Fredric Mallet

1728-1797.

Astronomer, mathematician.

Fredric Mallet enrolled at Uppsala University in 1745, majoring in astronomy and mathematics.

In 1754, Mallet embarked on an educational tour of Europe, a journey that lasted 28 months. After his return, he was appointed observer at the Uppsala Observatory on Svartbäcksgatan in the St. Per district, a position he held for 16 years.

By the end of the 18th century, the Celsius Observatory had fallen into disrepair, but the building still stands in central Uppsala. Its location in the middle of the city did not make it particularly suitable for observations. The instruments trembled as the horse-drawn carriages moved along Svartbäcksgatan and the view was obscured by chimney smoke.

Astronomical Observatory, Uppsala. Engraver Fredrik Akrel. Illustration from Busser, Johan B., Utkast till beskrifning om Upsala, del 2, Uppsala 1769, p. 112. The house was completed in 1741. Photo: UUB.

The building in 2019, which at the time of the photo housed a goldsmith and various university departments. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg.

In 1769, Mallet was commissioned by the Academy of Sciences to study the transit of Venus from Pello in the Torne Valley. Venusian transits, when Venus passes over the solar disk, used to be important from a scientific point of view. By studying the passage of Venus from several different locations on Earth, scientists were able to determine the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

In 1773, Fredric Mallet was appointed Professor of Mathematics, a position he held until 1794.

 

Burial site: 0109-0466

Image description: Portrait of Fredric Mallet. Painting by O. Arenius. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg. [The image is cropped]
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Adolph Murray

1751-1803.

Anatomist, surgeon.

In 1764 Murray enrolled at Uppsala University. At first he devoted himself to botany, but became increasingly interested in anatomy and dissections.

His anatomy studies led to a thesis in 1771, which he defended under Linnaeus' supervision. In 1772 Murray was awarded a doctorate in medicine in Uppsala. After his thesis, Murray embarked on an educational journey in Europe and was appointed professor of anatomy at Uppsala University in 1774.

He returned to Uppsala in 1776 and took up his post. In 1778 Murray became Uppsala's first professor of surgery. In his scientific work he published a number of treatises and many other writings.

A notable contribution in Swedish is Avhandling om anatomiens framsteg i nyare tiden( Treatise on the progress of anatomy in recent times), which constituted his extensive presidential address to the Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1794 when he became its president.

Page from lecture notes. Murray is the author. Photo: UUB.

Murray's amputation tools for soft tissue and bone cutting. The picture also shows a treatise by Murray from 1798. Photo: Urban Josefsson, Museum of Medical History.

The Museum of Medical History in Uppsala houses a unique collection of surgical and gynecological instruments collected by Adolph Murray. Letters between Murray and Linnaeus are preserved at Uppsala University.

 

Burial site: 0109-0461A

Image description: Adolph Murray, ca 1787-ca 1835. Engraver, Erik Åkerland. Photo: UUBThe image is cropped]
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Fritz Ehrengranat

1827-1873.

Station Inspector.

Georg Fredrik (Fritz) Ehrengranat was born in Rangtorp and began his career at sea, graduating as a sea captain in 1847.

After completing his service as a sea captain, Ehrengranat was employed by SJ as a station inspector at Skövde railway station.

He was then employed as the first station inspector at Uppsala Central Station from its opening in 1866. He worked there until his death.

 

Burial site: 0152-0004

Image description: Fritz Ehrengranat, probably 1860s. Photo: Unknown photographer / Railway Museum. [The image is cropped]
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Uno von Troil

1746-1803.

Archbishop.

Uno Trolius, later Uno von Troil, was born in Stockholm. After studying theology in Uppsala, von Troil undertook a long trip abroad in Europe in 1770-1773, during which he also visited Iceland. His travel report from there was described in the work Bref rörande resa till Island. The book attracted much attention and was translated into German, English and French.

Von Troil was ordained in 1773 and, thanks to his good relations with Gustav III, made a rapid career. He became an archbishop at the age of 40 and was mainly interested in the care of the poor and education.

von Troil was also keen on general church matters and in 1793 published Förslag till kyrkosånger till kyrkosånger för Svenska församlingen and Förslag till ny kyrkohandbok, both of which were characterized by his efforts to modernize the Swedish language.

As a researcher in church history, he published Skrifter och handlingar till upplysning i svenska kyrko- och reformations-historien (5 volumes, 1790-91).

Uno von Troil's "Autobiography and travel notes" are published in the Swedish memoirs and letters published by Henrik Schück and Oscar Levertin.

von Troil sat at the deathbed of King Gustav III and later preached his funeral sermon.

 

Burial site: 0104-0225

Image description: Uno von Troil, painting Lorens Pasch the Younger. Photo: Selected contemporary images from Admiral Carl Tersmedens memoirs by Ann Margret Holmgren, Stockholm 1925 / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Jan "Moltas" Erikson

1932-1988.

Psychiatrist, radio and TV entertainer.

Jan "Moltas" Erikson was born in Uppsala and earned his nickname in the Uppsala Cathedral Boys' Choir.

He became particularly well known for his roles in Hasse Alfredson's and Tage Danielsson's Mosebacke Monarki and På minuten. Erikson also played some minor roles in films.

Moltas Erikson, "Even househusbands do good at home", Uppsala November 1963. Photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet.

Moltas Erikson, Uppsala 1967. Photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet.

He also worked as a psychiatrist at Ulleråker Hospital in Uppsala. Erikson was also a summer radio presenter on several occasions.

"Moltas" Erikson is buried together with his parents, who had the sewing accessories shop Hultmans eftr. at Svartbäcksgatan. 

 

Burial site: 0103-0198B

Image description: Jan Erikson, year unknown. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped].
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Johan Henrik Schröder

1791-1857.

Archaeologist, numismatist, university librarian.

Already during his student years, Schröder was given the task of assisting in the inventory of Bishop Carl Nordin's large manuscript collection for Uppsala University Library. In 1815 Schröder was awarded a master's degree in philosophy at Uppsala University and a doctorate in literary history.

Schröder was also involved in the work on the editions of the older Swedish manuscripts Scriptores rerum Suecicarum medii aevi (three parts, 1818, 1828, 1871-1876). He was also interested in antiquities and art and made several trips through the country to record collections and archives and to describe ancient remains and documents.

Numismatics was a particular interest of Schröder's, and in 1820 he became head of Uppsala University's coin cabinet and later director of the university's museum of Nordic antiquities. Schröder's knowledge of the book trade led to him also being engaged in the cataloging and expansion of several private libraries.

In 1830, Johan Henrik Schröder became University Librarian in Uppsala and in August 1841 the book collections were transferred from the Gustavianum to the newly built Carolina Rediviva University Library. The library's staff, university and student nation caretakers, teachers and students participated in the cart transportation up Odinslund.

Schröder's contacts with private book collectors and his many acquisition trips in Europe helped to expand Uppsala University Library with a considerable amount of rarities.

 

Burial site: 0104-0247

Image description: Johan Henrik Schröder, oil painting from 1840 by Johan Gustaf Sandberg. Photo: UUBThe image is cropped]
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Finn Malmgren

1895-1928.

Research traveler, meteorologist, hydrologist.

Finn Malmgren was born in Gothenburg. In 1912, Malmgren enrolled at Uppsala University, where he later earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Malmgren later participated in the polar explorer Roald Amundsen's Arctic expedition as assistant to the scientist Harald Ulrik Sverdrup.

On board the ship Maud, they left Nome, Alaska, in the summer of 1922 and, after spending three and a half years in the pack ice, returned to Alaska in August 1925. Together they managed to collect a large amount of research material and numerous observations.

In 1927, Malmgren defended his thesis on the properties of sea ice. Malmgren later became an associate professor of meteorology.

Finn Malmgren, May 1925, in front of the magnetic observation field. Photo: Stockholm University.

Finn Malmgren, May 1925 at his hoarfrost recorder. Photo: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup / Stockholm University.

During the North Pole expedition with the airship Italia in 1928, it crashed on the ice north of Spitsbergen. After a long hike, Finn Malmgren died and his remains were left on the ice. Parts of the expedition were rescued by the Russian icebreaker Krassin.

Malmgren's name is on the Västmanland-Dala nation's Burial site and a statue of him, by sculptor Nils Sjögren, was erected in 1931 in Börjeparken next to Västmanland-Dala nation. The Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University awards a prize in his memory every three years for "contributions to Arctic research".

 

Burial site: 0136-1508

Image description: Finn Malmgren, 1928. photo: Wikimedia commons. [The image is cropped]
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Johan von Bahr

1860-1929.

Mayor of Uppsala.

Johan von Bahr was born in Stockholm and later became mayor of Uppsala.

After graduating from Uppsala Court of Appeal in 1883, von Bahr became an auditor in the Uppland Regiment in 1885, deputy chief of the court in 1886 and ombudsman at Uppsala University in 1891.

On his initiative, the so-called "von Bahrska hedge" was planted in the Löten district north of Heidenstam Square. The purpose of the hedge was to protect Uppsala from the north wind.

The hedge is one kilometer long and 100 meters wide and consists mainly of conifers. The planting work, completed in 1910, was carried out by volunteer schoolchildren who were given a practical lesson in nature at the same time.

 

Burial site: 0112-0562

Image description: Johan von Bahr, Uppsala, 1896. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / UUBThe image is cropped]
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Axel W Persson

1888-1951.

Archaeologist.

Axel W. Persson was born in Kvidinge and was interested in archaeology from an early age.

Persson's studies and interest in the Greek language led him to become an associate professor of Greek language and literature in 1915, and of classics and ancient history in 1921. In Uppsala, Persson became professor of classics and ancient history in 1924.

Persson was the leader of successful excavations in Greece (Asine 1922-1930, Dendra and Midea 1926-1927, 1937 and 1939 and in Berbati 1936-1937) and Turkey (Milas 1938 and Labraynda 1948-1950).

Of particular note was the uncovered dome tomb at Dendra , with treasures from Mycenaean times, excavated in 1926. The discovery was described as the largest archaeological find after Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. The tomb contained a king, a queen and a princess. In addition, precious grave goods such as gold swords and precious metal bowls were found. The finds from the dome tomb ended up in the National Museum of Athens. Persson's findings were published in scientific monographs such as The Royal tombs at Dendra near Midea (1931). This work is considered a classic.

Together with his wife, he made an important humanitarian contribution to Greece during the Second World War in the service of the Red Cross.

After the end of the Second World War, Persson carried out new excavations. In Labraynda, the aim was to find the origins of the Minoan culture. However, a temple site of classical and Roman times was found. Soon after, Persson died of a stroke.

Between 1924 and 1951, Axel W. Persson was professor of classical archaeology and, through his discoveries, his writing and his lectures, made classical archaeology known and appreciated in Sweden. Persson was awarded the Övralid Prize.

At the time of his death, Persson was considered one of the world's leading archaeologists. He is also the father of Viktor Persson, better known as Bok-Viktor.

 

Burial site: 0310-0273

Image description: Axel W. Persson, probably 1924, photo: Museum GustavianumThe image is cropped]
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Alfred Dahlgren

1861-1908.

Photographer.

Alfred Dahlgren learned photography in Germany and from photographer Dahllöf in Stockholm. In 1890 he established his own studio at Dragarbrunnsgatan 48 in Uppsala where he worked as a portrait photographer.

In 1901, the Uppsala City Council decided that the city should be photographed, and Dahlgren was commissioned to take the 350 pictures to be delivered in two bound albums.

On weekdays he worked in his studio and early Sunday mornings, when the city was empty, he went out to take his pictures. After a year, the photographs were handed over in albums to the city council.

Nybron in Uppsala, decorated in connection with the Linnaeus Jubilee in 1907. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / UUB.

Tobogganing through King John's Gate at Uppsala Castle, ca 1890. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / UUB.

In 1908 he was commissioned to supplement the documentation with pictures of the city's outskirts and farm interiors from old city farms. In the same year, however, Alfred Dahlgren died and his last pictures were therefore handed over by his widow.

A total of 540 glass negatives are in the possession of the Uppland Museum and the two albums with the photographs are in Uppsala City Library. The photographs are a remarkable cultural and historical treasure.

 

Burial site: 0125-1150B

Image description: Alfred Dahlgren ca 1900. Photo: UUBThe image is cropped]
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