Kauhajoki
Kauhajoki (; “Scoop River”) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region, southwest of the city of Seinäjoki. The population of Kauhajoki is () an ...
- 21 August 1964
Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki (; "Wall River"; , formerly ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of South Ostrobothnia. Seinäjoki is located in the western interior of the country and along the Seinäjoki (river), River Seinäjoki. The population of Sein ...
veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...
. She graduated as a veterinarian and was the first woman in Europe and likely the first woman in the world to obtain the PhD degree in veterinary medicine. During her career, Sjöberg worked as a municipal veterinarian in
Somero
Somero () is a List of cities and towns in Finland, town and municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland. It is part of the Southwest Finland regions of Finland, region in the provinces of Finland, province of Western Finland, located nort ...
and
Närpes
Närpes (Finland Swedish: ; ) is a town in Finland, located on the west coast of the country. Närpes is situated in Ostrobothnia, along the Gulf of Bothnia. The population of Närpes is approximately , while the sub-region has a population of ...
and had a private veterinary clinic for many years. Sjöberg was subjected to prejudice and discrimination by colleagues, and her pioneering work as a female veterinarian was not recognized until much after her death.
Biography
Early life and education
Agnes Sjöberg's parents were Johan B. Sjöberg and Karin Norrgård. They had an advanced model farm in Kauhajoki, which included a school of anmimal husbandry and strawberry plantations. Agnes first attended school at home under the guidance of a governess and in 1900–1905 at the
Vaasa
Vaasa (; , ), formerly (1855-1917) known as Nikolaistad (; ),
Veterinary studies
As a child, Sjöberg had dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. She had followed the teaching at the school of animal husbandry at her home farm and got acquainted with, among other things, the anatomy of the cattle. With the help of her aunt, she was able to assist John Engdahl, the district veterinarian in
Huittinen
Huittinen () is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the Satakunta region, southeast of Pori and southwest of Tampere. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .
The ...
, observing the work of a veterinarian. At the end of the internship, Dr. Engdahl admitted that he was prejudiced at first but recommended her to study in the field. On Engdahl's recommendation, Sjöberg was promised a place at the
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich (UZH, ) is a public university, public research university in Zurich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of the ...
. Arriving in Switzerland, however, she was disappointed, as the university had just banned Russian citizens - that is, also Finns - from studying at the university for fear of revolutionaries.
However, Sjöberg received a letter of recommendation from the University of Zurich, which allowed her to begin her veterinary studies in Germany at the University of Dresden in the autumn of 1911. The female student was admitted to study on an experimental basis among 300 male students. At the same time, there were some thirty other Finnish veterinary students in Dresden who were hostile to Sjöberg. Due to pressure and to get rid of other Finnish students, Sjöberg moved to the
University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany.
The university was established by Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humbol ...
the following year, where there were only a few Finnish students. In 1913, Sjöberg applied to the university for permission to complete a bachelor's degree in veterinary medicine. Sjöberg's gender again caused problems, as according to university rules, only a male student could complete a degree. The matter went to the level of the ministry, and in the summer of 1913 an official decision was made that a woman student could also graduate as a veterinarian in Germany.
The outbreak of World War I in 1914 delayed Agnes's graduation until the spring of 1916. During the war, however, she was able to work at the University Animal Clinic while men were at the front. After graduating she began to work on her dissertation and defended it in
Leipzig
Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
in 1918. The title of the dissertation was ''Klinische und chemisch-mikroskopische Untersuchungen des Augensekretes der Pferde''.
Career in Finland
In the same year that Sjöberg received her doctorate, she returned to Finland. She took on the position of municipal veterinarian, first in
Somero
Somero () is a List of cities and towns in Finland, town and municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland. It is part of the Southwest Finland regions of Finland, region in the provinces of Finland, province of Western Finland, located nort ...
in 1918–1920 and then in
Närpes
Närpes (Finland Swedish: ; ) is a town in Finland, located on the west coast of the country. Närpes is situated in Ostrobothnia, along the Gulf of Bothnia. The population of Närpes is approximately , while the sub-region has a population of ...
in 1920–1923. In 1923, she traveled abroad again for further studies, first to
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, then to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, and finally to
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
. During her trip, she became acquainted with schools and clinics in the field, and engaged in work and further research. One result of the trip was a study on ruminant parasites. Sjöberg returned to Finland again in 1926, first opening a private veterinary practice in
Kauhajoki
Kauhajoki (; “Scoop River”) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region, southwest of the city of Seinäjoki. The population of Kauhajoki is () an ...
where she operated in 1926–1932 and then in Kurikka in 1932–1935. After working as a meat inspector in
Ilmajoki
Ilmajoki (; ) is a municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland. Ilmajoki is a town and municipality situated in Finland's South Ostrobothnia region, founded in 1865. Ilmajoki has a population of 12,165 (28. February 2017)and covers an are ...
in 1935–1938, she eventually settled in Seinäjoki, where she had her own animal clinic from 1938 until 1955.
Among her clients Sjöberg was popular, but this was not the case with many of her veterinary colleagues. Early in her career, she quarreled with Rainer Stenius, long-time chairman of the Veterinary Association and advisor to the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Agriculture. After the Board of Honor of the Veterinary Association accused Sjöberg of uncollegial conduct, she resigned from the association, embittered.
In 1918, the Finnish news magazine
Suomen Kuvalehti
''Suomen Kuvalehti'' ( or 'the Finnish picture magazine') is a weekly Finnish language family and news magazine published in Helsinki, Finland.
History and profile
''Suomen Kuvalehti'' was founded in 1873 and published until the year 1880. The m ...
made the following remarks:
"Her medical practice in Germany, where she has treated even 'large' domestic animals, horses, cows, etc., thus proves that a woman's strength is sufficient for also this profession."
Sjöberg's pioneering work as a female veterinarian was not recognized until much after her death. A street close to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the
Viikki
Viikki () is a neighbourhood of about 15,000 inhabitants in Helsinki, Finland. It is located at the bottom of ''Vanhankaupunginlahti'' bay, some 7–10 km from the city centre.
The district hosts the Viikki Campus with four of the faculties ...
district of Helsinki was named Agnes Sjöbergin katu in 2001, and in her native Kauhajoki Sööpärintie is named after her.
Personal life
Agnes Sjöberg married Veikko Klaavu in 1928. It was a short-lived marriage; she had twin sons, whom she raised alone.
Works
* ''Clinical and chemical-microscopic analysis of the growth of the pens'' . Dissertation. 1918.
* ''Europe's first female veterinarian. Agnes Hildegard Sjöberg, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Life from childhood to silver hair.'' Vaasa 1964. (Visible edition: Lasipalatsi, 2000.) List of publications at the end of the work.