Pauline Staegemann

Pauline Staegemann (, 18 March 1838 – 5 September 1909) was a Prussian socialist, feminist and trade unionist. She was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and lead the women's organisations Berlin Workers' Wives' and Girls' Association and the Association for the Protection of Female Workers' Interests.

Early life Staegemann was born to a working class family in 1838 in Oderberg, Brandenburg, Prussia. She moved to Berlin and worked as a maid when she was 18 years old.

Staegemann married bricklayer Karl-Ludwig Staegemann in 1865. After her husband died at an early age, Staegemann ran a greengrocer's shop in a working-class neighbourhood of Berlin to support her family.

Activism Staegemann's shop became an informal and secret meeting place for members of the early labour movement, but under the Prussian Association Act this political activity was banned until 1908. Staegemann also joined the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Social Democratic Party of Germany) (SPD) and her children helped to distribute leaflets for the party. with Berta Hahn, Johanna Schackow and Ida Cantius, and Staegemann was chair until its dissolution.

After the complete banning of the Berlin Workers' Wives' and Girls' Association in 1877, She led this organisation with Emma Ihrer and Marie Hofmann, until this organisation was also banned in December 1886. for the rights of women workers and reducing social inequality, fighting for statutory working hours, the abolition of night and Sunday work and regular wage payments.

Staegemann served as a delegate to the International Workers Congress of Paris 1889 with Clara Zetkin. In 1893, the Association for the Protection of the Interests of Women Workers was re-established and Staegemann delivered the founding speech to approximately 500 women.

Legacy Pauline-Staegemann-Straße in Berlin was named in her honour.

From August 2004, the Pauline Staegemann Prize has been awarded by the Albert-Schweitzer Familienwerks Brandenburg (ASF). The inaugural award was presented to Gesine Schwan, President of the European University Viadrina, for her commitment to social democracy and women's politics.

Staegemann's great-granddaughter Jutta Limbach is the former President of the Federal Constitutional Court.