The Woman with the Handbag
A Woman Hitting a Neo-Nazi With Her Handbag (Swedish: Kvinnan med handväskan) is a famous photograph taken in Växjö, Sweden on 13 April 1985 by Hans Runesson. It depicts a 38-year old woman hitting a marching nazi-skinhead with a handbag. The photograph was taken during a demonstration of the Nordic Reich Party supporters. It was published in the next day's Dagens Nyheter and a day later in some British newspapers. Runesson's photograph was selected as the Swedish Picture of the Year (Årets bild) 1985 and later as the Picture of the Century by the magazine Vi and the Photographic Historical Society of Sweden.[1]
The woman in the photograph is Danuta Danielsson (died 1988). Not much is known of her as Danielsson didn't want to come out in public and speak to journalists. She was of Polish-Jewish origin and her mother had been in a concentration camp during World War II.[1]
In 2014 the Swedish sculptor Susanna Arwin made a miniature statue of Danielsson based on the photograph.[2] There was an initiative to erect a life-size bronze version on Arwin's statue in the city of Växjö,[3] but the project was blocked by local politicians of the Centre Party believing that such a statue might promote violence.[4]
References
- ^ a b "Berättelsen om det förra århundradets bästa foto" (in Swedish). Dagens Nyheter. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ ""Tanten med väskan " blir staty i brons" (in Swedish). Dagens Nyheter. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ "Snart blir "Tanten med väskan" staty" (in Swedish). SVT Nyheter. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ "Tantstaty stoppas i Växjö" (in Swedish). Sveriges radio, Studio Ett. Retrieved 18 February 2015.