I always had the feeling that I can be the same as a man

Elfie-added, campaigner for women's rights, seems very relaxed. In your apartment in only four quarters in the city of Bern, everything is bright and loving. On the walls in the living room numerous photos of her two children and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren hang.

Other portraits show people they encountered in their work for the development organisation Swissaid. The room is obviously a place where Elfie scoop revels in memories. The life of today, 82, was-Year-old anything other than peaceful.

"I was so happy to be a housewife."Elfie Schöpf, campaigner for women's rights

"I had to always fight," she says, which experienced already as a child that girls are less encouraged than boys: "It was clear that the school career of my brother is more important than mine."

Elfie Schöpf, who grew up in Basel, visited in Freiburg the trade school, completed a solid but not-too-ambitious training. Later, she married and had children. It looked as if it would lead to a typical woman's existence.

Job before the man is hiding

But Elfie scoop wanted more. "I was not so happy homemaker," she says. So she began to write articles and send them to Newspapers. The feedback was consistently positive, and so Schöpf wrote more and more frequently. "In the evening, when the children were in bed, I sat down at the typewriter," she says.

Finally, she took a job at a Zurich-based, large-group, for its in-house newspaper should give. Her husband, she hid the Job, because of this, however, was that they worked. "I went in the morning to him out of the house. In the evening, I looked that up promptly at six o'clock the dinner was on the table, so he doesn't notice," she says.

When she was 40 years old, it came to a head with her husband.

The children were inaugurated. An older Nachbarsbub took care of each that you completed your homework properly. It was a hard time, but Elfie-added remained in their Convictions and continued to work. Why? "I always had the feeling that I can be just as much as a man," she explains.

When she was 40 years old, it came to a head with her husband, because the world diverged opinions. They separated, moved in with the two teenagers to Bern and worked as Central Secretary of the SP Switzerland. So she came up to the woman to strike at 14. To organize, in June 1991.

The woman's strike was a complete success: Over half a Million women laid down on the day the work.

"At a media conference, I met the later Federal councillor Ruth Dreifuss, who was Central Secretary of the Swiss trade Union Confederation," says Elfie. "You told me that I should co-ordinate the strike, but throughout Switzerland."

scoop was immediately fire and flame, and took on a half-year temporary position as a coordinator at the Federation of trade unions. She wrote articles, sent Pins and posters of the regional groups, gave tips on making Speeches. The woman's strike was a complete success: Over half a Million women laid down on the day the work.

The second Federal councillor

When she speaks today of the former spirit of optimism, you can feel still your enthusiasm. The most Elfie-adding women who dare to Express their frustrations, and their impatience of the public have been impressed, even if they were booed for it.

in Particular, the watches work on the inside of the Vaudois in the Vallée de Joux that had to rebel in spite of considerable resistance, as the First against their Patrons and their unfair wage policy.

The women had vehemently have to fight for their share of Power.

After some initial Hesitation, more and more men realized that they could not ignore the concerns of women. And the women would have noticed, thanks to the strike, how much Power they have, is Elfie-added convinced.

There was also an indirect impact: Just two years later, Ruth Dreifuss, Federal councillor. She was Elisabeth Kopp (FDP), only the second woman made it to this high office.

The women had vehemently have to fight for their share of Power. Instead of the official SP-Federal candidate Christiane Brunner and the members of Parliament were elected first to a man, the SPler Francis Matthey,. It came to violent protests, Matthey rejected the election and so was able to move in at the end with Ruth Dreifuss, a woman in the state government.

"Unfortunately, has dominated the small girl that you are not supposed to take as important."Elfie Schöpf, campaigner for women's rights

Since then, a lot has changed. Today, there are with Simonetta Sommaruga (SP), Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP) and Viola Amherd (CVP), three Federal councillors. The least men mind if their wives work. And most of the fathers know how to comfort a child, a washing machine, or perhaps a quick lunch is cooking.

Nevertheless, Elfie finds adding a second woman to strike is absolutely necessary. "Women continue to earn less," she says. This is not only an injustice, but it also means that the traditional distribution of roles persists: After the birth of a child, the woman usually reduces your workload, because the wage loss of the man is greater.

women

"fight back, fortunately, the women have noticed that they are still at a disadvantage," says Elfie. "In the last few years has told me again and again, all the goals were already achieved." Therefore, you don't have believed for a long time that, once again, a strike came into being.

The more she is happy now that the women are still ready to fight. She finds that women have to struggle more and for your concern stand up. "Unfortunately, a small girl is impressed that you are not supposed to take as important."

And what makes the next woman to strike at 14. June? The 82-Year-old takes no official function any more, and it leaves Younger. "But I'm sure I'll have a look over what is happening on the Federal court."

(Berner Zeitung)

Created: 16.05.2019, 15:45 PM