Helen Svensson Fletre
Encyclopedia
Helen Svensson Fletre was a Swedish-born, American
author
and journalist
.
, Sweden
. She was educated in Sweden and London
. She earned a teacher's degree in London in 1931. She served as a governess in England
and later as a teacher in Norway
. On a 1932 trip to see relatives in Chicago
, she met prominent Norwegian-American sculptor Lars Fletre
. In 1934 they were married . They lived in Norway, principally in Voss until 1954, when they moved to Chicago with their three children, settling in Logan Square
during 1954.
. She and her husband became active in the many groups which were flourishing at the time, notably DeLiSa (Det literaer Samfund), Chicago Norske Klub
, Nordmanns Forbundet, Norwegian National League, as well as others. Fletre handled translation and was a guide for the Chicago portion of Olav V of Norway
's state visit to the United States. When King Olav V of Norway
visited Chicago in 1975, she took him on a personal tour of the Edvard Munch
exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago
. The visit was to celebrate 150 years of Norwegian emigration to America
. She served on the Sesquicentennial Commission and was co-editor of From Fjord to Prairie.
Her mother had been an early feminist in Sweden, and Fletre herself marched here for the Equal Rights Amendment
and against nuclear weapons. She also helped found a neighborhood association to combat crime, and was a consultant to Victory Gardens Theater
when it staged Ibsen and Strindberg
plays.
She had written hundreds of articles in Vinland, the Chicago-based Norwegian-American newspaper. As a staff writer for the newspaper Vinland, she contributed numerous articles to that paper. Helen Fletre served as a journalist for the Vinland until it ceased publication with the death of owner-editor Bertram Jensenius in 1976.
She was a familiar figure at symposiums and conferences where she presented papers dealing with Norwegian-American cultural life in Chicago. She was frequently consulted in anything related to Norwegian-Americans in Chicago. In 1976, King Olav bestowed the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav on her for her sesquicentennial work and for her many years of service to Norway.
In 1984, she read a paper at a Norwegian-American seminar in Norway and also was editor of Bridges to Norway: 1934-1984. During her later years, she was helpful in collecting information for A Century of Urban Life by Odd S. Lovoll
and published by the Norwegian-American Historical Association
in 1988.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Background
Helen Svensson was a native of ÖdeshögÖdeshög
Ödeshög is a locality and the seat of Ödeshög Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 2,651 inhabitants in 2005.Ödeshög is also the birthplace of former Swedish professional football player Klas Ingesson. Ingesson is today the Chairman of the local team, .- References :...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She was educated in Sweden and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She earned a teacher's degree in London in 1931. She served as a governess in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and later as a teacher in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. On a 1932 trip to see relatives in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, she met prominent Norwegian-American sculptor Lars Fletre
Lars Fletre
Lars Fletre was a prominent Norwegian-American sculptor.-Biography:Lars Olavson Fletre was born in Vossestrand, Voss, Hordaland, Norway. He was the son of Ola Oddson Fletre and Kristine Olsdatter ytre Kvårmo....
. In 1934 they were married . They lived in Norway, principally in Voss until 1954, when they moved to Chicago with their three children, settling in Logan Square
Logan Square, Chicago
Logan Square is one of the 77 city-designated community areas located on the near northwest side of the City of Chicago. The name, used here to describe the community area defined by U.S. census tracts, also applies to one of a number of smaller, more loosely defined residential neighborhoods...
during 1954.
Career
She became a prominent member of the Norwegian-American community in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. She and her husband became active in the many groups which were flourishing at the time, notably DeLiSa (Det literaer Samfund), Chicago Norske Klub
Chicago Norske Klub
Chicago Norske Klub was a Chicago, Illinois based Norwegian-American cultural and social organization.-Background:Chicago Norske Klub was founded in 1911 through the merger of two prior organizations which had dated to 1890, the Norwegian Club in Chicago and the Norwegian Quartet Club .Its...
, Nordmanns Forbundet, Norwegian National League, as well as others. Fletre handled translation and was a guide for the Chicago portion of Olav V of Norway
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
's state visit to the United States. When King Olav V of Norway
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
visited Chicago in 1975, she took him on a personal tour of the Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionist art. His best-known composition, The Scream, is part of a series The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of love, fear, death, melancholia, and anxiety.- Childhood :Edvard Munch...
exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
. The visit was to celebrate 150 years of Norwegian emigration to America
Norwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
. She served on the Sesquicentennial Commission and was co-editor of From Fjord to Prairie.
Her mother had been an early feminist in Sweden, and Fletre herself marched here for the Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
and against nuclear weapons. She also helped found a neighborhood association to combat crime, and was a consultant to Victory Gardens Theater
Victory Gardens Theater
Victory Gardens Theater is a theater in Chicago, Illinois dedicated to the development and production of new plays and playwrights. The theater was founded in 1974 when seven Chicago artists, Warren Casey, Cordis Heard, Roberta Maguire, Mac McGuinnes, Cecil O'Neal, June Pyskaček, and David Rasche...
when it staged Ibsen and Strindberg
Strindberg
Strindberg may refer to:People* August Strindberg , Swedish dramatist and painter* Nils Strindberg , Swedish photographer* Anita Strindberg , Swedish actor* Henrik Strindberg , Swedish composerOther...
plays.
She had written hundreds of articles in Vinland, the Chicago-based Norwegian-American newspaper. As a staff writer for the newspaper Vinland, she contributed numerous articles to that paper. Helen Fletre served as a journalist for the Vinland until it ceased publication with the death of owner-editor Bertram Jensenius in 1976.
She was a familiar figure at symposiums and conferences where she presented papers dealing with Norwegian-American cultural life in Chicago. She was frequently consulted in anything related to Norwegian-Americans in Chicago. In 1976, King Olav bestowed the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav on her for her sesquicentennial work and for her many years of service to Norway.
In 1984, she read a paper at a Norwegian-American seminar in Norway and also was editor of Bridges to Norway: 1934-1984. During her later years, she was helpful in collecting information for A Century of Urban Life by Odd S. Lovoll
Odd S. Lovoll
-Background:Odd Sverre Lovoll was born in Sande, in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. He immigrated to the United States in 1946 and is a naturalized United States citizen. Lovoll received his education both in Norway and in the United States, passing university exams at the University of Bergen in 1961 and...
and published by the Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association
Norwegian-American Historical Association publishes scholarly books, documenting research and interpretations of the American experience of immigrant Norwegians....
in 1988.
Selected works
- Det literære samfund (The Literary Society of Chicago. Oslo: 1986) http://nabo.nb.no/trip?_b=EMITEKST&urn=