Gustaf Svanberg the Younger

1839-1909.

Lawyer, politician.

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]
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Eva Andén

1886–1970.

Lawyer.

After her graduation, Eva Andén began studying law at Uppsala University and graduated in 1912.

After a law degree she travelled around the country and lectured on the marriage, child care and poor care laws. Andén also led courses in team knowledge for rural women, organized by country Association for Women's Political suffrage (LKPR).

In 1915 Andén took over a law firm for female clients, the women's law firm, and three years later she became a first woman member of the Swedish Bar Association.

Andén's Specialty was family law and assisted mainly clients in connection with divorces, inheritance, maintenance, custody issues and division of shares in divorces. As a client, Andén had Selma Lagerlöf and Astrid Lindgren.

Eva Andén was also part of a committee that was allowed to constitute the solicitor's referral body concerning family law legislation and, at times, came to have great influence.

During the years 1950-1962 she was also chairman of the Fellowship of the Nine. Andén conducted her lawyer's activities until her death in 1970.

 

Burial site: 0106-0343

Image description: Eva Andén, unknown year. Photo: Atelier Hedström, Uppsala / KvinnSam, Gothenburg University Library. [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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