Vera Gedroits

Vera Gedroits surrounded by patients, circa 1915

She stood on the harrowing grounds of battlefields as bullets and artillery shells flew by. And in a nearby converted railway car, she performed surgeries on injured soldiers. It was a far cry from the peaceful and charming elegance of her parents’ noble estate. But Vera Gedroits had chosen this life. Chosen to trade silk gowns for surgical aprons and comfort for the devastation of war. And she had chosen to challenge the country's social structures and norms.

Fiery in personality and strong-willed, seemingly unafraid of any type of battle, she became one of Russia's first female surgeons and its very first to serve in combat on the front lines. Later, she would also become the country's first female medical teacher and one of the first worldwide. Most importantly, though, Vera saved many lives with her often daring and innovative surgical techniques.

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Turmoil marked life in the Russian empire at the turn of the 20th century. A monarchy ruled, a nobility reaped riches, and the vast majority, approximately 85% of the people, lived in poverty as peasants. But it was also a time of change. People demanded democratic norms. They wanted freedom, and revolutionary thoughts began to simmer. The monarchy, however, refused to make significant changes. And in 1881, the tsar, or king, as the title is better known in English, was assassinated. In the aftermath, divisions between the rich and the poor deepened.