Biography: ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ

In office
1948–1960PresidentSyngman RheePreceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byGong Deok-gwiPersonal detailsBornJune 15, 1900
Inzersdorf, Austria-Hungary
(now Vienna, AustriaDiedMarch 19, 1992 (aged 91)
Seoul, South KoreaSpouse(s)Syngman RheeFranziska DonnerHangul프란체스카 도너Revised RomanizationPeurancheseuka DoneoMcCune–ReischauerP'ŭranch'esŭk'a TonŏNative Korean NameHangul이부란 / 리부란Hanja李蘭Revised RomanizationI Buran / Ri BuranMcCune–ReischauerYi Puran / Ri Puran

Francesca Maria Barbara Donner (Korean: 프란체스카 도너; Peurancheseuka Doneo; June 15, 1900 – March 19, 1992) was the second wife of Syngman Rhee, and was the inaugural First Lady of South Korea, from 1948 to 1960.

EtymologyEdit

According to birth documents, she was born Franziska Donner. She later used the spelling Franzeska Donner (even in official documents). Otherwise, the most common spelling of her name was the Italian form, Francesca. This version is used in all of her Korean documents (including her passport). [1]

Early life and educationEdit

Donner was born in the municipality of Inzersdorf, which would be incorporated intoVienna in 1938. She worked at the League of Nations in Geneva as an interpreter, diplomat, and hostess. In 1933, she met Korean politician Syngman Rhee (Yi Seung-man 이승만) in a Geneva hotel. At the time Rhee was living in the United States, he was only on a visit in Geneva. He visited her shortly afterwards in Austria and asked to marry her. Donner followed him to the United States, and the marriage took place in 1934 in New York.[2] For both, it was a second marriage.