Suttner Arthur Gundaccar and Bertha

Suttner Arthur Gundaccar and Bertha (1850-1902 • 1843-1914), Austrian writers, a married couple. In 1876-1885 they lived in Georgia. Bertha was on friendly terms with Ekaterine Chavchavadze, the widow of Davit Dadiani, Prince of Samegrelo. The couple arrived in Georgia on the invitation of the Dadiani family.

Almost entire creative work of Arthur Suttner was related to Georgia: novels - Darejan (1896), Nobleman (1886), Circassians (1898), Shamil (1890) and stories – Sons of the Caucasus. In 1884, in the newspaper Kavkaz, he published a series of essays on The Man in the Panther’s Skin, which was reprinted by Georgian-language newspapers. It was one of the first philological works by a foreign author regarding Shota Rustaveli’s epic poem. In addition, A. Suttner wrote a musical composition on the theme of Georgia.

Bertha Suttner (her maiden name was countess Kinsky) took her first steps in literature in Georgia. Her first literary work Record of One Soul was published under a pen-name Onlot. Upon returning to Vienna, she grew to be one of the first initiators and promoters of the peace movement. She gained popularity with her pacifist novel Lay Down Your Arms! (1889). In 1905 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She was the first woman who has received the Nobel Prize in the said nomination. In 1909 she published Memoirs. One chapter in the book of her life story is related to Georgia.