Upplysningens ljus i Norrland : Om fyra aktörer vid Härnösands gymnasium under 1700-talet

• The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the occurrence of Enlightenment ideas in the central Northern part of Sweden during the 18th century, focussing on a carefully chosen set of characters: one bishop and three senior lecturers at the gymnasium of Härnösand, in the province of Ångermanland. This dissertation uses a perspective of circulation of knowledge, inspired by the research field of history of knowledge. The methodological approach in this study is to use a complex thematic definition with eight different components of Enlightenment in the analysis of relevant texts and writings by selected characters, supplemented with a contextual perspective.A center for the ecclesiastical culture of learning in Norrland was Härnösand, and the gymnasium was Norrland´s only higher education institution, north of Gävle, for 200 years between 1650 and 1850. During the 18th century, three senior lecturers were employed there, each working for the dissemination of Enlightenment ideas, through both writing and practical action: Magnus Stridsberg (1696–1772), Nils Gissler (1715–1771) and Pehr Hellzén (1744–1811). At the same time as these, the diocese was governed by Bishop Olof Kiörning (1704–1778), who was also the Supervisor of the gymnasium. He was influenced by Enlightenment ideas and showed a strong interest in advanced agriculture and contributed to the church taking greater part in the social and economic development. The first lecturer, Magnus Stridsberg, created new methods in agriculture concerning soil mixing, manure production and grain nurseries, but has mainly been remembered for his threshing machine which came into general use in central Norrland during the second half of the 18th century. The next lecturer, Nils Gissler, was Norrland´s first provincial physician and introduced a scientific approach to practical medicine in the region. With the dissemination of knowledge and a great deal of personal commitment, he showed interest in mental illness and treated his patients in his own home. He laid the foundation for an infrastructure for public health care in the province. He was a member of the Swedish Academy of Sciences and wrote many scientific papers, and in modern times has received international scientific recognition for the discovery of the inverted barometer effect. The third lecturer, Pehr Hellzén, was a pre-industrial contractor in the sawmill and shipbuilding industry in central Norrland and founded the shipyard and shipping company Wifstavarf in 1798. Hellzén gave an important inaugural speech when the new gymnasium was built: Om uplysningens verkan på människors och samhällens sällhet (On the effect of Enlightenment on the happiness of people and societies), printed in Swedish 1794. He gave Härnösand a special role within the Enlightenment, described as a driving force behind the development of science, education and economic in the region.The Enlightenment that developed in Härnösand can be summarized as a Christian ‘utilism’ with clear Enlightenment traits such as reason, experience-based science, the dissemination of knowledge, humanity, social reforms, religious tolerance & religion of reason, and utility & virtue. It rested on an evangelical Lutheran foundation, it regarded the meaning of ‘utilism’ in a broader sense than just financial gain, and included central Enlightenment ideas. 

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion -- Idé- och lärdomshistoria (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion -- History of Ideas (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Enlightenment

Utilism

Religion

Sweden

Norrland

Härnösand

Gymnasium

18th century

Magnus Stridsberg

Nils Gissler

Pehr Hellzén

Olof Kiörning

History of Ideas

idéhistoria

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

dok (ämneskategori)