Fredric Mallet

1728-1797.

Astronomer, mathematician.

Fredric Mallet began studying at Uppsala University in 1745 with astronomy and mathematics as main subjects.

In 1754, Mallet started a training trip in Europe, a trip that lasted 28 months. After his return, he was appointed an observer at the Uppsala Observatory on Svartbäcksgatan, a service that he held for 16 years.

By the end of the 1700s, the Celsius observatory had decayed, but the building still remains in central Uppsala. The location in the middle of the city did not make it very suitable for observations. The instruments trembled when horse carriages pulled out on Svartbäcksgatan and the view was obscured by chimney smoke.

Astronomical Observatory, Uppsala. Engraver Fredrik Akrel. Illustration from Busser, Johan B., draft beskrifning on Upsala, Part 2, Uppsala 1769, pp. 112. The house was finished 1741. Photo: UUB.

The same building in 2019, which houses a goldsmith and various university departments. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg.

In 1769, Mallet was commissioned by the Academy of Sciences to study Venus from Pello in the Torne Valley. When Venus passes over the solar disc, was in the past important from a scientific point of view. By studying Venus from several different places on Earth, the researchers managed to determine the distance between the Earth and the sun.

In 1773 Fredric Mallet was appointed Professor of mathematics, a service he held until 1794.

 

Burial site: 0109-0466

Image description: Portrait of Fredric Mallet. Painting by O. Arenius. Photo: Swedish Biographical dictionary / National Archives. [The image is cropped ]
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Adolph Murray

1751–1803.

Anatomist, surgeon.

Murray began studying at Uppsala University in 1764. Initially he devoted himself to botany, but was increasingly interested in anatomy and dissections.

His anatomy studies led in 1771 up to a dissertation he defended under Linnaeus' leadership. In 1772 Murray graduated as a medical doctor in Uppsala. After his dissertation, Murray began a training trip in Europe and was in 1774 appointed professor of anatomy at Uppsala University.

He returned to Uppsala in 1776 and entered his office. In 1778 Murray became Uppsala's first professor of surgery. In his scientific work, he published a number of dissertations, as well as many other writings.

A significant contribution in Swedish is the Dissertation on the progress of anatomy in more recent times, which formed his voluminous bureau speech in the academy of Sciences in 1794 when he became its chairman.

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

Murray's amputation tools for soft parts and for cutting bones. The picture also shows a dissertation by Murray from 1798. Photo: Urban Josefsson, Medical History Museum.

At the Medical History Museum in Uppsala there is 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: UUB. [The 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 as a seaman and graduated as sea captain in 1847.

After completing the service as sea captain, Ehrengranat was employed by Swedish State Railways as station inspector at Skövde railway station.

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

 

Burial site: 0152-0004

Image description: Fritz Ehrengranat, probably 1860's. 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 theological studies in Uppsala von Troil, between 1770–1773, undertook a long trip abroad in Europe and visited Iceland as well. His trip report was portrayed in Letters concerning travel to Iceland. The book was highly acclaimed and translated into German, English and French.

Uno von Troil was ordained in 1773 and, thanks to good relations with King Gustavus III, made a fast career. He became archbishop at the age of 40 and was interested in work for the poor and teaching.

Uno von Troil was also a keen supporter for general Ecclesiastical Affairs and published in 1793 Proposals for church songs for Church songs for the Swedish assembly and Proposals for a new Church handbook, both of which were characterized by his efforts to modernize the Swedish Language.

As a researcher in church history, he published the work Writings and documents to enlightenment in the history of the Swedish Church and Reformation (5 bands, 1790-91).

Uno von Troils "autobiography and travel Notes" is published In the Swedish memoirs and lettersof Henrik Schücks and Oscar Levertins.

Uno von Troil sat at the deathbed of King Gustavus III and later held his sermon.

 

Burial site: 0104-0225

Image description: Uno von Troil, painting Lorens Pasch the Younger. Photo: Valda tidsbilder ur Amiral Carl Tersmedens memoarer av Ann Margret Holmgren, Stockholm 1925 / Wikimedia Commons. [The image is cropped]
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Jan "Moltas" Erikson

1932–1988.

Psychiatrist, Radio and Television entertainer

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

He was particularly well known for his participation in Hasse Alfredson's and Tage Danielsson's Mosebacke monarchy and In a minute. Erikson also made some minor roles on film.

Moltas Erikson, "Even the father of the house makes good use 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 host on Radio on several occasions.

"Moltas" Erikson is buried together with his parents, who had the sewing shop Sybehörsaffären Hultman Eftr. at Svartbäcksgatan. 

 

Burial site: 0103-0198B

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

1791–1857.

Archaeologist, numismatist, university librarian.

Already during his studies, Schröder was commissioned to assist in the listing of Bishop Carl Nordin's large handwriting collection to Uppsala University Library. In 1815 Schröder received a Master of Arts degree at Uppsala University and associate professor of literary history.

Schroeder was also involved in the work on the editions of the older Swedish documents Scriptores rerum Suecicarum medii aevi (three parts, 1818, 1828, 1871-1876). He also took an interest in antiquity and art and carried out several trips through the country to record collections and archives and to describe ancient monuments and documents.

Numismatics was a particular interest that Schroeder devoted himself to and in 1820 he became head of the Uppsala University coin cabinet and later director of the University's Museum of Nordic Antiquities. Schroeder's knowledge of the book system led him to be engaged in cataloguing and expanding several private libraries.

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

Schroeder's contacts with private book collectors and his many business trips in Europe contributed to expanding the 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: UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Finn Malmgren

1895–1928.

Research traveller, meteorologist, hydrologist.

Finn Malmgren was born in Gothenburg. In 1912 he begun studying at Uppsala University where he completed a bachelor's degree in Mathematics, physics and chemistry.

Malmgren later participated in the polar researcher Roald Amundsen's expedition to the glacial sea as assistant to the scientist Harald Ulrik Sverdrup.

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

Malgren defended, in 1927, a Ph.D. thesis on the properties of the sea ice. Later, Malmgren was associate professor in meteorology.

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

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

At the North Pole expedition with the airship Italia in 1928, it crashed on the ice north of Spitsbergen. After a long walk, Finn Malmgren died and his remains remained on the ice. Part of the expedition was rescued by the Russian icebreaker Krassin.

Malmgren's name is on the Västmanlands-Dala nation's website Burial site and a statue of him, made by sculptor Nils Sjögren, was erected in 1931 in Börjeparken next to the Västmanland-Dala nation. The Department of Earth Sciences at Uppsala University awards a prize every three years in his memory 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 completing the court degree in Uppsala in 1883, von Bahr was auditor at Uppland's Regiment in 1885, Vice District Judge in 1886 and in 1891 ombudsman at Uppsala University. In 1915 he became mayor of Uppsala.

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

The hedge is one kilometer long and 100 meters wide and consists mainly of conifers. The planting work, which was completed in 1910, was carried out by voluntary school children, who at the same time received a practical lesson in natural science.

 

Burial site: 0112-0562

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

1888–1951.

Archaeologist.

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

Persson's studies and interest in the Greek language led to his becoming an associate professor in Greek language and literature 1915, in Classical Antiquity and ancient history 1921. In Uppsala Persson became professor of Classical antiquities and ancient history in 1924.

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

Special attention was the unplundered dome tomb in Dendra With treasures from Mycensk time that was excavated 1926. The discovery was designated as the largest archaeological find after the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt. In the grave rested a king, a queen and a princess. In addition, precious grave gifts were found such as gold swords and bowls of precious metals. The findings from the dome tomb ended up at the National Museum of Athens. Persson's results were published in scientific monographs such as the Royal tombs at Dendra Near Midea (1931). That work is considered a classic.

Together with his wife, during World War II he made an important humanitarian effort for Greece in the service of the Red Cross.

After the end of World War II, Persson made new excavations. In Labraynda, the goal was to find the origins of the Minoan culture. However, a temple site was found for classical and Roman times. Shortly afterwards, Persson died of a stroke.

From 1924 to 1951 Axel W. Persson was professor of classical archaeology and made his findings, his writing and his lectures the classical archaeology known and appreciated in Sweden. Persson was awarded the Övralidpriset.

Persson was regarded at his death as one of the world's leading archaeologists. He is also the father of Viktor Persson, better known as the book-Viktor.

 

Burial site: 0310-0273

Image description: Axel W. Persson, probably 1924. Photo: Museum Gustavianum. [The image is cropped]
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Alfred Dahlgren

1861–1908.

Photographer.

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

Uppsala City Council decided in 1901 that the city should be photodocumented and Dahlgren was commissioned to take the 350 pictures that would be delivered in two hardcover albums.

On weekdays he worked in the 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 to the city council.

The bridge in Uppsala, adorned in connection with the Linnaeus Jubilee 1907. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / Uppsala University Library.

Sledding through King Jan's Gate at the castle in Uppsala, around 1890. Photo: Alfred Dahlgren / Uppsala University Library.

In 1908, he was instructed to complete the documentation with pictures of the city's outskirts and yards from Old Town yards. The same year, however, Alfred Dahlgren died and his last pictures came to be handed over by his widow.

A total of 540 glass negatives can be found in Upplandsmuseet's (Uppsala county museum) possession and the two albums of the photographs can be found at Uppsala City Library. The photographs are a remarkable treasure, both culturally and historically.

 

Burial site: 0125-1150B

Image description: Alfred Dahlgren ca 1900. Photo: UUB. [The image is cropped]
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