A large gathering took place at Lilla Isie Church near Trelleborg to honor the life and legacy of Per Svensson, a prominent Swedish journalist and liberal intellectual. Known for his influential roles at Expressen, Kvällsposten, and Dagens Nyheter, Svensson was celebrated for his contributions to journalism and literature, including his award-winning biography of Anders Zorn. The ceremony was attended by notable figures from the media and cultural sectors, reflecting Svensson's significant impact on Swedish public life.
Hundreds Gather to Bid Farewell to Influential Journalist Per Svensson
Hundreds Gather to Bid Farewell to Influential Journalist Per Svensson
More than a hundred people gathered on Monday at Lilla Isie Church outside Trelleborg to bid farewell to author and journalist Per Svensson.
Per Svensson was a leading journalist and liberal intellectual in Swedish public life for decades before he passed away at the age of 68 after a period of illness. He worked for 20 years at Expressen/Kvällsposten, including roles as culture editor at Expressen and editor-in-chief at Kvällsposten. He continued as a senior columnist at Sydsvenskan, and later moved to Dagens Nyheter as a political editor and finally as a contributor to the culture section.
In 2023, he published a biography of Anders Zorn, "Zorn – ett liv, en tid," for which he was awarded the August Prize in the non-fiction category.
The funeral was led by priest Mikael Ringlander, who collaborated with Per Svensson at the Gothenburg Book Fair. He spoke about Svensson's writing and his fight for a good society and liberal democracy. He also shared that in one of their last conversations, Svensson said: "Life has been like a good dinner, I'm just missing the digestif now."
The many attendees in the church testified to Svensson's long career and rich life. Among the guests were numerous notable figures from the world of journalism. Expressen's deputy editor-in-chief Karin Olsson and the newspaper's culture editor Victor Malm, along with Albert Bonniers Förlag's literary director Daniel Sandström, attended, as did Dagens Nyheter's editor-in-chief Peter Wolodarski and the newspaper's culture editor Björn Wiman.
Also present were Svenska Dagbladet's culture editor Ida Ölmedal, Sydsvenskan's editor-in-chief Jonas Kanje, and the newspaper's culture editor Maria G Francke. Journalists Rakel Chukri, Niklas Orrenius, Maria Schottenius, and Björn af Kleen, as well as publisher Svante Weyler and political editor Gabriel Ehrling Peres, participated.
Former Archbishop Antje Jackelén and Lizzie Oved Scheja, CEO of Jewish Culture in Sweden, were also among the mourners.
The funeral was strongly framed by art. The widow, literature scholar Ann-Sofi Ljung Svensson, read "The Choir of the Winds" from PDA Atterbom's poetry suite "The Island of Bliss," and the ceremony concluded with Evert Taube's song "As Long as the Ship Can Sail."
Per Svensson is survived by his widow Ann-Sofie, his mother Britt, and children Amanda, Rasmus, and Elvira, as well as grandchildren.