FEATURE

Strong women who shaped Skellefteå

Skellefteå has a long history of women breaking new ground, standing up for their rights and helping to shape the city and society. On International Women's Day, we celebrate some of these pioneers - women with drive, courage and a will to change.

International Women's Day is about recognizing the women who have gone before, those who have broken norms, fought for rights and paved the way for future generations. Skellefteå has a proud history of women who have made an impact with their drive. Some fought for fair wages and better working conditions, others pushed for political change, and some were pioneers in business. What they all have in common is that their efforts have shaped the place we live in today. Here are some of the women who made history:

Anna Margareta Skoog - the midwife who refused to settle

Being a midwife in the early 19th century was not a given, and it was definitely not a profession where women were expected to make demands. But Anna Margareta Skoog thought differently. When she was offered a salary of 33 riksdaler banco per year for her work in Skellefteå, she simply said no. She had received a better offer in Piteå - and she made sure that the parishioners in Skellefteå knew it. To keep her, they agreed to pay for her education in Stockholm and also raised her salary to 50 riksdaler. When they tried to get the Poor Fund to pay for her work with financially vulnerable women, she put her foot down once again. Either the parishioners paid her themselves - or she moved to Piteå. They gave in and Anna Margareta got her demands accepted - an effort that showed that women could stand up for their work and their value.

Charlotta Sidén - fighting for women's right to vote

Charlotta Sidén was a pioneer in two senses. As early as 1866, she started her own shop for fashion goods and sewing accessories - female entrepreneurship was not entirely common at the time. She later became a strong voice for women's rights and was vice-chairman of the Association for Women's Political Suffrage in Skellefteå. When she became the first woman to be elected to the city council in 1911, it was a big step forward. At that time, women still did not have the right to vote in parliamentary elections and only some were allowed to vote in municipal elections. A woman taking a seat at the top decision-making table was a powerful statement at a time when society was almost exclusively ruled by men. Charlotta's action was part of a larger movement that eventually led to women gaining full voting rights in 1919. She showed that change is possible - and that it took courage to pave the way and take the first seat on the council.

Margareta Lundberg - the woman who stood up for the good of the village

When the Boliden ore was discovered on Fågelmyran outside the village of Bjurliden, Margareta Lundberg owned the land. The mining company offered her two options: a lump sum of SEK 20,000 or payment per ton of gold extracted. She chose SEK 20 000 - but not without making demands. She wanted the villagers to get jobs in the mine, and her decision was crucial to the development of the Boliden community. Before the discovery, there was only forest and marshland here. Instead, Sweden's Klondyke was born and the whole village had gained livelihood opportunities. In an interview with Veckojournalen in 1928, she commented on the discovery and the fact that some people thought she was selling the land too cheaply. Her humble answer says it all:

- Yes, I owned a gold mine for 25 years and had neither pleasure nor a penny of profit from it. Should I not be satisfied, then, when in my old age I have prospered through the company itself and see how thousands of other people have prospered because I sold the land that was worthless to me and to anyone else up here?

For her efforts, she had a street named after her, and her house was moved to the city center. Today, the park area in Boliden is called Margaretaparken, a fitting tribute to the woman whose decisions influenced an entire village for the next 100 years and beyond.

More women who made their mark on our history

History is full of inspiring Skellefteå women. Astrid Lindeqvist fought for social justice and took a seat in parliament, Majorskan von Post ran businesses in trade and bakery at a time when women weren't business owners, and dairywoman Ulrika Eleonora Lindström is forever associated with the original recipe for Västerbotten cheese. Sara Lidman used her words as a weapon and became one of Sweden's most influential writers and debaters, and Josefina Pahlberg, Skellefteå's "cinema queen", ensured that the city had a flourishing film culture.

These were women whose efforts laid the foundations for the society we have today - but the work is not done, so who will take the next step?

Text: Daniel Bergeman

Photo: Skellefteå museum