Artist Hans Runesson | ||
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A woman hitting a neo nazi with her handbag top 6 facts
A Woman Hitting a Neo-Nazi With Her Handbag (Swedish: Kvinnan med handväskan, lit. "The woman with the handbag") is a photograph taken in Växjö, Sweden on 13 April 1985 by Hans Runesson. It depicts a 38-year-old woman hitting a marching neo-nazi with a handbag. The photograph was taken during a demonstration of the Nordic Reich Party supporters. It was published in the next day's Dagens Nyheter and a day later in some British newspapers. Runesson's photograph was selected as the Swedish Picture of the Year (Årets bild) 1985 and later as the Picture of the Century by the magazine Vi and the Photographic Historical Society of Sweden.

The woman in the photograph is Danuta Danielsson (1947–1988). Not much is known of her as Danielsson didn't want to come out in public and speak to journalists. She was of Polish origin and her mother had been in a concentration camp during World War II.

In 2014 the Swedish sculptor Susanna Arwin made a miniature statue of Danielsson based on the photograph. There was an initiative to erect a life-size bronze version of Arwin's statue in the city of Växjö, but the project was blocked by local politicians of the Centre Party believing that such a statue might promote violence; a city councillor also stated that one of Danielsson's heirs had objected to her being remembered that way.

The photograph was produced using gelatin silver process and editioned by gallerist Pelle Unger. Twelve copies, three AP and three PP has been produced in the size 58 by 80 centimetres (23 in × 31 in) and price ranges between €3000–6000.


