Guldborg Chemnitz

Marie Guldborg Chemnitz was born on 27 January 1919 in Qassimiut to Jørgen Niels Peter Chemnitz [da], an interpreter and member of the Greenland Provincial Council, and Kathrine Chemnitz, a women's rights activist, member of the Greenland Commission and a leading figure in the Union of Greenlandic Women's Associations^[a] (APK).^[1][3] The eldest of six children, Chemnitz was the elder sister of Jørgen Chemnitz [de], an interpreter and politician, and Lars Chemnitz, a politician.^[3] Through her father Chemnitz was a member of the Greenlandic branch of the Chemnitz family [de].^[4]

In 1934, at the age of 15, she went to Denmark in order to learn Danish.^[1] Later returning to Greenland, from 1936 to 1938 Chemnitz studied at the girl's Efterskole in Aasiaat.^[1] Through the Committee for the Education of Greenlanders (Komitéen for Grønlænderinders Uddannelse) Chemnitz began studying at a teacher training college in Denmark.^[1] However, due to the threat of second world war Chemnitz returned to Greenland in 1939.^[1]

In 1948, Chemnitz was appointed as an interpreter to the Legal Expedition (Den juridiske ekspedition), a delegation of three Danish jurists sent by the Greenland Administration [da] to investigate Greenland's legal culture and practices.^[1][5][6] Chemnitz also acted as a cultural mediator and research assistant for the jurists.^[1] Chemnitz later worked as an interpreter at the High Court of Greenland.^[1] From 1951 to 1954 Chemnitz was an elected official of the Nuuk municipal council.^[1][7] Chemnitz was elected again in 1983, under the Atassut party.^[1]

In 1964, Chemnitz passed the translator exam [da] (Translatøreksamen), making her the first Greenlandic woman to do so.^[1] The same year Chemnitz settled in Copenhagen and worked as a translator at the Ministry of Greenland until 1968.^[1] Returning to Nuuk, Chemnitz continued her work as a translator at the Secretariat of the Greenland Council until 1972.^[1] During 1972 to 1975 Chemnitz was a translator at the Social Research Committee in Copenhagen.^[1] Chemnitz briefly worked as a consultant at APK during 1975 to 1976, before becoming the head of secretariat at the Greenland Education Association from 1976 to 1979.^[1] From 1979 to 1987, Chemnitz was an interpreter at the High Commissioner of Greenland.^[1]

Chemnitz was a chairman of the special Greenland Committee of the Danish Commission of the Status of Women in Society, and was a member of the Danish Equal Status Council.^[7] Chemnitz was associated with social research in Greenland and with aiding the understanding between Greenland and Denmark.^[7]

In 1964, Chemnitz was awarded the Antonius Prize (Antoniusprisen) for her work to promote an understanding between Denmark and Greenland.^[1]

In 1987, Chemnitz was made a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog and in 1998 was awarded the Nersornaat in silver.^[1]

On 7 June 1942 Chemnitz married Finn Christoffersen (1915–1990), a sheep farmer, before later divorcing in 1954.^[1] Chemnitz and Christoffersen had four children, the youngest of whom died in infancy.^[1]