Margareta Momma
Encyclopedia
Anna Margareta Momma (1702–1772) was a Swedish publisher, managing editor
, journalist
and feminist. Chronologically, she may be counted as the first professionally active female journalists in Sweden
.
. In 1735, she married the newspaper
editor Peter Momma. Peter Momma was the publisher of several popular papers in Stockholm
, such as Stockholm Gazette (1742) and Stockholms Weckoblad (1745), and Margareta was from the beginning his active colleague and participator in the process of making the papers.
edition of Stockholm Gazette (1742–52). She is also believed to have been one of the two writers behind the Swedish language paper Samtal emellan Argi och skugga och obekant Fruentimbers Skugga ("A talk between Argus' shadow and the unknown shadow of a woman newly arrived to the kingdom of Death") published from 1738, written as a debate between a male (Argus' shadow) and a female journalist (the shadow of a woman). This was a radical paper where the writers were critical of religious repression and censorship, obedience to authority, and issues of war and peace, morality, and independence; the paper was censored several times by the authorities. Here, she satirizes the letters from some readers who criticize the thought of a woman discussing philosophy
.
and they discussed recent events and news, politics, philosophy and the position of women and gender equality
, which presaged first-wave feminism
in the English-speaking world. These papers sometimes pamphlets, and often written in the form of letters between two female correspondents. They were often temporary, published during one year, and quickly replaced by new ones the next, possibly by the same writers, under a new name and new signatures. These papers became common during the 1730s and were very common in the last years of the Age of Liberty. These writers were Sweden's first female journalists, but since they all wrote under pseudonyms (mostly French names), in most cases they cannot be identified.
She had three children, among them Elsa Fougt
, who took over her and Peter's papers when they died in 1772.
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, 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...
and feminist. Chronologically, she may be counted as the first professionally active female journalists in 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....
.
Background
Anna Margareta was probably born in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In 1735, she married the newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
editor Peter Momma. Peter Momma was the publisher of several popular papers in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, such as Stockholm Gazette (1742) and Stockholms Weckoblad (1745), and Margareta was from the beginning his active colleague and participator in the process of making the papers.
Activity
She is believed to have been the sole editor behind the French languageFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
edition of Stockholm Gazette (1742–52). She is also believed to have been one of the two writers behind the Swedish language paper Samtal emellan Argi och skugga och obekant Fruentimbers Skugga ("A talk between Argus' shadow and the unknown shadow of a woman newly arrived to the kingdom of Death") published from 1738, written as a debate between a male (Argus' shadow) and a female journalist (the shadow of a woman). This was a radical paper where the writers were critical of religious repression and censorship, obedience to authority, and issues of war and peace, morality, and independence; the paper was censored several times by the authorities. Here, she satirizes the letters from some readers who criticize the thought of a woman discussing philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Context
During the Age of Liberty in Sweden between 1718 and 1771, several papers were published written for and by women. They were publications typical of the Age of EnlightenmentAge of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
and they discussed recent events and news, politics, philosophy and the position of women and gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
, which presaged first-wave feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
in the English-speaking world. These papers sometimes pamphlets, and often written in the form of letters between two female correspondents. They were often temporary, published during one year, and quickly replaced by new ones the next, possibly by the same writers, under a new name and new signatures. These papers became common during the 1730s and were very common in the last years of the Age of Liberty. These writers were Sweden's first female journalists, but since they all wrote under pseudonyms (mostly French names), in most cases they cannot be identified.
She had three children, among them Elsa Fougt
Elsa Fougt
Elsa Fougt was a Swedish printer, publisher, book importer and newspaper editor and an important figure in the literary market in the second half of the 18th century Sweden. Between 1772 and 1811, she ran the Royal printing and was responsible for the country's official print. Fougt was the...
, who took over her and Peter's papers when they died in 1772.
See also
- Catharina AhlgrenCatharina AhlgrenCatharina Ahlgren was a Swedish feminist writer, poet, translator, managing editor, and one of the first identifiable female journalists in Sweden. She is also known for her correspondance with Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht. Ahlgren was a leading person in the "Female literary world of the 1750-...
- Henrika Juliana von LiewenHenrika Juliana von LiewenHenrika Juliana von Liewen was a Swedish noble, socialite and lady-in-waiting, believed to have been politically active on behalf of the Hats during the Age of liberty....
- Anna Hammar-RosénAnna Hammar-RosénAnna Hammar-Rosén was a Swedish newspaper office editor. She managed a popular paper in Gothenburg between 1773 and 1795 and is believed to be Sweden's first female newspaper editor....
- Louise FlodinLouise FlodinLouise Charlotta Kristina Flodin, née Söderqvist, , was a Swedish journalist, typographer, feminist and publisher. She was seen as the first woman in Sweden to be given a newspaper licence....