Anna Ahlström (19 July 1863 – 12 October 1943) was a Swedish teacher and principal who, in 1902, founded the New Elementary School for Girls - Ahlströmska school - in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
. The school's director was her life partner. In 1903, she formed the ''Akademiskt Bildade Kvinnors Förening'' or ABKF ('Society of Women Academics') which influenced the government to address the issue of gender discrimination, which ultimately resulted in the
Behörighetslagen, a law which formally declared almost all professions and positions in society open for both men and women.
Biography
Anna Sofia Charlotta Ahlström was born in Stockholm on 19 July 1863. She was the daughter of Jonas Ahlström. She received her high school diploma in 1885 at the Wallinska school, in Stockholm. She continued her studies in
Uppsala University
Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation.
Initially fou ...
and graduated from the bachelor's degree in 1891 after which, she traveled in Italy and France, living in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. She studied modern languages in Paris,
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 ...
, and
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. In 1899, she defended her Ph.D. thesis in Uppsala. She was one of the first women to receive a doctorate in Sweden, and Sweden's first female doctor in
Romance languages
The Romance languages, also known as the Latin or Neo-Latin languages, are the languages that are Language family, directly descended from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-E ...
(1899). She wrote her thesis on
Gustave Flaubert
Gustave Flaubert ( , ; ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. He has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country and abroad. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flaubert, realis ...
's language in French in France.
Before her doctoral degree, she taught in 1893 at several girls' schools in Stockholm. When she was not allowed to apply for an associate professorship, she decided to start her own girls' school. After completing her doctoral degree, she established the New Elementary School for Girls in Stockholm in 1902, and began teaching the girls autumn term 1903, first in her own floor on Jungfrugatan 17, and a few months later, in various school premises on Kommendörsgatan in
Östermalm
Östermalm (; "Eastern city-borough") is a 2.56 km2 large district in central Stockholm, Sweden. With 71,802 inhabitants, it is one of Sweden's most populous and exclusive districts. It is an extremely expensive area, having the highest ho ...
, among others at Kommendörsgatan 25 (teaching fifteen girls and a boy).
In 1907, Ahlström employed a younger teacher, Ellen Terserus (1867-1943), who became the school's director. Terserus graduated universities in England and the United States. Ahlström led this free school together with Ellen Terserus, her life partner. When Ahlström was almost 50 years old, she and Ellen Terserus moved into a common apartment on Sibyllegatan and ten years later, they moved to a large floor in the actual school house (Kommendörsgatan / Artillerigatan).
Ahlström and Terserus both retired in 1930.
Ahlström died on 12 October 1943, three weeks after Terserus.
Honors
* Anna Ahlström and Ellen Terserus Foundation
References
Bibliography
*
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahlström, Anna
1863 births
1943 deaths
Educators from Stockholm
Heads of schools in Sweden
Founders of Swedish schools and colleges
Uppsala University alumni
20th-century Swedish educators
19th-century Swedish educators