Eva Hemmer Hansen

Eva Tjuba Hemmer Hansen (1913–1983) was a Danish journalist, novelist, translator and feminist. While working for the newspaper Demokraten, in 1944, she published Helene, the first in a series of novels, several of which proved popular. As a social democrat, she played particular attention to women's issues, chairing the party's women's committee for the Aarhus City Council. She later left the party in order to support the women's cause. In 1968, she was appointed chair of the Danish Women's Society, compiling a history of the organization in connection with its 100th anniversary in 1970. A highly active translator, in 1975 she published a new Danish edition of the collected works of Charles Dickens.

Early life, family and education Born in Aalborg on 2 January 1913, Eva Tjuba Hemmer Hansen was the daughter of Jacob Peter Hemmer Hansen, an editor, and his wife Elna Cecilie Louise née Højby Nielsen. In December 1939, she married the office manager Kjeld Elsøe Pihl (1913–1986) with whom she had two children, Luise (1940) and Niels (1943). The marriage was dissolved in 1964. In May 1965, she married the Norwegian writer and publisher Alf Grostøl (1912–1973).

Hemmer Hansen also lectured, taught evening classes and was politically active as a social democrat, taking a special interest in women's issues. In 1948, she chaired the women's committee for the Aarhus City Council and in the late 1950s served as an advisor to the Danish government delegation at the International Labour Organization conferences in Geneva. She is remembered in particular for chairing the Danish Women's Society (1968–1971). In connection with its 100th anniversary in 1971, she published Blåstrømper, rødstrømper, uldstrømper (Red Stockings, Blue Stockings, Wollen Stockings), describing the organization's history.