Gerda Hellberg facts for kids
Gerda Hellberg (born Lundberg, 1870–1937) was an important Swedish activist who worked for women's rights. She played a big part in helping women in Sweden get the right to vote, which is called women's suffrage.
While studying at Uppsala University, she helped start Sweden's very first student group for women. Later, when she moved to Karlstad in 1897, her house became a meeting place for other women's rights supporters. In 1903, she started the Karlstad group of the National Association for Women's Suffrage (LKPR). In 1912, she made history by becoming the first woman elected to the city council in Karlstad. After women gained the right to vote, she led the Karlstad branch of the Fredrika Bremer Association, which is Sweden's oldest group working for women's rights.
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Who Was Gerda Hellberg?
Gerda Lundberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 22, 1870. Her father, Olof Henrik Lundberg, was a businessman, and her mother was Ida Josefina. Gerda grew up in a comfortable home with six half-siblings from her mother's first marriage.
Gerda's Early Education
Gerda went to Stockholm's French school until 1886. After that, she studied German and biology at Norra Latin. She also attended Wallinska skolan. In 1888, she began studying languages at Uppsala University. At that time, she was the only woman among nearly a thousand male students! She finished her studies in modern languages in 1892.
While at Uppsala, Gerda lived with Ann-Margret Holmgren and her family. Their home was a popular spot for people with new, liberal ideas. There, Gerda became good friends with two other students living there: Gulli Petrini and Lydia Wahlström. Lydia became a close friend for life. Gerda and a few other women encouraged them to create Sweden's first student group just for women. This group, called Kvinnliga Studentföreningen, was started on March 2, 1892.
Fighting for Women's Rights
In 1892, Gerda met Mauritz Hellberg (1859–1947). He was a newspaper editor who also believed in universal suffrage, meaning everyone should have the right to vote. Gerda and Mauritz got married in 1897 on Gerda's 27th birthday.
They moved to Karlstad, where their first son, Helvin, was born two years later. Their second son, Love, was born in 1903 but sadly passed away the next year.
Leading the Suffrage Movement
In March 1903, more and more people became interested in women getting the right to vote. Because of this, the Karlstad group of the LKPR (the women's association for suffrage) was formed. Gerda Hellberg became the leader of this group. The Karlstad branch was one of the two most active groups in western Sweden, along with the Gothenburg branch.
Gerda and her family moved into a new, larger home called Villa Skogsbrynet. This house was big enough to welcome many visitors who were interested in the movement to get women the right to vote.
First Woman on City Council
In November 1912, with strong support from the women's association, Gerda Hellberg was elected to the Karlstad city council. She served on the council until 1923.
That same year, a local branch of the Fredrika Bremer Association was started in Karlstad, and Gerda became its leader. This organization worked to help women get better job skills and to achieve overall equality. Gerda led this group until 1935, when she became its honorary chair.
Gerda Hellberg passed away in Karlstad on August 6, 1937.
