author
Alma Söderhjelm
1870–1949
A trailblazing Finnish historian, she became the first woman to hold a professorship in Finland and built her reputation through lively, accessible writing as well as serious scholarship. Best known for her work on the French Revolution, she also wrote widely for a broader reading public in Sweden and Finland.
3 Audiobooks
Ranskan vallankumouksen sivistyselämästä
by Alma Söderhjelm
Napoleons syskon
by Alma Söderhjelm
Revolutionärer och emigranter
by Alma Söderhjelm
About the author
Born in Vyborg on 10 May 1870, Alma Söderhjelm was a Swedish-speaking Finnish historian and writer who opened doors for women in Nordic academic life. After studying history and completing her doctorate, she began teaching at a time when universities were still largely closed to women.
Her research focused especially on the French Revolution, and she became known for combining careful historical work with an engaging style. In 1927 she was appointed professor at Åbo Akademi, making her the first woman to hold a professorship in Finland.
Söderhjelm was also a popular author whose books reached readers beyond the university world, particularly in Sweden. She died in 1949, and she is still remembered both for her scholarship and for the barriers she broke in higher education.