Anders Gustaf Ekeberg

1767-1813.

Chemist.

Anders Gustaf Ekeberg was the son of shipbuilder Joseph Eric Ekeberg and Hedvig Ulrica Kilberg.

In 1784, Ekeberg enrolled at Uppsala University, where he was taught by Carl Peter Thunberg, among others. After graduation and study trips, Ekeberg became an associate professor of chemistry in 1794.

In 1799, Ekeberg was elected to the Royal Academy of Sciences. In 1802, he discovered the element tantalum (Ta).

An explosion in the early 1800s left Ekeberg blind in one eye.

One of Ekeberg's scientific discoveries was a method for making strong, clear and translucent porcelain. He took the secret of this method to his grave.

His friends carved his name on a stone pillar in the cemetery wall and three words in Latin: Chemico (he was a chemist) Amicitia (friendship) Memor (memory) and the year of his death in Roman letters MDCCCXIII. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg.

The picture shows the Ekeberg Prize awarded by the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center. Photo: TIC.

In recognition of Ekeberg's pioneering work, an award was established in 2017 by the TIC (Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center), to promote the knowledge and understanding of tantalum. The award was named the Anders Gustaf Ekeberg Tantalum Prize ("Ekeberg Prize") in his memory.

 

Burial site: 0101-0030

Image description: Portrait of Anders Gustaf Ekeberg from Mellin, Gustaf Henrik (ed.) 427 porträtter af namnkunniga svenske män och fruntimmer, Stockholm, 1847. Photo: LIBRIS-ID:1579474The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Rune Hammarling

1936-1999.

Curator.

Rune Hammarling took correspondence courses in drawing and painting and was apprenticed to conservator Alf Hedman in Gävle, where he worked for 17 years.

In 1981 he trained as a conservator in Copenhagen and two years later started his own business.

Hammarling has restored medieval paintings in a number of churches in Uppsala and also the 19th century paintings in Uppsala Cathedral, the University Hall, Carolina Rediviva, Geijersgården, as well as a number of student nations and the castles in Gävle and Västerås.

 

Burial site: 0127-1201

Image description: Rune Hammarling doing conservation work in Bälinge church, Uppland, 1989. Photo: Rune Hammarling / Upplandsmuseet. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Carl David af Wirsén

1842-1912.

Author, literary critic, poet.

Carl David af Wirsén was born in Vallentuna and later in life became an associate professor of literary history in 1868 and a lecturer in Swedish and Latin at the Högre Allmänna Löroverket in Uppsala in 1870.

Wirsén published Dikter (1876) and later a further six volumes of traditional idyllic poetry and several collections of religious poems.

The cemetery in Uppsala was honored with a poem and Wirsén wrote the text of the hymn "En vänlig grönskas rika dräkt" (Swedish Hymnal, hymn 201).

Wirsén was elected a member of the Swedish Academy in 1879 and became its permanent secretary in 1884. In this position, with his pronounced conservatism, he came to adopt an attitude that was dismissive of contemporary literature.

As a literary reviewer for Post- och Inrikes Tidningar and Vårt Land, Wirsén was able to express a reactionary view of literature for many years. A selection of his reviews can be found in Kritiker (1901).

 

Burial site: 0140-1606

Image description: Carl David af Wirsén, Stockholm ca 1880-ca 1890. Photo: Johannes Jaeger / UUBThe image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Henrik Wilhelm Söderman

1829-1901.

Wholesaler, entrepreneur.

Henrik Wilhelm Söderman from Österbybruk became an apprentice to the tailor Nyblom in Uppsala at the age of 14.

Later, Söderman opened a spice shop and flour mill and also bought land in Rasbo (seven farms together became the Henriksberg estate), followed by the distillery in Lejstabro.

Domestic distilling was banned in 1855 and in 1860 the distillery at Fabriksgatan 4 in Svartbäcken was taken over by Frans Otto Törnlund and Söderman. They had enough taxed land to start distilling spirits.

"Brännvinspengar" became a major source of income for the city and also financed much of Uppsala's industrialization. Examples include the Bavarian brewery and Upsala Ångkvarn, which were bought by Söderman and Törnlund. Uppsala Ångkvarn with its mill, yeast factory and distillery was the city's largest workplace at the turn of the century 1900.

Central Uppsala, with the walls around the Fyrisån river, was built between 1860 and 1890 and was financed by liquor sales and taxation. In the 1860s, there were 29 sales outlets and 27 licensed premises for alcohol in Uppsala.

Söderman was a member of the city council from 1875 to 1878 and from 1883 to 1900, as well as a member of the county chamber and the building committee.

The gravestone is probably the largest in the cemetery in terms of weight and volume and is said to have been blasted out of a rock in Vaksala.

 

Burial site: 0124-1125

Image description: Henrik Wilhem Söderman, Uppsala ca 1878. Heinrich Osti / UUBThe image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Tycho Hedén

1887-1962.

Politician, painter.

Tycho Hedén was a trained painter and also ombudsman in the Swedish Painters' Union 1942-1954.

Hedén was interested in politics at an early age and he was the manager of Folkets hus, chairman of Uppsala arbetarekommun, chairman of Uppsala läns socialdemokratiska partidistrikt 1920-1960, member of the city council 1919-1959 and member of the county council 1930-1962.

For several decades, Tycho Hedén was a leading politician in Uppsala and influential in the city's labor movement.

New residential areas were built in Uppsala during Hedén's time, which was led by the city architect Gunnar Leche.

 

Burial site: 0150-2047

Image description: Tycho Hedén, Uppsala 1954, photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Fredrik Tamm

1847-1905.

Linguists.

Fredrik Tamm was born in Tveta in Södermanland and in 1875 he defended his thesis on Swedish etymology, which is the study of the historical origins of words, and compiled the Etymological Swedish Dictionary up to and including the letter K.

Tamm devoted himself in particular to etymological work and Swedish dictionary theory. For many years Tamm deputized for the ailing professor of Swedish language, Frits Läffler. Between 1883-1898 Tamm was acting professor of Swedish language for a total of ten years.

Uppsala University tried to establish a professorship for Tamm, but it was not granted by the Royal Majesty. Maj:t, probably because at the time there was already a professor of Nordic languages and one of Swedish. In 1897, Tamm was instead given the name, honor and dignity of professor.

Soon afterwards, Tamm's wife passed away and he was diagnosed with facial cancer. The surgery he underwent left his speech severely impaired.

On his birthday, March 30, 1905, he died and Nathan Söderblom gave the eulogy in which it was said:

"No one could be a better listener than he, whether it was for funny stories or scientific lectures, which he faithfully attended to the end whenever they were offered".

 

Burial site: 0132-1406

Image description: Fredrik Tamm with his wife Augusta Josefina Elisabeth Lundqvist, Uppsala 1894. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / UUBThe image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Gabriel W. Gillberg

1801-1890.

Spice merchant, brewer.

Gabriel Wilhelm Gillberg was born in Tegelsmora in Uppland, became a citizen of Uppsala in 1840 and was a representative of the Uppsala bourgeoisie at the Riksdag in the 1840s.

Gillberg also restored his residential building at Fyristorg (between Dombron and S:t Eriks gränd) in the Italian Renaissance style. In 1935, the so-called Gillbergska thoroughfare was built, which could alleviate the city's then most difficult traffic problems.

The Gillberg House at Fyris Square, before the passage was built in 1934. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

Painting of the roadway before the inauguration in 1935. Photo: Paul Sandberg / Upplandsmuseet.

In the early 1860s, Gillberg became a donor to the Ultuna Agricultural Institute. He donated a large sum of money to the new building of the Academic Hospital. As a result, Gillberg was awarded the Royal Seraphim Medal.

After his death, Gillberg bequeathed a large part of his assets to the Gillberg Orphanage Foundation. Gillbergska orphanage was founded in 1843 and was first located at Tullgarn and then moved to Sysslomansgatan. Many of the children admitted were very young and had parents who lacked the ability to raise their children.

 

Burial site: 0103-0178

Image description: Oil painting by G. W. Gillberg. Probably painted by Alexis Wetterberg in 1858. The portrait shows the Seraphim Medal. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg. The painting is in the archives of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Johan Fredrik Carlsson

1845-1922.

Master blacksmith.

Johan Fredrik Carlsson was born in Mådra skogstorp in Almunge and established himself as a blacksmith in the old former mill forge at Akademikvarnen in the center of Uppsala.

When the cathedral was restored in the 1880s, Carlsson made the locks for the church doors. As a contractor, he was hired by the city of Uppsala in 1910 when the gas, water and sewage pipes were to be laid in the streets (J. F. Carlsson's pipeline business).

Johan Fredrik Carlson was a member of the city council for 24 years, one of the principals of Uppsala Sparbank, a member of the board of the Gillbergska Children's House Foundation and of the Technical School, a member of the Civic Elders and the Gävle Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Uppsala Missionary Society.

 

Burial site: 0130-1305

Image description: Johan Fredrik Carlsson, possibly 1915 Photo: Unknown photographer / Swedish Portrait Archive (CC BY-SA 4.0The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Martin Edlund

1884-1955.

Business leaders.

Martin Edlund grew up in Börje outside Uppsala. As a teenager, Edlund came to his uncle Gustaf Edlund who owned the mill at Vasksala square.

In 1914, Edlund became CEO of Uppsala Valskvarn, which his uncle had bought, and expanded the business through a contract with Skellefteå baker Karl Lundström, who, at Edlund's suggestion, marketed the Uppsala company's flour under the name Vasa with his father's picture on the packaging.

Lundström later started Wasabröd in Filipstad. In 1917, the enterprising Edlund began producing Vasa steam-prepared oatmeal and oat flour.

Later, Holmgren's vinegar factory was bought and transformed into Uppsala Ättiksfabrik AB, whose main product was mustard. It then changed its name to Slotts AB.

The technically gifted engineer Bruno Knebel (who became production manager) was brought in from Germany and Edlund succeeded in obtaining a world patent for his closed system for producing biological vinegar.

In 1936, Edlund also founded the Uppsala silk weaving mill with a famous nursery for the children of employees. He also started the children's colony in Örsand (opposite Skokloster) and was a leader in the Children's Day Movement.

 

Burial site: 0150-2038

Image description: Martin Edlund, oil painting. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped].
Click here for an uncropped image

 

 

Johan Bredman

1770-1859.

Astronomer.

Johan Bredman, born in Oviken in Jämtland, became an associate professor of mathematics in 1801 and in 1802 an assistant professor at the observatory.

At that time, the observatory was in such a state that practical work could not be carried out satisfactorily. All the instruments were from Celsius' time and by the end of the 18th century the observatory was considered to be condemned. Bredman was a professor of astronomy from 1811 to 1841 and also a textbook author.

He is mentioned in Wennerberg's Glunterne regarding "another planet whose name not even Bredman knows" (Gluntarne no.3 Uppsala är bäst). Contemporaries said that Bredman was a skilled lecturer and interested teacher.

Johan Bredman was Norrland's first inspector and benefactor, and was honored with the nation's largest tombstone. He bequeathed money to the observatory and to scholarships for Norrlanders and other charitable causes.

 

Burial site: 0119-0995

Image description: Johan Bredman, oil painting from 1841 by Carl Staaff. Photo: Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
Click here for an uncropped image