Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom

1790–1855.

Author, literary historian, philosopher.

Already at the age of 17, Atterbom became one of the leaders in the company Musis Amici (later Aurora Federation) who wanted to reform the Swedish literature in a romantic spirit.

The literary revolution that Atterbom wanted to lead began in 1810 with the critical and satirical journal Polyfem. Together with V.F. Palmblad, he started the journal Phosforus, which claimed the poetry as a spiritual power with the ability to transform life.

With the friends Geijer, Palmblad and Törneros, Atterbom had a lovely and soulful family company, and in Malla Silfverstolpes salons, Atterbom and other romantics for decades were intimately at ease.

Atterbom became professor of theoretical philosophy 1828, professor of aesthetics and modern literature 1835 and was also a member of the Swedish Academy from 1839.

Among his works are Bird Blue (1814), Happiness Island (1824–1827) and the Collected Poems (1837 – 1838). In Swedish seers and Poets (1841–1845) he portrayed Swedenborg, Ehrensvärd and Thorild. It also depicts Stiernhielm, Dahlin, Kellgren and Bellman.

 

Burial site: 0152-0060

Image description: Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom, painting by Johan Gustaf Sandberg 1831. Photo: Nationalmuseum / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Malla Silfverstolpe

1782–1861.

Author.

Magdalena (Malla) Silfverstolpe became an orphan early in her life and grew up with the mother's relatives on the family estate Edsberg. She and her husband David Silfverstolpe moved to Uppsala in 1812 and quickly found themselves in the stimulating academic and weathered environment.

After the death of her husband in 1819, Silfverstolpe began "keeping a salon" on Friday evenings for the higher society of the times where people from the cultural and scientific circles participated. The salon was held in the home at the main square, where among other romantics Geijer and Atterbom gathered.

It offered the opportunity to listen to literature read aloud and music. It was debated, songs were sung and letters read. Both Malla Silfverstolpe and Thekla Knös, who also held salon, have described these meetings in their respective diaries.

Malla Silfverstolpe had an ability to gather and invite talents and in the home several celebrities was received, such as Jenny Lind, H.C. Andersen and C.J.L. Almqvist. Malla Silfverstolpe participated in the feud around Almqvist's book and published a book as a response.

 

Burial site: 0104-0249

Image description: Malla Silfverstolpe 1850's. Photo: Unknown photographer / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Gösta Knutsson

1908–1973.

Author, worked in radio

Gösta Knutsson came to Uppsala in 1927 and became a MA in Latin and Classical archaeology in 1931. He was the chairman of the choir Allmänna sången 1959–1970 and Secretary of the choir OD.

As chairman of the Student Union in 1936–1938, Knutsson became the seat representative and announcer of the radio service in Uppsala and began his career in Sveriges radio.

As a radio man, Knutsson was primarily known as the organizer of a quiz that for a long time was one of Sveriges radio's biggest successes. The program "Who knows what" began to be broadcast in 1939 together with Gösta Knutsson's co-worker "the know all" Einar Haglund.

First edition of Pelle Svanslös and Dachshund Max from 1944, published by Bonniers Children's library. Photo: Upplandsmuseet .

Gösta Knutsson At the desk, Uppsala 1942. Photo: Gunnar Sundgren UUB.

For several decades, Knutsson led a series of popular entertainment programs, such as The magazine of the month, The unprepared speakers Club, The tricky club, and even programs for the youngest radio listeners.

At the same time as he worked in radio, Knutsson became one of Sweden's most famous children's book authors. In 1939, he published the children's book Pelle No-tail on Adventure, which was a huge success and was translated into ten languages. The book started a series of twelve books with Pelle, Maja, Bill and Bull, nasty Måns and the other cats.

 

Burial site: 0148-1908B

Image description: Gösta Knutsson , Uppsala 1948. Photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet. [The image is cropped]
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Erik Gustaf Geijer

1783–1847.

Historian, philosopher, author and composer.

Erik Gustaf Geijer, one of Uppsala's most important cultural personalities, was born at Ransäter in Värmland and came as a student to Uppsala in 1799. As a tutor he resided in 1809–1810 in England, where he attentively observed social and cultural life.

Geijer's understanding of the intellectuals' criticism increased during a trip to Germany in 1825 and against the fantasies of romance he began to take a more realistic stance. This he expressed in memories (1834).

Geijer recognized the importance of the middle class in society and the legitimacy of its requirements for freedom, and as a result of the changed social analysis, a political reorientation was removed from conservatism. This "waste" he announced in 1838.

Geijer's ability to see and formulate essential contexts in his contemporaries made him a strong voice in formation of opinion. His most important works include Svea Rikes Hävder (1825), which portrays Sweden's oldest history and the history of the Swedish folkets historia (1832–1836).

Geijer was a full-gloss lecturer, in-depth scientist and one of the leaders in the literary circles in Uppsala in the 1830s. He was also the center of Music life, and composed songs, piano sonatas, string quartets and other instrumental music.

Erik Gustaf Geijer was professor of history in 1817–1847 and became a member of the Swedish Academy in 1824. He lived on Svartbäcksgatan 17 and then moved to the Övre Slottsgatan 2. In 1846 Geijer moved to Stockholm.

The following is taken from the poem "Night sky" from the Collected Writings, vol. 1-13 1849–1855.

Alone I proceed forth on my path,
Longer and longer stretches the path;
Ah, in the distance, my goal is hidden.
The day itself lowers. Space becomes nocturnal.
Soon only the eternal stars I see.

But I do not complain the fleeing day,
Not me the night terrifies;
For of the love that goes through the world,
Fell also a streak into my soul.

 

Burial site: 0104-0248

Image description: Erik Gustaf Geijer, lithography from the 1840's. Photo: Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Gustaf Fröding

1860–1911.

Poet, writer.

Gustaf Fröding was born at Alsters Manor in Värmland and was through his family deeply anchored in the life of the mill and manor. He came to Uppsala in 1880 and lived on Övre Slottsgatan 13 and completed one single exam. Fröding joined the radical circles of the association Verdandi and wrote parodic poems and comrades songs.

He returned to Karlstad where he, after writing notices in various newspapers, was employed at the Karlstad newspaper. An inheritance in 1888 resulted in financial independence and Fröding left his employment.

Between 1889 and 1890 Fröding resided on a treatment establishment in Görlitz due to mental illness. There he experienced his first major creative period, when the main part of his debut poetry collection Gitarr och Dragharmonika was completed and made him the most important poet in Sweden.

The following examples of fröding poetry, called "in the Youth", are taken from guitar and Dragharmonika, 2nd ed. From 1893:

It sparkles so sparkly and beautifully in the river,
It chirps so funny in the pine.
Here I lie lazy, like a spoiled son
In the lap of my mother nature.
It sings and smells and shines and smiles
From Earth and heaven and all I see.

It is as if the wind has a message for me
If happy days, which are approaching,
My blood is in concern, I think I'm in love
— In Whom? — Ah in all that breathes.
I wanted everything in the heaven and the Earth
Was close to my heart in the shape of a girl.

In 1894  Nya dikter was published and in 1896 Stänk och flikar. However his health deteriorated and Fröding was hospitalized at Ulleråkers Hospital in 1896–1905.

Gustaf Fröding Died on the 8 February 1911 and was buried at the old cemetery in Uppsala the 12 of February. After the burial in Klara Church in Stockholm, the coffin was taken with special trains to Uppsala. Archbishop Nathan Söderblom said in his speech the following words at the coffin:

"Three small books came out – and a whole language has sorrow".

Many of Uppsalas people met up when train arrived in Uppsala. Then the coffin was taken, wrapped in the light of torches in the winter twilight, to the cemetery. Erik Axel Karlfeldt spoke at the grave.

 

Burial site: 0157-0504

Image description: Gustaf Fröding, 1896. Photo: Heinrich Osti / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Dag Hammarskjöld

1905–1961.

Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Dag Hammarskjöld grew up in Uppsala where the father, Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, was governor. During the years 1936–1945, Hammarskjöld was secretary of State in the Ministry of Finance and transferred 1946 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 1947 to 1948 he was a Swedish delegate to the OEEC negotiations, cabinet secretary from 1949 to 1951 and consultative government minister from 1951 to 1953. Hammarskjöld was elected unsecretary-general in 1953 and the following year, he succeeded his father as a member of the Swedish Academy.

Hammarskjölds leadership skills were necessary to streamline the complex UN organization and with his personal integrity, diplomatic prowess and striving to realize the UN idea, he was given authority to the mission as Secretary-general.

Dag Hammarskjöld died in 1961 in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the same year.

His diary entries entitled Road Signs were published in 1963. In the chapel of peace in Uppsala Cathedral there is a memorial stone with the inscription:

 

Not me without God in Me Dag Hammarskjöld 1905–1961.

 

Burial site: 0116-0834C

Image description: Dag Hammarskjöld, 1959 New York, USA. Photo: United Nations [The image is cropped]
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