Gustaf Svanberg was born in Uppsala in 1819, the son of Gustaf (an astronomer) and Fredrika Svanberg. Later in life he became mayor and active in municipal politics in Gothenburg. Svanberg was also elected as a member of the second chamber of the Swedish Parliament.
The tomb that adorns Svanberg's Burial site is one of the most striking in the Old Cemetery. The allegorical female figure in bronze is called "Sorgen" and was made by the sculptress Sigrid Blomberg. A similar sculpture adorns the family grave of Carl Wijk in the Östra cemetery in Gothenburg.
Burial site: 0109-0461B
Image description: Portrait of Gustaf Svanberg, 1910. Photo: Unknown photographer / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped] Click here for an uncropped image
Gustaf Svanberg was born in Botilsäter in Värmland and graduated from Uppsala in 1819. He first studied classical languages, but switched to mathematics and astronomy and was professor of astronomy from 1842 to 1875.
Between 1833-1835, Svanberg studied terrestrial magnetism in Germany. As a member of parliament, Svanberg succeeded in obtaining funding for a modern observatory in Uppsala, which was built in the area between Rackarbacken and the old fjärdingstullen, the area now known as Observatorieparken.
The observatory c. 1860 and the avenue.
Photo: Artist Eric Österlund (1812-1907) / UUB.
The Observatory block before 1890, view from the north.
Photo: Henri Osti / UUB.
The observatory was completed and inaugurated in 1853 and received its first main instrument, a 24 cm refractor from Steinheil in Munich. It was replaced in 1893 by the double refractor (36/33 cm) which is still in the main dome of the observatory.
Gustaf Svanberg organized regular meteorological observations from 1865. The Meteorology Department moved to the Ångström Laboratory in 2000, but the "Old Observatory" as it is called, is still used by amateur astronomers and for public tours.
Burial site: 0109-0461B
Image descriptionPortrait of Gustaf Svanberg, circa 1870-1880. Photo: Henri Osti / UUB [The image is cropped]. Click here for an uncropped image
Egmont Tornberg was born in 1891 in Rytterne and later became a lieutenant in the Navy in 1914, lieutenant in 1917 and began flying in 1918.
He transferred to the air force when it was formed in 1926 and in the same year, as a captain, he set an altitude record for seaplanes. The altitude record was set at 5731 meters in a Heinkel with a 500 kg load (equivalent to a combat load). The record was duly approved by the International Federation and exceeded the previous record by 700 meters.
In 1928 Egmont headed the Swedish rescue expedition of survivors from the Italian airship Italia north of Spitsbergen. He showed an impressive leadership during two months of hard material and personal strain under very difficult and rapidly changing weather conditions with risky flight over the Arctic Ocean, ice drift and dense fog.
Part of the rescue team with Tornberg in the middle.
Photo: from private collection.
From the Italia action of 1928.
Photo: from private collection.
Later in life, Tornberg was head of F 1, Jämtland Air Force F 4 and Norrbotten Air Base Corps F 21.
In 1940, Tornberg became colonel and eleven years later he died at the age of 59, being the last of the marine pilots to start his flying career in 1917.
Burial site: 0115-0811B
Image description: Portrait photograph by Egmont Tornberg, Head of the Western Air Base Area 1943-1946. Signed, framed photo. Photo: Unknown Photographer / Air Force Museum. [The image is cropped] Click here for an uncropped image
In 1885, the merchant Hjalmar Söderberg opened a yarn, sewing and fabric shop at Vaksalagatan 13 (where the town hall is today).
The movement was expanded and moved to larger premises on Vaksalagatan 15 and already in the 1890s began production of wool fabrics and clothing. In 1896, the industrial business moved to Dragarbrunnsgatan 65 (the corner of Dragarbrunnsgatan-Kålsängsgränd) and the company developed into the largest in the clothing industry in Uppsala and one of the larger ones in Sweden.
Söderberg's shop at Vaksalagatan 15, around 1901-1902. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / Upplandsmuseet.
Interior from Söderberg's shop. The picture was published in Upsala Nya Tidning April 29, 1933. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.
In 1907, a separate company was set up for the clothing industry under the name AB Hjalmar Söderberg. His son Erik Söderberg took over the management of the company in 1933, and in the 1940s the company, which then had branch factories in Lövstabruk and Örbyhus, employed between 500 and 600 people.
Hjalmar Söderberg's wife Elin (1861–1933) was honoured by her son with a sculpture adorning the burial site. The sculpture was made by the artist Arvid Knöppel and illustrates the Bible word in Book of Psalms Psalt. 126:5 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
Carl Wolrath was born in Eksjö. Later in life he moved to Uppsala and was employed at Öberg's hardware store at Svartbäcksgatan 21.
Wolrath married the merchant's daughter in 1894 and later took over the business in 1901. The shop was then named Wolrath & Co. In 1941, the company moved slightly closer to Stora Torget to Svartbäcksgatan 14.
AB Wolrath & Co, Svartbäcksgatan, Uppsala August 1940. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.
AB Wolrath & Co's hardware store on Svartbäcksgatan 14, Uppsala November 1941. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.
Wolrath was a member of the City Council from 1905 to 1922 and was a member of the City Treasury in 1919.
Anders Strandberg came to Uppsala at the age of 13 and started working as a store clerk.
In 1885 Strandberg started a manufakturaffär at Stora Torget. The store was later housed in the corner house (built in 1905) at Drottninggatan in the so-called Strandberg ska huset. The house was the first in the city with elevator, central heating and electricity. In the same year Strandberg, as a social and technical interest, developed an electricity plant for the city.
Stora torget (Main Square) in Uppsala 1901-1902, view towards Kungsängsgatan. At the time of the photography, Anders Strandberg's sewing shop was housed in the building. The corner plot was owned and built by Olof Rudbeck the Elder. The houses were demolished in 1934. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / UUB.
The main square with the Strandberg house (built in 1905) on the right, 29 April 1911. At the time, Svenska veckan was celebrated as a manifestation to benefit Swedish industry. Photo: Unknown Photographer/UUB.
Strandberg was a member of the City Council from 1899 to 1930, executive member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1916 to 1928, and also a county councillor and member of the Hospital Board at Akademiska sjukhuset. He was also a member of the Elders of the Burghers.
Asta Ödman was born in Gothenburg and was a sculptor and artist.
Ödman studied for Sten Teodorsson and during her studies she became friends with Inger Manne, with whom she painted with for many years.
In the early 1960s, Ödman studied for Fritz Gahn and she was a member of a group of artists who sculpted and painted.
Ödman had a number of own exhibitions. She was also posthumously represented with several works in the Norrköping art museum's compilation exhibition "Female Artists" from 2013.
In Norrköping there are also public works created by Asta Ödman, for example in the town hall and the concert hall De Geerhallen.
Image description: Asta Ödman with sculptures. Photo: Mikael Strand. The photo was first published in Norrköpings Tidningar. [The image is cropped] Click here for an uncropped image
Adolf Noreen was born in Östra Ämtervik in Värmland and wrote a thesis on the Frykdal dialect. The thesis deals with the dialect of his home town and was the first dialect description based on scientific principles.
Noreen published language history manuals, for example about Fornisländska in Altisländische Grammar (1884) and about Ancient Swedish in Altschwedische Grammar (1904).
In his great work Vårt språk (Our language)(1903–1924) he presents his ethos of language and presents a basic plan for grammar. Noreen was also an advocate for the spelling reform in 1906.
Between 1887 and 1919, Adolf Noreen was professor of Nordic languages, was elected a member of The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities in 1902, as a member of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1917 and became a member of the Swedish Academy in 1919.
Together with Johan August Lundell he founded the school Upsala Enskilda Läroverk (now Lundellska) in 1892.
Victor Clifton Martyn, known as Topper Martyn, was born in England and was a juggler and illusionist. In the 1960s, Martyn settled in Uppsala with his wife.
Topper Martyn made his stage debut in 1938 as a juggler and had a mixed program with elements of juggling, comedy and magic. Martyn received several awards for his artistry. In 1970 he became the world champion of comical magic in Amsterdam.
In 1996, Martyn was honored with the English Carlton Comedy Prize. He has received the French award Mandrake d'or and a gold medal by Asahi Television (Japan).
In addition to performing in 30 different countries, he played the wizard's role in the children's musical Alfons and the Wizard, based on Gunilla Bergström's book Hokus Pokus Alfons Åberg. Topper Martyn also appeared in TV productions, such as SVT's Christmas calendar from 1984 – Julstrul with Staffan & Bengt.
Burial site: 0406-0001 (Memorial grove, The Old cemetery)
Image description: Topper Martyn, unknown year. Photo: Swedish Magic-Archive. [The image is cropped] Click here for an uncropped image
Robert Fredrik von Kræmer came from Tavastland in Finland and participated as an officer in the campaign to Germany in 1813 and to Norway in 1814.
He was the governor of Uppsala from 1830 to 1862 and was as county manager an undisputed central figure and took a number of important initiatives. Communications improved through road construction, bridge construction, dredging of sail joints, and the formation of steamboat companies.
Kræmer also took the initiative for the founding of Ultuna Agricultural Institute and to the start of Sweden's first cooperative trade in Örsundsbro in 1850.
Kræmer also played a significant role in the development of the city of Uppsala. The city park, the walk at Flustret and Västgötaspången was created during his participation and he was known for his tree plantings, which were mentioned in Gunnar Wennerberg's Gluntarne:
"Cross what that Kræmer is good for the city. He builds bridges and plants wood."
Image description: Robert Fredrik von Kræmer, Stockholm, circa 1870. Photo: W.A Eurenius & P.L Quist / UUB. [The image is cropped] Click here for an uncropped image
