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Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914) was an Aust rian writer and peace activist who inspired Alfred Nobel to create the peace cla use in his famous will. Nobel wanted to honor a person "who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or redu ction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congressess. " In her lifetime, Bertha von Suttner was an inspiring spokesperson for the pri nciples of arbitration. In 1889, she published her novel, "Die Waffen Nieder" (L ay Down Your Arms) which became an international bestseller and was made into a silent film in 1913. In 1905 Bertha von Suttner was the first woman ever to rec eive the Nobel Peace Prize.

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