Agent of peace : Emily Hobhouse and her courageous attempt to end the First World War / Jennifer Hobhouse Balme.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Balme, Jennifer Hobhouse, 1928- author.

Contributor:

Edward J. Lewis Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Hobhouse, Emily, 1860-1926.

Hobhouse, Emily.

World War, 1914-1918--Peace.

World War, 1914-1918.

Peace.

Women pacifists--Great Britain--Biography.

Women pacifists.

Women--Political activity--Great Britain--Biography.

Women.

Women and peace.

Women--Political activity.

Great Britain.

Genre:

Biographies.

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

191 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Stroud [UK] : The History Press, 2015.

Summary:

In the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) Emily Hobhouse championed the cause of the women and children herded into camps by Kitchener's army. By 1914, a confirmed pacifist, she felt passionately that civilians suffered more than combatants and she was anxious for a negotiated peace. Her 'Open Christmas Letter' of January 1915, calling for an end to hostilities, was answered by 155 prominent pacifist and feminist German and Austrian women. By 1916 Emily was concerned by the scale of losses at the front as well. During a visit to Berlin she met the German Foreign Secretary and came to realise that peace negotiations were possible. She put forward a plan to bring about talks, to which he agreed, but in England she was snubbed by the Foreign Office. Despite this setback, Emily continued in her mission to relieve the suffering caused by war, working tirelessly for the release of civilian prisoners and to secure better food for Belgium. The story of this extraordinary woman and her battle to secure peace is told here by her grand-niece largely through Emily's own letter, journal and diary extracts. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 A Cornish Background 11

2 The Beginning 14

3 1915 25

4 Hard Knocks 36

5 Prelude to the Journey 44

6 Emily's Journal: Wartime Journey across Germany 47

7 Emily's Journal: Into Belgium, June 1916 52

8 Emily's Journal: Berlin 77

9 Emily's Journal: Disaster and the Return to England 104

10 The Citadel 116

11 Diary, July 1916 122

12 Ruhleben and Peace 134

13 August 1916-Cloak and Dagger 143

14 Belgium, Peace and the Push Back 157

15 The Weary World Waits 168.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edward J. Lewis Book Fund.

ISBN:

9780750961189

075096118X

OCLC:

893453914

Publisher Number:

99966716972