Gertrude Kallir – 1922 – 2012
Gertrude Kallir was born in 1922 and died on International Day of Human Rights 10 December 2012.
She was a great bushwalker, feminist, activist for the things that matter as someone described her. Human rights, reconciliation, peace and freedom, nuclear disarmament, the environment were all very important to her and she engaged in all as far as she could. As a young person she was a gifted student and musician and had wanted to study medicine.
Her family escaped from Vienna in 1939 coming eventually to Sydney where she married her husband also from Vienna. In the local community where they settled she was committed to helping others. As a trained nurse working in Narrabri Trude became aware of the poor conditions under which the local Aboriginal community lived and joined the struggle to being part of helping to bring about change. She also campaigned for nurses’ rights becoming a Foundation Fellow of the College of Nursing NSW. Along with her activism she was very committed to her family.
All in all Gertrude Kallir was passionate in her commitment to helping to make the world a safer and more peaceful place.
Main source S.M.H. article by Lynne Cairncross.