Hildur Ottelin

1866-1927.

Housing inspector, municipal politician, physical education teacher.

After graduating from the Gymnastics Institute in Stockholm in 1893, Hildur Ottelin moved to Skolgatan 10 in Uppsala and lived there for a time with her brother. For several years she worked as a physical education teacher and physiotherapist at Lindska skolan and Anna Wikström's trade 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 herself in number 10. A year later, she bought land from vicar Otto Myrberg in Rickomberga, which was later sold cheaply to working-class families, and together they formed a housing association, Rickomberga Egna Hem, of which she was managing director from 1904 to 1923.

Later, Ottelin became a housing inspector under the Board of Health and in 1912 she became the first woman to become a member of the City Council when she was elected for the Social Democrats. Similarly, Ottelin also became the first woman in the county council chamber.

As a politician, she became known for her many controversial proposals and her involvement in housing and elderly issues. Hildur Ottelin continued to be involved in municipal affairs until her death.

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

 

Burial site: 0148-1933

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

1894-1941.

Theologian, author.

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

Nathorst studied in Uppsala and became the first female theol.lic. in church history. Her collection of poems was published in 1926.

Nathorst was diagnosed with breast cancer at an early age and was treated by the doctor Iwan Bratt in Alingsås. They began a love affair in the mid-1930s. However, the love affair ended and Nathorst bought an apartment in Skåne. Until it was vacant, it was a difficult time for her in Bratt's home and Karin Boye acted as a support for her.

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

The following poem, written by Karin Boye, is called "Hur kan jag säga..." (How can I say...) and is included in the posthumously published collection De sju dödssynderna och andra efterlämnade dikter. The collection was published in 1941 and the poem is addressed to Anita.

How can I tell if your voice is beautiful.
I just know, that it penetrates me
and will make me tremble like a leaf
and tear me apart and blow 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 and rest,
until they are mine.


Burial site: 0101-0051

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

1929-1993.

Actors.

Ulla-Bella Fridh, whose full name was Anna Ulla-Britt Fridh-Gabrielsson, made her debut in 1947 as an ice princess in Gustav Wally's ice revue. She also played student theater at Södermanland-Nerikes nation and attended theater school at Gothenburg City Theater 1949-1952.

Together with Owe Törnqvist and Rune Ek, she appeared in summer revues and worked at Vasateatern in Stockholm with Karl-Gerhard in 1952-1954.

She also appeared in a number of TV programs and films and was employed at Uppsala City Theatre between 1964-1980.

 

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 doctor of law.

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

Eschelsson was taught at home and learned Latin, among other things, entirely on her own. In 1882 she took her matriculation exam with high marks.

She continued her studies in Uppsala and later became the first female doctor and associate professor of law. However, she had to fight hard to obtain positions, not least as acting professor, as that position could not yet be granted to a woman.

She was involved in the establishment of the Association of Educated Women (1904), which campaigned for women's right to hold senior government posts.

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

The funeral in Uppsala Cathedral was officiated by Professor Einar Billing who spoke about "the injustice of this world".

 

Burial site: 0137-1550

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

1851-1932.

Artist.

After studying at Slöjdskolan and Konstakademin, Karin Arosenius traveled to Copenhagen, Rome and then to Paris, where she stayed at the same time as her husband Karin and Carl Larsson.

Karin Arosenius sculpted busts and statuettes with genre motifs such as "Fisherman's boy, who fell 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's Fair in 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, author.

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

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

After her husband's death in 1933, she completed work on the Flora of Egypt, which was published 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 several popular botanical works, such as Pharaoh's Flowers (1951), Egypt in Close-up (1964), The Desert in Bloom (1969) and The Minarets of the Saga (1971).

Vivi Täckholm also wrote children's books, such as The Saga of Snipp Snapp Snorum (1926) and Lillans resa till månen (1976). In the 1960s, Täckholm also gained a lot of attention through several TV programs.

 

Burial site: 0131-1356

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

1879-1944.

Artist, writer.

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

He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and its etching school between 1902 and 1906. Thereafter, Thunman devoted himself to landscape painting, which, like his poetry, is based on the cultural landscape of Uppland. Thunman painted in an impressionistic style, often with twilight tones, but later switched to topographically precise drawings and washes.

In 1928, he moved to the gatehouse at Noor's castle in Knivsta and lived there for the rest of his life. Thunman often went out into the countryside, on foot or by bicycle, with pen and paper in hand. He often wore a gray wadding suit with leg wraps, and as such is depicted in a sculpture outside Särsta Inn in Knivsta.

The poetry is collected in books such as Pan Spelar (1919), Olandssånger (1927) and Fornbygd och färdvägar (1929). The most famous poem is "Vi gå över daggstänkta berg" to a melody of uncertain origin, possibly from a Hälsingemeelodi.

In October 1944, Olof Thunman died and after the burial ceremony on October 28 in Uppsala Cathedral, the funeral procession went through Odinslund past Carolina, via Övre Slottsgatan into Åsgrändsgrinden. The procession was lined by a crowd of thousands, who with torches honored the deceased.

After the coffin was lowered into the grave, a double quartet from OD sang "Over the forest, over the lake" with text and music by composer A.F. Lindblad.

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

There is snow over Fågelsången
And the case sleeps at the Iceland Bridge.
In the night, a winter prisoner listens
In vain for a spring tone.

 

Burial site: 0115-0801

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

1911-2000.

Ceramist.

Mari Simmulson was born in St. Petersburg to Estonian parents and trained as a sculptor at the Tallinn State Art Academy. In the 1930s she trained at the Finnish porcelain factory Arabia.

In 1944, Simmulson moved to Sweden and began working with Wilhelm Kåge at the Gustavsberg porcelain factory. Mari Simmulson worked at Gustavsberg until 1949 and then returned to Upsala Ekeby where her most remembered production was created.

Characteristic of Simmulson's art are imaginative, colorful and decorative figures, vases and reliefs as well as freely sculptural pieces, such as the "Balinese", which was quickly sold out and the "boy on the turtle", which was produced for many years.

Simmulson also carried out major decorative commissions, and several of her works are exhibited at Uppsala Konstmuseum.

"Mari Simmulson demonstrates the new collection of chamotte ware", Presenta AB, Östra Ågatan 39, Uppsala 1959. Photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet.

Barrel made by Mari Simmulson around 1950. Square with rounded corners and sides. Earthenware with white bottom glaze and decoration in pastel colors. Photo: Olle Norling / Upplandsmuseet.

Burial site: 0406-0001 (Memorial grove in 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 of police, baron, alderman.

Edvard Raab became Chief Constable of Uppsala in 1879 and died in office.

His fame, which reached far beyond the borders of Uppsala, was not so much based on his police work as on Raab's linguistic quirks and mental aberrations. Albert Engström immortalized Raab through many stories and drawings in the magazine Strix.

Much of what this Chief Constable Raab is said to have authored has obviously been corrected by others. However, there are ordinances and decrees from his pen, which demonstrate the peculiarity.

For example, it was laid down in a street regulation:

"When new snow falls, the old snow must be removed first".

A crime scene investigation stated: 'Judging by the size of the hole in the floorboard, the burglars appeared to have been only one in number'. The instructions for handling anonymous letters stated: "Anonymous letters shall be returned unopened to the sender".

Edvard Raab, who was described as honest, good and charitable, often wore his police chief's uniform. Raab was friendly, fatherly and popular among the students, despite the fact that they occasionally spent nights in the cells.

In the foreground to the right, Chief Constable Raab, behind him Constable Sandgren, at Uppsala Cathedral on the occasion of the three hundredth anniversary of the Uppsala meeting, Jubelfesten 1893. Photographer: Heinrich Osti / UUB.

Police force XII:5. Chief Constable Raab with his men at the Linneanum in the Botanical Gardens in Uppsala ca 1880-ca 1901. Several of the policemen's names are written on the back of the mounting sheet. Photographer: Alfred Dahlgren / UUB.

Burial site: 0116-0836

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

1848-1949.

Pastry chef, pectoralist poet.

Erik Ofvandahl was orphaned at an early age and came to the village of Ovandal in Stora Tuna as a pauper. As an adult, Ofvandahl took his name from the village.

As a journeyman sugar baker, Ofvandahl came to Uppsala and started his own confectionery in 1885 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 Ofvandahls soon became a meeting place for students and literary gatherings.

In the 1880s, Ofvandahl often attended the meetings of the radical student association Verdandi, which were often held at the patisserie. At these meetings, Ofvandahl became known for his witty lines and debates in verse.

He was a renowned confectioner, but his fame stems mainly from his literary work in the pecoral genre. Part of the production was paid for by Ofvandahl himself.

Ulf Peder Olrog paid tribute to his baking skills with the following lines: "At Ofvandahl's patisserie among cakes, you and I, my friend, have both got our chins".

Despite the fact that Ofvandahl was sometimes subjected to ridicule by the students, the contemporary reviews of him were unanimously positive. Erik Ofvandahl is described as a person who dared to live out his individuality and that he was a pleasant companion who liked to play 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, unknown photographer. Image from: Ofvandahl, Erik "Blick och tanke". Uppsala, 1902, Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg. [The image is cropped]
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