Sjöberg, Åke G.

Sjöberg, Åke G. Image 1

© Maria Sjöberg

Throughout his life Åke G. Sjöberg has worked with strong commitment and enthusiasm to expand and convey the knowledge about Gotland's history and cultural heritage, both as lecturer and writer.

Born in Klinte on Gotland in 1932, he worked after his studies at Uppsala University (Ph.D. in economic history) as a secondary school teacher in history at Säveskolans gymnasium in Visby. Born and raised on Gotland, he had in many years had a radically important role in this island, as German consul, as chairman of the church council in Visby Cathedral parish and as chairman of the Congregation of Gotland's churches. When Gotland University College started, he has also become an appreciated cicerone for history students.

A large number of scientific and popular scientific publications bears witness of his profund knowledge. Just to mention a few of his research studies: "Gotlandic scooners and skippers in Gotlandic studies in the 1630s and 1640s" (1974), "Fartygslästen. An examination of the cargo as a ship's measure in the ports of Gotland 1630-1660" (1977) and "Haquin Spegel's Rudera Gothlandica and the historians' battle over Gotland" (2014). He also was the editor of "Historia kring Gotland" (1963).

Åke G. Sjöberg was appointed honorary doctor at Uppsala University at the Faculty of History and Philosophy in 2014.

His essay "Den Blomstertid nu kommer" was written specifically for the Baltic Sea Library.