International. A Florence Nightingale Medal, to Emma Dagmar Stenbeck 1961

In silver gilt with red and green enamels, hallmarked with a duck, marked ".925" (silver) and engraved "Mrs. Dagmar E. Stenbeck 12 Mai 1961" in running script on the reverse, maker marked "HUGUENIN" and marked "0.925" (silver) on the reverse of the suspension, measuring 26.3 mm (w) x 76.5 mm (h) inclusive of its red cross and wreath suspension, original ribbon with pinback, intact enamels, extremely fine. Footnote: 1. The Florence Nightingale Medal is an international award presented to those distinguished in nursing and named after British nurse Florence Nightingale. The medal was established in 1912 by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), following the Eighth International Conference of Red Cross Societies in London in 1907. It is the highest international distinction a nurse can achieve and is awarded to nurses or nursing aides for "exceptional courage and devotion to the wounded, sick or disabled or to civilian victims of a conflict or disaster" or "exemplary services or a creative and pioneering spirit in the areas of public health or nursing education". The Florence Nightingale Medal Commission comprises several members and staff of the ICRC, several of whom are nursing professionals, and the head nurse of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. A representative of the International Council of Nurses also participates in the work of the Commission. 2. Emma Dagmar Stenbeck (April 12, 1889 - May 11, 1985) was a philanthropist, who was actively engaged in social welfare matters. She was a member of Röda Korset (the Swedish Red Cross), as well as other organisations. Dagmar Stenbeck was born in Hult, Kvillinge (now Kolmården congregation) in 1889. Her parents were Gunnar Ekelund and Helena Ekelund, née Frisell. Gunnar owned Hults ironworks and, from 1908-1919, was also a parliamentarian of the first chamber in the Swedish Parliament. Dagmar Stenbeck had three siblings. She trained in social welfare matters by attending courses, such as those organised by Centralförbundet för Socialt Arbete (CSA, National association for Social Work) from which she graduated in 1913. She then worked with Svenska fattigvårdsförbundets banarvårdsbyrå (Swedish poor relief association childcare agency) in Stockholm. She married Justice Nils Einar Stenbeck on July 7, 1917 and had four children with him. It was during the First World War that Dagmar Stenbeck began to engage with Röda Korset, particularly in their voluntary nursing enterprise. During the 1917-1918, she was in charge of training courses for Swedish voluntary nurses. She was also chair of the Swedish Röda Korset voluntary nursing agency from 1938-1961 and she also sat on the board of Röda Korset for many years. In 1939, Dagmar Stenbeck instigated the reception of Finnish war-wounded in Sweden, in order to provide them with medical care and physical rehabilitation. She also instigated the creation of a boarding home on Lidingö for children with mis-shaped gums. After 1942, these children could be given surgical help and speech therapy at what came to be known as Röda Korset’s language pre-school. Children from all over Sweden came to this boarding school where they spent different lengths of time, depending on their condition. Dagmar Stenbeck was chair of this school’s board from 1942 until 1965. Further to arranging aid for war-wounded Finns, she also organised care for 30,000 former concentration camp refugees, and in 1957, she organised aid for Swedish influenza victims. In 1961, the International Committee of the Red Cross awarded Dagmar Stenbeck the Florence Nightingale medal at Konserthuset in Stockholm in 1961. Dagmar Stenbeck died in 1985, at the age of 96. She is buried at Matteus cemetery in Norrköping.