author
Ida Bäckmann
1867–1950
A fearless Swedish journalist and writer, she traveled widely, reported from Eastern Europe, and later became known for vivid books about literary figures like Gustaf Fröding and Selma Lagerlöf.
1 Audiobook
Gustaf Fröding
by Ida Bäckmann
About the author
Born in Åmål in 1867, Ida Bäckmann worked first as a teacher before moving into journalism and writing. She traveled in Eastern Europe and wrote as a war correspondent for Stockholm newspapers, building a career that ranged far beyond the expectations usually placed on women of her time.
She is best remembered for her biographical books, especially those about Gustaf Fröding and Selma Lagerlöf. Her work helped shape how later readers imagined these major Swedish authors, and her own life has drawn attention for its unusual energy, independence, and literary ambition.
Bäckmann died in 1950. Today she stands out as a distinctive figure in Swedish literary history: a teacher turned reporter, traveler, and author whose writing linked journalism, biography, and cultural history.