The Struggle for Women’s Suffrage – Praha, Senát ČR, Commemorative plaque for F. Plamínková
Fact of the Czech figure „Suffrage movement”
Part of the „The emancipation of women” topic
The building of the Senate of the Czech Republic at Valdštejnské Square in Prague is graced by a commemorative plaque for Františka Plamínková, a journalist, senator, and above all advocate for gender equality, particularly in politics and women’s suffrage. Women did not participate in the political life of the 19th century, as suffrage was initially granted only to men who met certain property requirements and from 1907 to all men. At the onset of the 20th century women’s organizations, such as the Czech Women’s Club, strived to secure women’s right to vote and their active participation in politics. These women’s clubs organized various demonstrations and educational events for this purpose.
Františka Plamínková was an advocate for women’s suffrage even before World War I. She promoted co-education for boys and girls and brought the issue of equality into the academic sphere. Partially thanks to her efforts, women’s suffrage and gender equality were enshrined in the Constitution of the Czechoslovak Republic. Three years later, Plamínková founded the Women’s National Council, an organization aimed at promoting gender equality in everyday life. She was also elected to the Senate, where she focused on social policy, family-related issues in particular. Later, she became actively involved in the anti-Nazi resistance before her execution in 1942 following the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich.
