Greta Engkvist

Greta Sigrid Elisabeth Engkvist née Johansson (1893–1990) was a Swedish peace activist and educator. In 1920, she joined the Swedish branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, serving as secretary from 1928 to 1938. From October 1931 to September 1932, she travelled around the world, making contact with peace organizations in the places she visited. From 1939, she was a member of the peace foundation (Peace High School), which contributed to peace work by means of education and by conducting peace research. Engkvist later became the organization's principal, a position she maintained until 1983 when she was 90. In 1968, she was awarded the peace prize .

Early life, education and family Born on 3 October 1893 in Vissefjärda to the west of Kalmar, Greta Sigrid Elisabeth Johansson was the daughter of Gustaf Hjalmar Johansson, a provincial official, and his wife Sigrid née Forsell who ran a sewing shop. She was the eldest of the family's five children. In 1908 the family moved to Kalmar where Greta attended the girls' school before spending two years at Stockholm's private co-educational school Whitlockska samskolan. She went on to earn an elementary school teaching certificate from in 1912. From 1923 to 1927, she studied languages at the University of Uppsala, earning a master's degree. In 1917, she married the builder Olle Engkvist with whom she adopted a son, Gunnar Wilhelm Engkvist né Stam. The marriage was dissolved in 1932.

Så började vi --- : Greta Engkvist om Fredshögskolan (1982) Att se tillbaka vid 94 : minnen från ett liv för freden (1988)