Marie Reisik was born 6 February 1887 in
Kilingi-Nõmme to Tõnu and Liisa Tamman. She attended school in
Pärnu, yet as women in Estonia could not enter the university at that time, Reisik studied in
Paris and became a teacher of French. She was one of the founder of the first women's organisation in Estonia in 1907, the
Tartu Eesti Naesterahva Selts, and she founded the first political journal for women, “Naisterahva Töö ja Elu” (“Women’s Work and Life”) which united educated women of Estonia. Her work contributed to organizing the first Estonian Women Congress () (1917) which helped to found
Estonian Women's Union (1920). She initiated the emancipation movements across the country and became an active politician. In 1919, she was elected to the
Estonian Constituent Assembly and she was the only female member of the parliament. In 1941, she was wanted by the
NKVD. Marie Reisik died on 3 August 1941 in Tallinn Central Hospital and is buried in
Liiva Cemetery. == References ==