Hildur Ottelin

1866–1927.

Acommodation inspector, municipal politician, gymnastics teacher.

After graduating from the Gymnastics Institute in Stockholm in 1893 Hildur Ottelin moved to Skolgatan 10 in Uppsala and lived there for some time with her brother. For several years she worked as a gymnastics teacher and physiotherapist at the Lindska School and Anna Wikström's Business School for blind women.

In 1903, Ottelin invested in two farms at Stamgatan (today's Geijersgatan) 7 and 10 with the intention of renting out housing and settled himself in number 10. A year later, she bought land from vicar Otto Myrberg in Rickomberga, which was later sold cheaply to working families and together with them a single-family association, Rickomberga Egna Hem, was formed, where she was CEO from 1904 to 1923.

Later, Ottelin became a acommodation inspector for the Health Care Board and in 1912, as the first woman, was elected to the Social Democratic Party. Likewise, Ottelin was also the first woman in the City board.

As a politician, she became known for her many controversial proposals and dedications in housing issues and in issues regarding the elderly. Hildur Ottelin continued to engage in municipal affairs until her death.

Since 1950 a street in Uppsala, in the area Rickomberga carries her name.

 

Burial site: 0148-1933

Image description: Hildur Ottelin, ca 1916-ca 1927. Photo: Klara Hacksell / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Anita Nathorst

1894–1941.

Theologian, writer.

Anita Nathorst was active in the Christian student and high school movement and friends with Karin Boye who called her her "spiritual mother". Boye had love for her, but it was an unrequited love.

Nathorst studied in Uppsala and became the first female B.A.. Lic. In Church history. In 1926 her poetry collection was published.

Nathorst suffered from breast cancer early and was treated by doctor Iwan Bratt in Alingsås. They began a love affair in the mid-1930s. However, the love affair ended and Nathorst got an apartment in Skåne. Until it was free, it was a difficult time for her in Bratt's home and Karin Boye then served as a support for her.

Anita Nathorst died at Malmö Nursing home in the summer of 1941, just a few months after Karin Boye.

The following poem, written by Karin Boye, is called "How can I say..." which is in the posthumously published collection The Seven Deadly Sins and other left over poems. The collection was published in 1941 and the poem is directed at Anita.

How can I tell if your voice is beautiful.
I know only that it pierces me
And make me tremble like a leaf
And tearing me apart and blows me up.
What do I know about your skin and your limbs.
It just shakes me that they are yours,
So that for me there is no sleep or rest,
Until they are mine.


Burial site: 0101-0051

Image description: Anita Nathorst, unknown year. Photo: Unknown photographer / From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Ulla-Bella Fridh

1929–1993.

Actor.

Ulla-Bella Fridh, whose full name was Anna Ulla-Britt Fridh-Gabrielsson, debuted in 1947 as Ice Princess in Gustav Wally's ice cabaret. She also played at the student theatre at the Södermanland-Nerikes Nation and attended theatre school at the Gothenburg City Theatre from 1949 to 1952.

Together with Owe Törnqvist and Rune Ek she participated in Sommarrevyer and worked at the Vasa Theatre in Stockholm with Karl-Gerhard 1952 – 1954.

She also starred in several television programmes and films, and was employed at Uppsala Stadsteater from 1964 to 1980.

 

Burial site: 0322-1802

Image description : Ulla-Bella Fridh, Uppsala, 1951 at Fyrisån. Photo: EC / Sjöberg bildbyrå. [ The image is cropped ]
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Elsa Eschelsson

1861–1911.

Lawyer, Sweden's first female Juris Doctor.

Elsa Eschelsson was born in a wealthy home in Norrköping in 1861. After the mother died, the five-year-old Elsa moved with her father to Stockholm.

Eschelsson was home schooled and learned, among other things, Latin, entirely on her own. In 1882 she graduated with high grades.

The studies continued in Uppsala and later Eschelsson became the first female doctor and associate professor of law. However, she had to fight hard to get posts, not least as a acting professor because that service could not yet be granted to a woman.

She participated in the creation of the formed Women's Association (1904) which seemed to women's right to hold higher government services.

The academic strife took a toll on her powers and after a supposed overdose of sleeping pills, Elsa Eschelsson died on March 10, 1911.

The funeral in Uppsala Cathedral was held by Professor Einar Billing who spoke of "the iniquity of this World".

 

Burial site: 0137-1550

Image description: Elsa Eschelsson, 1883. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Karin Arosenius

1851–1932.

Artist.

After studies at the Craft School and the Academy of Fine Arts, Karin Arosenius travelled to Copenhagen, Rome and then to Paris, where she was present at the same time as the spouses Karin and Carl Larsson.

Karin Arosenius sculpted busts and statuettes with genre motifs such as "Fisherman asleep from his fishing rod" in 1881 and "Bathing girl" in 1883, among others.

She exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1885, 1886 and 1888, and at the World Exhibition of 1889.

 

Burial site: 0127-1204

Image description: Karin Arosenius, 1901. Photo: Unknown photographer, Swedish portrait Gallery / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Vivi Täckholm

1898–1978.

Botanist, writer.

Vivi Täckholm studied at Stockholm University and conducted botanical studies in Berlin, London and Geneva.

In 1926 she moved together with her husband, Botanist Professor Gunnar Täckholm, to Cairo and together mapped the plant world of Egypt.

After her husband's death in 1933, she completed the work of Flora of Egypt , which was released in four parts, Part 1 (1941), Part 2 (1944), Part 3 (1954) and Part 4 (1966). In 1946 Täckholm became professor of Botany at the University of Cairo and lived there for most of her life.

Täckholm also published a number of popular botanical works, such as the Pharaoh's Flower (1951), Egypt in close-up (1964), the Desert Blossoms (1969) and the Fairytale Minarets (1971).

Vivi Täckholm also wrote children's books, such as the saga of Snipp Snapp Snorum (1926) and Lillan's journey to the Moon (1976). In the 1960s, Täckholm also received a lot of attention through several television programs.

 

Burial site: 0131-1356

Image description: Vivi Täckholm, unknown year. Photo: Staffan Norstedt / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Olof Thunman

1879–1944.

Artist, author.

Olof Thunman was born in the Imperfectum student house on Västra Ågatan, where the Catholic parish of St Lars now has premises.

He studied between 1902–1906 at the Academy of Arts and its etching school. Thunman then devoted himself to landscape painting, which, like his lyric poetry, is based on the cultural landscape of Uppland. Thunman painted in an impressionist style, often with dusky tones, but later moved to topographically accurate drawings and ink wash paintings.

He moved in 1928 to a house at Noor's Castle in Knivsta and lived there for life. Often, Thunman went out to the landscape, on foot or by bike, with pen and paper in his hand. He was often dressed in grey wadmal suit with leg lindens, and is as such depicted in a sculpture outside the Särsta Inn in Knivsta.

The lyrics are collected in books such as Pan Spelar (1919), Olandssånger (1927) and Fornbygd och färdvägar (1929). The most famous poem is "Vi gå över dew-spotted mountains" to a tune of uncertain origin, possibly from a Hälsingian melody.

In October 1944, Olof Thunman died and after the funeral in Uppsala Cathedral, the funeral procession went through Odinslund past Carolina, via Övre Slottsgatan in through Åsgrändsgrinden. The procession was lined with a crowd of people who, with torches, honored the deceased.

At the grave, members of the choir OD sang "Over the forest, over the lake" with lyrics and music by the composer A.F. Lindblad.

The following stanza is from the poem "Winter Night", Olandssånger, 1927.

There is snow over the bird song
And the waterfall sleeps at the Island Bridge.
In the night a prisoner of winter listens
In vain after the tone of spring.

 

Burial site: 0115-0801

Image description: Olof Thunman ca 1940. Photo: Gunnar Sundgren / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Mari Simmulson

1911–2000.

Potter.

Mari Simmulson was born in St. Petersburg by Estonian parents and received her sculptor training at the state Art school in Tallinn. In the 1930s she practiced at the Finnish porcelain factory Arabia.

In 1944 Simmulson moved to Sweden and began working together with Wilhelm Kåge at Gustavsberg Porcelain. Mari Simmulson was active at Gustavsberg until 1949 and then returned to Upsala Ekeby where her most remembered production was created.

Characteristic of Simmulsons art are imaginative, colourful and decorative figures, vases and reliefs as well as free sculptural pieces, such as "Balinese", which was quickly sold out and "The Boy on the turtle" that was made for many years.

Simmulson also performed more decorative assignments and several of her works are exhibited at the Uppsala Art Museum.

"Mari Simmulson exhibits a new collection, Presenta AB, Östra Ågatan 39, Uppsala 1959. Photography: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet.

A plate performed by Mari Simmulson around 1950. Square with rounded corners and sides. Earthenware with white glaze and decor in pastel colors. Photography: Olle Norling / Upplandsmuseet.

Burial site: 0406-0001 (Memorial grove, The Old cemetery)

Image description: Mari Simmulson, Uppsala 1960. Photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet. [The image is cropped]
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Edvard Raab

1841–1901.

Chief constable, Baron, district court judge.

Edward Raab became chief of police in Uppsala in 1879 and died on his post.

However, his notoriety, which reached far beyond the borders of Uppsala, is not so much based on police deeds but more on Raab's linguistic somersaults and statements which wasn't thaught through. Albert Engström immortalized Raab through many stories and drawings in the magazine Strix.

Much of what police chief Raab is said to be the author of is obviously enhanced by others. However, there are ordinances and decrees from his pen, which demonstrate originality.

For example, it was laid down in an order regarding the street maintenance:

"When new snow has fallen, the old snow must first desposed of".

A crime scene investigation concluded: "Judging by the size of the hole in the plane, the number of burglars seemed to have been just one." In instructions for handling anonymous letters, it was stipulated: "Anonymous letters shall be returned to the sender".

Edward Raab, described as honest, good and beneficial, often went dressed in his police master's uniform. Rabb was convivial, paternal and popular was among students, although they occasionally spent nights in custody.

In the foreground to right police chief Raab, behind him Constable Sandgren, at Uppsala Cathedral in connection of the 300 anniversary of Uppsala meeting, 1893. Photographer: Heinrich Osti / Uppsala University Library.

Police the years XII: 5. At Linneanum in the Botanical Garden in Uppsala about 1880-approx. 1901, police chief Raab. Several of the police officers ' names are recorded on the back of the mounting sheet. Photographer: Alfred Dahlgren/UUB.

Burial site: 0116-0836

Image description: Edvard Raab, Uppsala 1882. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Erik Ofvandahl

1848–1949.

Pastry chef, poet.

Erik Ofvandahl became early an orphan and came as a poor caring child to the village of Ovandal in Stora Tuna. As an adult, Ofvandahl took his name from that place.

Ofvandahl came to Uppsala as a sugar beetle journeyman and in 1885 started his own confectionery at Östra Ågatan 31. Two years later the confectionery was located at Sysslomansgatan 5, where it still is. In 1901 he changed his surname and the legendary Ofvandahl's soon became a meeting place for students and literary gatherings.

During the 1880s, Ofvandahl often participated in the radical fraternity Verdandis gatherings, which were often held at the pastry shop. At these meetings, Ofvandahl was known for his witty replies and debate speeches on verse.

He was a reputable pastry chef, but the fame stems mainly from the literary creation in the Pekorala genre. Part of the production was funded by Ofvandahl himself.

Ulf Peder Olrog praised his bakery art with the following lines: "At Ofvandahls Patisserie among cakes, you and I, my friend, have both gotten our chins".

Although the Ofvandahl was sometimes subjected to mockery by the students, in hist time, the judgement of him was undivided positive. Erik Ofvandahl is described as a person who dared to live out his individuality and that he was a pleasing companion who was happy to play on his violin. The author Birger Sjöberg writes:

 

"In the clear hall of heaven
where good thoughts bloom
me and pastry chef Ofvandahl
may rest among the pious'.

 

Burial site: 0130-1293

Image description: Erik Ofvandahl, unknown year. Photo: Swedish Biographical dictionary / National Archives. [The image is cropped]
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