The Early Twentieth Century (1912–1941)

Upon his death in 1912, Carl David af Wirsén had served as the Academy’s secretary for almost three decades. Elected as his successor was the poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt, who took up his post in early 1913.

Karlfeldt’s tenure prompted a shake-up of the Academy and subsequent new approach. The first sign of change was that several persons seen as obvious candidates, whom Wirsén had nevertheless managed to exclude, were now elected. Several of the new school of writers were admitted, and in 1914 the Academy elected its first female member in Selma Lagerlöf.

At the time of Karlfeldt becoming secretary, the Academy was once again homeless. The rather dilapidated von Beskow residence had been sold in 1907, and the Academy was, for the time being, relegated to renting session rooms and secretarial accommodation. In late 1913, a Miss Magna Sunnerdahl offered the Academy a donation to buy the Stock Exchange Building, at the time owned by the city of Stockholm. Although the city fathers were reluctant to sell, an agreement was negotiated in 1914 giving the Academy the right to use the top storey of the building (including the Stock Exchange Hall) in perpetuum for the sum of half a million Swedish crowns – made available by Magna Sunnerdahl. The problem of finding a permanent home had now finally been resolved, and the Academy took up residence in 1921.

Erik Axel Karlfeldt died in 1931. The author Per Hallström was appointed his successor as secretary.

The Academy’s 150th anniversary, which took place a few years later, was a rather more subdued affair than previous anniversaries. This is evident not least from the Academy’s own description of the event, which begins as follows:

‘The Swedish Academy celebrated the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its existence on the Fifth of April 1936 by the laying of a wreath at the sarcophagus of King Gustav III. ...

On the aforementioned day, the members of the Academy proceeded as a body at six in the evening to Riddarholm Church, where the Gustavian vault was opened, and the wreath-laying carried out after the following words were spoken by the secretary: ... ‘

The Academy huddle that marched to Riddarholm Church in Stockholm at sunset on 5 April 1936 was almost half composed of writers. The category comprising politicians and officials, all that remained of the ‘gentlemen’, was considerably reduced and now supplied only two persons. In the space of fifty years, the number of ‘learned men’ had fallen from thirteen to eight, a decrease that particularly affected the discipline of history; in 1886, this boasted five representatives but now had none at all.