Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-09-06
Sweden
Personalities of the Past


ed 16 years after his death, still
has followers particularly in Bri-
tain and North America.
Originally an engineer and scien-
fist = in many respects much
ahead of his time = he underwent
a religious crisis during a visit to
Britain. He came to regard him
self as Gods interpreter Of the
Bibles innermost meaning. Believ-
ing he held intercourse with spir-
it's, he recorded his Authorizations
in detail.
His contemporary, Carl Won
Lime, the King of Flowers, won
admirers in Britain as the regen-
orator of the science of botany.
Lime was born in 1707 in the
province of Smaland. His scientif-
ic activity found strong support in
Holland where he went in 1875 and
published his Systema Naturae, a
classification of plants, animals,
dlL0 dis.
A later work, "Methodus Sexual
is" presented system for ex-
animation and classification Of
plants which still provides the ele-
ments of botanical instruction.
Returning to Sweden, Lime be-
came one of the founders of the
Academy of Science and it's first
president. He held the chair in Bot
any and Medicine in Uppsala from
1741 until his death in 1878.
His priceless collections were la
ter transferred to London mu-
scum belonging to the Linnean So
ciety.
Other famous Swedes of the
same century were the astronomer
and physicist Anders Celsius, 1701
to 1744, designer of centigrade
thermometer, and the chemist X.
v. Scheele, 1742-17S6, one of the
founders of organic chemistry.
The chemist and physicist j. j.
Berzelius, 1779-1S48, was one of
the scientists who perfected the
atomic and molecular theory.
Nobel prize winners of more re-
cent times were chemist Svante
Arrhenius, 1s69-1827, for his cleo
trolytic theory Of dissertation; Al
var Gullstrand,. 1862-1930. for his
work on the dioptrics of the eye,
which improved construction of
eyeglasses; and Gustaf Dalen,
1S69-1937, for discovery of auto
matte regulators used in light
houses and buoys.
The second Lingiad world GYM
nastic festival in 1949 at Stock
holm added more honors to the
name of Per Henrik Ling. the
father of Swedish gymnastics"
1776-1S39. THE Lingiad was in
augurated in 1889 to celebrate
Ling's centennial)
AS a fencing master and gym
nastics teacher, he developed his
gymnastics system, later used by
people all over the world. He was
also a member of the Swedish Ac-
ademy.
Anders ZOrn, 1S60-1920, became
an oddly among painters: a mill
lionaire. His paintings of Swed-
ish peasant life and nude women
brought him world fame He lived
in Paris many years where he
came under influence of French
impressionists. He was famous
both as an etcher. and as a paint
er; in the United States he paint
ed numerous portraits.
1949 marked the centenary of
the birth of August Strindberg.
1S49-1912. one of Sweden's great
est authors.
Primarily famous for his DRAM
as. Strindberg wrote profusely,
leaving behind a varied production.
A literary giant. he lived in an
almost state Of rebellion against
all and everything. His collection
of short stories, "Married"-filled
with hatred toward women - ev-
en- caused lawsuit against him.
Strindberg's works include the
plays Master Olof, The Dance Of
Death and To Damascus His best-
known novels are TIE Red Room
and The Confessions Of q Fool.
: Although Strtndberg never re-
ceived . Nobel prize. It was award