Hans Rosling

1948–2017.

Doctor, scientist and educator.

The first four years Hans Rosling lived in the district of Luthagen and then moved the family to the Svartbäcken district in Uppsala. After graduation, Rosling studied statistics and medicine at Uppsala University. The interest in public health science led, during a trip in Asia 1972, to a course in social medicine at St. Johns Medical College in Bangalore, India.

After a medical degree in 1975 and work as an AT-doctor in Hudiksvall, he trained further and acquired competence in the centre of Medicine at Uppsala University in 1977.

During the years 1979-1981 the spouses worked in Nacala Porto in northern Mozambique, where Hans was a district doctor and his wife, Agneta was midwife. In the Nacala district, an epidemic erupted in 1981, of a previously unknown spasmodic paralysis, with over 1 500 victims, whereof most women and children. The paralysis was linked to a highly poor and highly one-sided diet consisting of a toxic form of manioc (cassava).

Rosling described the disease in his doctoral thesis and named it Konzo. This means "bound bones" in the Congolese language where the disease was once described in 1938. During the 1980s, there were several outbreaks of Konzo in other African countries.

During the years 1983-1996, Rosling worked as a teacher and researcher at Uppsala University in collaboration with several universities in Africa and Asia. He was appointed in 1997 Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.

in 1999 Rosling began lecturing with a new kind of animated bubble chart that showed the World's Socio-economic state and development over time. The program was called Trendalyzer and had been developed by his son and son's wife, with whom he co-founded the Gapminder Foundation.

The lectures made complicated statistics about the World's development comprehensible to the general public, decision makers and opinion-formers. The lectures spread through web and TV worldwide, and governments and organizations hired him as a lecturer and advisor.

Rosling devoted his professional life to global health, Global health problems, and how these are related to poverty. With the conviction that reason and knowledge improves the world and that we can eradicate extreme poverty and reduce CO2 emissions, Rosling pointed out that it is the richest billion of the earth's population that first and foremost must reduce CO2 emissions because they account for half of them.

Hans Rosling's memoirs How I Learned to understand the world, written together with the journalist Fanny Härgestam, was published posthumously in 2017 and Factfulness, written in collaboration with Ola and Anna Rosling Rönnlund, released in 2018.

 

Burial site: 0116-0836B

Image description: Hans Rosling, press Photo. Photo: Stefan Nilsson / Gapminder.org. [The image is cropped]
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Yngve Svalander

1920–1989.

Artist.

Yngve Svalander studied at the Crafts Society School, Academy of Arts and also abroad. He worked primarily as a draughtsman and graphic artist and was a cartoonist since 1950 for the newspaper Upsala Nya Tidning.

He created "Kajan" (the Jackdaw) which in 1962 began delivering a daily comment on the causerie page. The inspiration came from the jackdaws that flew around the cathedral towers. This bird became the hallmark of the newspaper and was published for more than 24 years, six days a week.

Svalander has also illustrated several books, such as Tore Vretmans Menu (1956) and published the storybook The balloon trip.

Yngve Svalander is represented in H.M. King Gustav VI Adolf's collection, Uppsala University Library and Borås Museum.

 

Burial site: 0130-0030B

Image description: Yngve Svalander, Uppsala 1965. Photo: Uppsala-Bild / Upplandsmuseet. [The image is cropped]
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Viktor Persson

1918–2000.

Antiquarian bookseller.

Viktor Persson, nicknamed "Book Viktor", was a famous bookseller and a well-known Uppsala profile. Viktor Persson lived on Övre Slottsgatan in Uppsala and in the small apartment he shared the space with his aquariums and many books.

He established, with the support of his father archaeologist Axel W Persson, in the 1950s a bookstore on Drottninggatan 3 near the political knot called Bokfenix, which became a meeting point for book friends and students. This led to Persson becoming known as "Book-Viktor" and in several ways he lived up to the name because he had a large collection, and also knew exactly where the books were placed.

Viktor Persson in his bookstore on Drottninggatan in Uppsala. Photo: Rolf Maryam. Retrieved from a almanac printed by RK Press 2003.

Viktor Persson in his "second" Bokfenix. Photo: From private collection.

Persson published some joke books and other curiosities in miniature on his own publishing and the best-seller was Swedish invective (1963), a swearing list that for three years was sold in seven editions.

In May 1980, the 1800-century building that housed the bookshop was burned down, however the most valuable books escaped the flames. Bokfenix eventually moved to the corner Skolgatan-Rundelsgränd.

 

Burial site: 0310-0274

Image description: Viktor Persson outside his antiquarian bookshop at Drottninggatan in Uppsala, probably 1950-1960's. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Sven Lilja

1887–1951.

Music teacher, conductor, sing-along leader.

Through Hugo Alfvén's agency, Sven Lilja was granted a spot at the Stockholm Conservatory of Music and studied there from 1912–1917.

After a few years as an actor he worked as a singing and music teacher in Sundsvall, music teacher at the Stockholm Folk high schools, cantor in Sofia Parish and conductor for Stockholms Arbetarsångförening and the Stockholm Song Association. Sven Lilja introduced the modern sing-along and made it a popular movement.

He led a sing-along movement in the countryside and on radio but above all at Skansen where he for the first time led the movement 1935. In the following year, the sing-evenings at Skansen became a standing institution.

Sven Lilja also plays himself in the film "Love and Sing" from 1944.

 

Burial site: 0132-1384

Image description: Sven Lilja dressed in the classic sing along suit, unknown year. Photo: From private collection. [The image is cropped]
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Sven Anders Hägg

1817–1904.

Shoemaker, politician, author.

Sven Anders Hägg began when he was 10 years old as shoemaker apprentice and received the apprentice letter in 1840. From 1845 to 1848, Hägg was in Stockholm, St. Petersburg and in Paris, where he witnessed the revolution.

Hägg came to Uppsala in 1848 and became foreman of Shoemaker Lindgren's widow at Östra Ågatan 45. Hägg took over the workshop in 1852 and got the right work in Uppsala. The same year he formed General sickness and funeral assistance in connection with the Craft Association and was a member of the city council from 1862 to 1866.

Hägg was a devoutnon-drinker but was happy to go to the theatre, which was said to be "his only pleasure". As a writer, he published the History of the footwear, The urban market and Description of the Old cemetery in Uppsala.

On his 67th birthday, Hägg recieved the King's Medal in gold of the 5th size for civic merit. It was handed over by County Governor Adolf Hamilton.

Hägg had his house at Gräsgränden, next to the entrance to the current Bangårdsgatan at the Fyris creek. In the book about the Old Cemetery he writes about his children: "Two children, a boy close to two years and a girl at the age of four, are buried here".

 

Burial site: 0156-0253

Image description: Sven Anders Hägg, Uppsala ca 1850. Photo: Karl Ågren / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Henrik Gahn

1820–1874.

Chemist, industrialist, inventor.

Henrik Gahn underwent the Falun Mountain School in 1841–1842 and was a pupil at the Jernkontoret 1842–1848. He later became director of a lead and silver work in Boda (Rättvik) and devoted himself to forest shops, agriculture and chemical experiments.

In 1867 Gahn started a chemical-technical plant at the main square in Uppsala with ink, shiny black and the by Gahn invented disinfectant Aseptin as products. Gahn inventions had a large part in the company's success.

The company had many other chemical-technical products and was known for its soap assortment. The factory was from 1899 in the Gudrun Quarter, at Kålsängsgränd 4 in Uppsala.

The company survived after Gahn's death under the name Henrik Gahn AB in other premises and in 1964, the company was bought up by the Barnängen company which closed down the factory in 1968.

Packaging of soaps in the factory, Uppsala 1917. Photo: Uppsala University Library.

Factory staff, Uppsala 1917. Photo: Uppsala University Library.

Burial site: 0140-1608

Image description: Henrik Gahn, 1870's. Photo: Heinrich Osti / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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Sixtus Janson

1883–1957.

Manufacturer, sports leader.

Sixtus Janson participated in the formation of the Sports Association Thor and several other local associations in Uppsala, for example Uppsala Canoe Company and Upsala Sailing fellowship. Janson also participated in the formation of the Uppland Sports Federation in 1912 and was its chairman for five years.

Together with Albin Lindqvist and J. E. Friberg, he took over the Upsala office book factory at Drottninggatan 6 in 1906.In 1917, the business was moved to Svintorget, today's Kungsängstorg, where Janson lived with his family.

At national level he was elected to the boards of several federation in The Swedish Sports Confederation, such as the Bicycle Association, the Athletic Association, Ice sailing federation and the Swedish skiing federation where he was Chairman 1922–1948. Sixtus Janson was also a member of the Sweden's Olympic Committee and leader of the Swedish ski squad for five Olympic Winter Games, from Chamonix in 1924 to St. Moritz in 1948.

Sixtus Janson lived an active life in addition to work on the factory and sport. His passion was sailing and he was also a prolific photographer.

If Thors athletes in 1906 in their sports area south of Uppsala Castle. Sixtus Janson third from the left. Photo: Popular Movement archive for Uppsala County.

Upsala Office Book Factory probably 1950-Tal, kungsängstorg in Uppsala. The Janson family had an apartment at the top of the factory. The building was demolished about 1970. Photo: Popular Movement archive for Uppsala County.

Burial site: 0108-0417

Image description: Sixtus Janson in the Royal Swedish Sail Society Hat 1907. Photo: Östling, Uppsala / Popular Movement archive for Uppsala län. [The image is cropped]
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Bernhard von Helvig

1809–1816.

Son of Amalia von Helvig

Bernhard and his mother Amalia von Helvig belonged to the circle around Geijer, Atterbom and Malla Silfverstolpe. Amalia von Helvig originally came from Germany, settled in Sweden and became known in cultural circles.

She fell in love with Geijer who was already engaged. Geijer harbored deep feelings for von Helvig but never broke his engagement.

Bernhard von Helvig lived in the spring of 1816 with the mother of Malla Silfverstolpe where he incurred scarlet fever and died hastily.

His Burial site cared for many years by Geijer and Atterbom who used to read poems at the grave.

 

Burial site: 0101-0009

Image description: Bernhard von Helvigs gravestone. Photo: Henrik Zetterberg. [No portrait found when page was made]

 

 

Olof Eneroth

1825–1881.

Author, pomologist.

Olof Eneroth is regarded as groundbreaking in Swedish horticulture and has been called "the father of Swedish Pomology".

Eneroth devoted himself in his horticulture for the study of various apple. As director of the Swedish Garden association School and its gardens between 1858–1863 worked for the development of garden art and for gardening to be introduced as subject at elementary schools, seminars and agricultural schools.

Between 1864–1866 Eneroth published Handbook in Swedish Pomology.

He also worked for a good education in elementary school and in the work about elementary schools in Sweden (1863 – 1869), he developed his ideas.

Eneroth bequeathed a significant amount of money to Stockholm University for the establishment of a professorship in pedagogy.

 

Burial site: 0115-0818

Image description: Olof Eneroth, woodcut. Photo: Swedish Biographical Dictionary / National Archives. [The image is cropped]
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Pontus Wikner

1837–1888.

Philosopher, writer.

Pontus Wikner was born in a poor homestead in Valbo-Ryrs parish in Dalsland.

He came to Uppsala in 1856 and took a lasting impression of the neo-evanglism and of Rydberg and Geijer.

As a disciple of philosopher Christopher Jacob Boström, Wikner developed at first Boström's ideas, to later expose them to religious philosophical and epistemological criticism. Against the philosophy of Boström, which was derived from God as the absolute sense, Wikner's conception a God as marked by sacred will and religion as a me-you relationship.

Between 1863–1884, Wikner was Associate Professor in theoretical philosophy in Uppsala and became lecturer in theology and Hebrew at higher general grammar school in Uppsala 1873, and professor of philosophy and aesthetics in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1884.

In the most read work thoughts and questions before the Son of man (1872) Wikner took personal position in the Christologian battles of the present time. He wanted to reconcile a biblically inspired revival of piety with a culture of open humanism and was beheld in Christian circles, mainly within the young ecclesiastical and the Covenant of Christian Humanism.

When Pontus Wikner died in Oslo after a life of sickness and personal crises, his remains was brought to Uppsala through the student union. A large number of students followed the remains to the grave.

More than 80 years (1971) after Wikner's death, his notes were published, in which he describes his homosexual orientation and the suffering it caused him.

Wikner also became an inspiration when the modern gay movement emerged in Sweden in the 1970s; a movement that has evolved and today can be referred to as the LGBTQI movement.

 

Burial site: 0121-1085

Image description: Pontus Wikner , ca 1850-1888. Photo: Unknown photographer / UUB. [The image is cropped]
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