# Gesellschaft zu Fraumünster

Gesellschaft zu Fraumünster is a guild–like organisation in Zürich, Switzerland, not yet associated with the Zünfte of Zürich as of 2015.

## History of Gesellschaft zu Fraumünster

In medieval times, in Zürich all female and male Bürger were members of the guilds, but beginning in the 19th century women were no more tolerated within the guilds then more as decoration of their men being still members of the guilds of Zürich. The history of the Gesellschaft zu Fraumünsters dates back to the late 9th century when the abbess of the Fraumünster Abbey (853 A.D.) in fact reigned the city of Zürich as Fürstäbtissin (imperial abbess) nominated by the king of the Holy Roman Empire, among them Katharina von Zimmern. Gesellschaft zu Fraumünster, being the society of the former noble women of the Fraumünster Abbey, was established in 1989. Now, the honorable women of the society cultivate the virtuous habits of the former abbey by p.e. honoring the work of engaged women in the modern society. Beginning fifteen years ago, the society started to organize every three years the so-called Mittelalter Spectaculum, a medieval funfair, at the Münsterhof square.

## Sechseläuten and the guilds of Zürich

Since 2010 the guilds of Zürich allow to the women of the society to practice Sechseläuten, as guests of the Constaffel society, for historical reasons as until 1524 AD the abbesses of the Fraumünster abbey were members of the Constaffel.
As of November 2014, expressly agreed by the guilds of Zürich, the Fraumünster society – still as guest, not as an official member – may practice Sechseläuten provisorily until 2022, as also confirmed by the association (Zentralkomitee der Zünfte) of the Zürich guilds. Mrs Regula Zweifel, representative of the Fraumünster society, told in an interview on 6 November 2014, ″... after 25 years, the tug of war is finally over. The fact that we now have guest status at Sechseläutenplatz, is great. But it is only a first step ...″ The association of guild members will, on occasion of an official ceremony, sign an agreement between the Fraumünster society and the so-called Zunftmeister's (literally: masters of the guilds) in December 2014: as long as the agreement applies, the Fraumünster society may participate namely the Sechseläuten procession and Böögg burning, but neither do any steps to join the assembly of the Zürich guilds nor participate other activities related to Sechseläuten.

## Activities

The association organizes monthly meetings, and its members are involved in numerous cultural projects, among them the honor book for women, a silent memorial to all women who do extraordinary things in everyday life and shape society actively. Every three years the "Mittelalter Spectaculum" at the Münsterhof plaza is organized. Each year, the society honors posthumously female personalities with a plaque at their site of action in Zürich, and publishes a New Year's sheet.

## Notable women awarded by the association

The Fraumünster society posthumously honors women who have provided outstanding professional services or social innovations in Zürich. The honoring take place on the morning of the Sechseläuten festival and are public. Whenever possible, a plaque is attached to a former residence or place of activity of the honored women.
| Name | EN-WP wiki | born | died | honor | remarks | location |
| Bullinger, Anna | Anna Bullinger-Adlischwyler | 1500 (around) | 1564 | 2017 | Former nun of the Oetenbach Nunnery who married Heinrich Bullinger after the Reformation in Zürich | Zwingliplatz 4 (Carolinum Zürich) |
| Escher, Mathilde | Mathilde Escher | 1808 | 1875 | 2015 | Founded the Mathilde-Escher foundation in Zürich | St. Annagasse 11 |
| Fierz, Maria | Maria Fierz | 1878 | 1956 | 2016 | Funding of the internal cohesion of the urban population | |
| Lieberherr, Emilie | Emilie Lieberherr | 1924 | 2011 | 2014 | First women member of the Council of States (Switzerland) and first women city councillor in Zürich | in progress |
| Gutknecht, Rosa | Rosa Gutknecht | 1885 | 1959 | 2013 | Theologician and assistant pastor at the Grossmünster church | Zwingliplatz 1 |
| Feller, Elisabeth | Elisabeth Feller | 1910 | 1973 | 2012 | Independent entrepreneur, feminist and patron of the arts | Stockerstrasse 9 |
| Birch-Pfeiffer, Charlotte | Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer | 1800 | 1868 | 2011 | First women theatre director (1837–1843) in Switzerland | Schauspielhaus, Heimplatz |
| Heim-Vögtlin, Marie | Marie Heim-Vögtlin | 1845 | 1916 | 2010 | First female Swiss physician, a writer and a co-founder of the first Swiss gynaecological hospital. | Hottingerstrasse 25 |
| Wetzikon, Elisabeth von | Elisabeth von Wetzikon | 1235 | 1298 | 2009 | Abbess of the Fraumünster nunnery, supporter of the Codex Manesse | |
| Welti-Escher, Lydia | Lydia Welti-Escher | 1858 | 1891 | 2008 | Patron of the arts and founder of the Gottfried Keller Stiftung. | Kunsthaus Zürich, Lydia-Welti-Escher-Hof |
| Zumsteg, Hulda | Hulda Zumsteg | 1890 | 1984 | 2007 | Prominent hostess of the Kronenhalle restaurant in Zürich | not allowed to apply |
| Schaufelberger, Barbara | Barbara Schaufelberger | 1645 | 1718 | 2006 | First women book printer and publisher in Switzerland | Storchengasse 19 |
| Marić-Einstein, Mileva | Mileva Marić-Einstein | 1875 | 1948 | 2005 | Serbian physicist, Albert Einstein's fellow student at the Zurich Polytechnic, and later his first wife. | Huttenstrasse 62 |
| Kempin-Spyri, Emilie | Emilie Kempin-Spyri | 1853 | 1901 | 2004 | First woman in Switzerland to graduate with a law degree and to be accepted as an academic lecturer. | University of Zürich, Rämistrasse 74 |
| Wyss, Laure | Laure Wyss | 1913 | 2002 | 2003 | Swiss writer and journalist, correspondent and activist | Winkelwiese 6 |
| Burghalden, Hedwig ab | Hedwig ab Burghalden | ?? | ?? | 2002 | Maybe fictitious, deviously defeated Austrian troops in 1292 AD. | Fountain at Lindenhof hill |
| Heinzelmann, Gertrud | Gertrud Heinzelmann | 1914 | 1999 | 2001 | Lawyer and initiator of the women's movement for voting rights | Münzplatz 3 |
| Zimmern, Kathaina von | Katharina von Zimmern | 1478 | 1547 | 2000 | Last abbess of the Fraumünster Abbey | Neumarkt 13, Fraumünster cloister |
| Reinhart-Zwingli, Anna | Anna Reinhart | 1484 | 1538 | 1999 | Wife of Huldrych Zwingli | Schifflände 30 |
| Waser, Anna | Anna Waser | 1678 | 1714 | 1998 | Swiss engraver and miniature painter | Münstergasse 19 |
| Guyer, Lux | Lux Guyer | 1894 | 1955 | 1997 | First woman architect with her own office in Switzerland and project manager of SAFFA 1928. | Bahnhofstr. 71 |