Johanna Hård facts for kids

Johanna Hård (born 3 December 1789 – died 12 March 1851) was a Swedish woman who became known as a pirate. Her original name was Jungberg, but she took the name Hård after she got married.

Johanna Hård's Story

Early Life and Challenges

Johanna was born in Hisingen, near Gothenburg, in 1789. Her father, Sven Haraldsson Jungberg, was a farmer. In 1813, she married Fredrik Hård, who worked as a bookkeeper. Sadly, her husband passed away in 1817, leaving her a widow.

After her husband's death, Johanna lived on Vrångö Island. It was hard for her to earn enough money to support herself. She was once caught for smuggling because she had sailed to Copenhagen and sold fabrics without following the rules. She was also cleared of a serious accusation after an investigation showed the child was stillborn.

Accused of Piracy

In 1823, Johanna was put on trial. She was accused of being involved in a pirate attack. The Danish ship Frau Mette was found near Fotö. It had been robbed, and its crew had died.

Johanna was accused along with her servant Anders Andersson, a boatswain named Johan Andersson Flatås, a fisherman named Christen Andersson, and his servant Carl Börjesson. Johanna said she was innocent and denied everything.

However, the others who were accused with her told the court that Johanna had planned the whole attack. They said the plan was made at her home, and she was the leader behind it. Johanna even wrote a letter to her father, asking him to say that her servant had been with her during the time of the attack. When the police found the letter, she claimed she wrote it because she was confused.

Life After the Trial

In 1824, Johan Andersson Flatås, Anders Andersson, and Christen Andersson were executed for piracy and murder. Carl Börjesson was sentenced to forced labor. But there wasn't enough proof to find Johanna Hård guilty, so she was set free.

After the trial, Johanna moved to Stockholm around 1825. She told people she was a sea captain's widow. It seems she managed to keep her past a secret. She even got a job at the Royal Post Office and had a good reputation there. Johanna Hård passed away in a charity hospital in Stockholm in 1851.

How She Was Remembered

People remembered Johanna Hård in two different ways. Some thought of her as a tough criminal who convinced others to become pirates. Others saw her as a poor widow who did whatever she could to survive.