was the profession of Bodil Begtrup's father, Christian Adolph Andreasen?

    • A.Teacher
    • B.Physician
    • C.Ambassador
    • D.Judgecorrect

    Bodil Begtrup's father, Christian Adolph Andreasen, worked as a judge.

    Source: early years section

  3. 3.In 1939, what historic position did Bodil Begtrup hold in Denmark?

    • A.Minister of Social Policy
    • B.President of the UN General Assembly
    • C.First female film censorcorrect
    • D.Ambassador to Portugal

    In 1939, Bodil Begtrup became Denmark's first female film censor.

    Source: biographical overview

  4. 4.What subject did Bodil Begtrup initially study at the University of Copenhagen before switching to political science?

    • A.Law
    • B.Art historycorrect
    • C.Mathematics
    • D.Medicine

    Bodil Begtrup began studying art history at the University of Copenhagen before her interest turned to political science.

    Source: early years section

  5. 5.Who did Bodil Begtrup meet in Geneva in 1926 who influenced her interest in women's issues?

    • A.Carla Sigrid Locher
    • B.Henni Forchhammercorrect
    • C.Laurits Bolt-Jorgenson
    • D.Erik Worm Begtrup

    In 1926, Bodil Begtrup met Henni Forchhammer, who chaired the Danish Women's National Council, and later became her secretary.

    Source: early years section

  6. 6.In what year did Bodil Begtrup become the chairperson of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women?

    • A.1946correct
    • B.1955
    • C.1949
    • D.1948

    Bodil Begtrup became chairperson of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 1946.

    Source: biographical overview

  7. 7.What was the name of the association Bodil Begtrup chaired in 1940 to collect clothing for children?

    • A.Vore Borns Sundhed
    • B.Mothers' Relief Council
    • C.Danish Women's National Council
    • D.The Association of Our Little Children's Clothingcorrect

    The Association of Our Little Children's Clothing was formed in 1940 with Bodil Begtrup as chairman.

    Source: early years section

  8. 8.In 1955, Bodil Begtrup achieved what milestone for women in Danish diplomacy?

    • A.She became the first female envoy to Switzerland
    • B.She became the first female secretary of the Danish Foreign Ministry
    • C.She became the first female ambassadorcorrect
    • D.She became the first female president of the UN General Assembly

    In 1955, Bodil Begtrup was appointed ambassador to Iceland, becoming Denmark's first female ambassador.

    Source: biographical overview

  9. 9.What book did Bodil Begtrup release in 1947 regarding her work as a film censor?

    • A.The Status of Women
    • B.Women's Rights in the Modern Era
    • C.Diplomacy and Social Policy
    • D.Children and Filmcorrect

    In 1947, Bodil Begtrup released the book Children and Film, which addressed the influence of films on children.

    Source: early years section

  10. 10.Which of these was a focus of the subdivision 'Vore Borns Sundhed', co-founded by Bodil Begtrup in 1935?

    • A.The construction of public housing
    • B.The negotiation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
    • C.Awareness campaigns for child health and well-beingcorrect
    • D.The establishment of film censorship boards

    Vore Borns Sundhed conducted awareness campaigns in the field of child health and well-being.

    Source: early years section

  11. 11.Who was Bodil Begtrup's second husband, whom she married in 1948?

    • A.Christian Adolph Andreasen
    • B.Laurits Bolt-Jorgensoncorrect
    • C.Holger Begtrup
    • D.Erik Worm Begtrup

    Bodil Begtrup remarried in 1948 to ambassador Laurits Bolt-Jorgenson.

    Source: early years section

  12. 12.Bodil Begtrup was vice chairperson of the committee that negotiated what document in 1948?

    • A.The Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
    • B.The Charter of the United Nations
    • C.The Convention on the Status of Women
    • D.The Universal Declaration of Human Rightscorrect

    Bodil Begtrup was vice chairperson of the committee that negotiated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

    Source: biographical overview

  13. 13.From 1968 to 1973, where was Bodil Begtrup appointed as Ambassador?

    • A.Iceland
    • B.Portugalcorrect
    • C.Switzerland
    • D.Denmark

    Bodil Begtrup was appointed Ambassador to Portugal, in Lisbon, from 1968 to 1973.

    Source: early years section

  14. 14.What was the name of the daughter Bodil Begtrup had with Erik Begtrup?

    • A.Mariannecorrect
    • B.Carla
    • C.Birgit
    • D.Lena

    Together with Erik Begtrup, Bodil Begtrup conceived a daughter named Marianne.

    Source: early years section

  15. 15.In which city did Bodil Begtrup represent the Student Union in 1926?

    • A.Lisbon
    • B.Copenhagen
    • C.Genevacorrect
    • D.Aalborg

    In 1926, Bodil Begtrup became Representative of the Student Union in Geneva.

    Source: early years section

  16. 16.When did Bodil Begtrup pass away?

    • A.12 November 1903
    • B.12 December 1987correct
    • C.12 November 1987
    • D.12 December 1949

    Bodil Begtrup passed away on 12 December 1987.

    Source: biographical overview

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