Anna Lenah Elgström


Anna Helena "Lenah" Maria Elgström, born 29 December 1884 in Helsingborg, died 23 December 1968 in Stockholm, was a Swedish author.

Life and career

Elgström studied art in Stockholm and Paris and wrote in the Social Democrat until 1948. She was Catholic and active in the women's and peace movement. She married in 1912 with the theatre director Gustaf Collijn, with whom she had a daughter, Ragnhild, circa 1914.
She debuted as an author in 1911 with the book "Gäster och främlingar" which was well received. During the first world war she was active as an anti-war author. Her most famous work is the "Den kloka Elsa" trilogy, which began in 1928, and told the story of the upbringing and development of a young woman by the name of Elsa Holm.
Elgström was one of the founders of Save the Children in 1919. She was the sister of Ossian Elgström and the aunt of Jörgen Elgström. She was a life-long catholic.